THE COMMON ORANGE SAWYER. 127 



The injuries caused by them result from careless pruning, and, espe- 

 cially in the case of budded nursery trees, from leaving untrimmed the 

 dead end of the stock above the insertion of the bud. These dead 

 stubs attract the mother beetle, and she deposits one or two eggs in 

 each. 



The grubs that hatch confine themselves to the dead ends until they 

 are completely hollowed out and reduced to mere shells, filled with saw- 

 dust. But if the supply of dead wood fails, they are forced to descend 

 into the living stock below, and thus weaken the bud if they do not kill 

 it outright, undermining the tissues which support it. 



Protection afforded the Tree by its Gum. Very frequently tfhe larva in 

 penetrating the living tissues causes its own death by suffocation from 

 the flow of gum, which rises in the gallery, filling it to the top. This is 

 particularly apt to occur in the case of Lemon, Citron, and others of the 

 citrus family, which produce an abundance of gum. When in vigorous 

 condition the trunk of the Orange is perfectly protected by its gum from 

 the attacks of boring Coleoptera, and it is only endangered when, from 

 loss of vitality, such as follows transplanting or disturbance from dis- 

 ease, attacks of Scale-insects, &c., the circulation of sap and the flow of 

 gum are decreased. 



Necessary Precautions. It follows from what has been said that dead 

 limbs, especially the dead ends of budded stocks, should be carefully 

 trimmed off, back to and even with the healthy wood. Trees trans- 

 planted during an unfavorable season, and which do not get a good or 

 early start, are apt to die back and present dead ends, which attract 

 borers. Such trees need to be closely watched and kept pruned until 

 their vigor is restored. 



When trees of large size are cut off and budded, the entrance of bor 

 ers in the ends of the stump or large branches should be prevented by 

 protecting them with a coating of shellac or grafting-wax. It is also 

 well to allow a few suckers to grow for a time on the side opposite the 

 bud, in order to preserve a healthy flow of sap on this side and encour- 

 age the more rapid formation of wood and bark over the exposed heart 

 wood. 



It is in consequence of the sluggish flow of sap and drier condition 

 of the wood on the side opposite the growing shoot or bud that this side 

 of a budded trunk is particularly exposed to the attacks of borers ; and 

 most of their damage is done by undermining and killing the bark, with 

 long galleries running down one side of the tree. 



Means of destroying the Borers. Should the borer be found to have 

 penetrated the wood beyond the reach of the knife, no simpler method 

 of destroying it can be suggested than the old one of following it to the 

 bottom of its retreat with a piece of annealed wire sharpened at the end. 

 If the wire is also slightly hooked at the end, the sawyer may generally 

 be pulled out and removed bodily. 



