252 



CANKER-WORM. 



eggs below, would prevent the young worms from as- 

 cending. It is also obvious that this apparatus must be 

 of a durable character, so as to be a preventive seven 

 months in a year, as will be seen by the foregoing 

 description, that the grubs begin to ascend in Septem- 

 ber, and continue until the May following. The 

 remedy that I shall first notice is tarring the trunks of 

 the trees. This undoubtedly would be effectual, if 

 the tree could be always kept in a proper state ; but 

 this is extremely difficult, if it is possible : a large 

 portion of the time the tar would want renewing 

 every day, if not twice a day. Sometimes oil or water 

 is mixed with the tar, that it may remain soft longer. 

 One gentleman of ample experience informed me that 

 he lost a crop of apples by mixing oil with the tar. It 

 appeared to render it so smooth that it did not adhere 

 to the feet of the insects. When tar is used, 'and the 

 insects are numerous, the dead bodies of those that are 

 caught pave a path for their successors to pass ; and if 

 a tree is tarred, and it rains upon it a few minutes, the 

 water will glaze the tar, so that the insects pass over 

 with impunity. And they are more likely to ascend 

 when it rains than at other times, as the water softens, 

 the ground and facilitates their escape. If but a few 

 of the grubs ascend the tree, the worms from their 

 eggs would be liable to destroy the trees. If tar is 

 used, it is very injurious to the trees, if applied to the. 

 bark, as it destroys the outside bark. Those who use 

 tar a.nd do not wish to injure theix trees, put a bandage 

 of paper or canvass around the tree, and apply the tar 

 upon that. Some are of the opinion that if the tar was 

 applied directly upon the bark, that it would, in time, 

 kill the tree. Very few persons who use tar have been 

 able to save their fruit for the first year ; but they 

 generally calculate, if they apply it closely, to de- 

 stroy most of the insects in two or three years. Heap- 

 ing a little sand around the trunks of the trees, so that 

 the insects, in crawling, loosen the sand with their feet^ 



