THE VINEYARD AND ORCHARD. IOQ 



disease as very contagious ; others do not. It is 

 best to be on the safe side. If a tree is affected 

 generally, dig it out by the roots and burn it at 

 once ; if only a branch shows evidence of the mal- 

 ady, cut it off well back, and commit it to the 

 flames. The only remedy is to propagate from 

 trees in sound health and vigor. 



Like the apple, the peach-tree is everywhere 

 subject to injury from a borer, named " exitiosa, or 

 the destructive." The eggs from which these little 

 pests are hatched are laid by the moth during the 

 summer upon the stem of the tree very near the 

 root ; the grubs bore through the outer bark, and 

 devour the inner bark and sap-wood. Fortunately 

 they soon reveal their evil work by the castings, 

 and by the gum which exudes from the hole by 

 which they entered. They cannot do much harm, 

 unless a tree is neglected ; in this case, however, 

 they will soon enfeeble, and probably destroy it. 

 When once within a tree, borers must be cut out 

 with a sharp-pointed knife, carefully yet thorough- 

 ly. The wounds from the knife may be severe, 

 but the ceaseless gnawing of the grub is fatal. If 

 the tree has been lacerated to some extent, a plas- 

 ter of moistened clay or cow- manure makes a good 

 salve. Keeping the borers out of the tree is far 

 better than taking them out; and this can be 

 effected by wrapping the stem at the ground 



