36 Notes atid Gleaitings. 



fair weather : several will frequently be found in the same tree. No good 

 orchardist will neglect to apply some remedy against the ravages of this insect, 

 which saps the life of the tree. Dwarf pear-trees, when not set low enough to 

 cover the quince-stock, are liable and quite likely to be destroyed by the borer ; 

 for it seems to like quince-wood even better than the apple. It seldom attacks 

 the pear ; though it has been known to lay its eggs on this tree, which have 

 hatched, the larvae entering the tree, but not seeming to flourish there. Some 

 doubt if it be the same as the apple-borer, but a species of Algeria, — yEgeria 

 Pyri. This latter is not so great an evil as the apple-borer. Use every avail- 

 able means to destroy these insects if you would preserve your orchards from 

 injury, or, in the case of apple-trees, from absolute destruction. 



Peach-Tree Borer {Algeria exitiosd). — As but few peach-trees have been 

 cultivated in New England for the past few years, little has been said or written 

 on the subject of the peach-borer ; though, if a careful examination were made 

 into the facts, it would be found that this insect had much to do with the failure 

 of this very valuable fruit. Now that the prospects of the peach are improving, 

 and people are setting more trees, it becomes quite important that proper atten- 

 tion should be given to the subject, and every precaution taken to protect the 

 trees that are now being or may hereafter be set. 



In years past, the disease known as Xh^ yellows destroyed whole orchards, no 

 doubt ; but the failure of many trees has been charged to this disease that were 

 actually attributable to borers. The eggs are laid by the insect in the form of 

 a moth, much in the same way as by the apple-borer, on the trunk of a tree, near 

 the roots. These eggs hatch ; and the young borers penetrate the bark and wood, 

 causing the tree to "gum out." The eggs are laid during several months, pro- 

 ducing successive generations of borers, which remain in the tree until the fol- 

 lowing summer, when they emerge in the form of a moth, to carry on the work 

 of destruction as preceding generations have done. The same borer is often 

 found in the warts or excrescences that are seen on the cherry and other trees. 

 Like the apple-borer, they frequently deposit their eggs in the branches of trees, 

 the grubs working into the bark. In order fully to prevent the ravages of this 

 insect, it becomes necessary to examine the trees carefully from time to time, 

 all through the season, using a pointed knife, and picking out the worms of 

 different sizes. This is a sure way to prevent harm. Some use wood-ashes, 

 placing it about the base of the tree, heaping it up cone-like ; others use birch- 

 bark or paper, wound around the tree from the ground upwards six to ten inches, 

 which may be removed at the approach of winter, when a careful examination 

 should be made to see if any of the insects have made their way over or through 

 the protector. A story is told of an old lady who leased a place some years 

 ago, on which she set out some peach-trees, which grew and flourished for a 

 while, but, after a time, gave evidence of disease ; about which time she was 

 notified by the landlord to quit the premises, which she was very loath to do. In 

 her anger, it is said, she heated some water boiling hot, and poured it around 

 many of the peach-trees ; at the same time saying she would fix the trees, so that 

 they would not do the owner of the property much good. The story goes on to say, 



