570 



CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



The Olive Twig-Borer. A reddish brown beetle boring into 

 twigs of olive and other orchard trees, and grape canes, at the axils 

 of the leaves. It is Polycaon confertus, and it breeds in decaying 

 logs and stumps and old grape-vines, apparently visiting .the fruit 

 trees merely to gratify its appetite. Its work is not fatal to the tree, 

 but unless proper pruning and attention be afterwards given, it may 

 spoil the shape of a young tree. Remove the affected branches 

 below the burrows of the beetle, or if it would be difficult to replace 

 a branch, see that the beetle is destroyed and the entrance to the 

 hole stopped up this to prevent decay and a weak branch follow- 

 ing. Spraying with ill-smelling solutions may prevent their attack, 

 but the insect has not been sufficiently abundant to invite serious 

 effort thus far. 



Peach Crown-Borer. A grub boring into peach trees just below 

 the ground surface, its presence being shown by copious gumming. 

 The insect, which has become quite troublesome in Santa Clara 

 County, resembles the Eastern crown-borer of the peach, but is a 

 distinct species (Sanninoidea opalescens). The best methods of sup- 

 pressing this insect are three. A preventive treatment consists in 

 coating the base of the tree a few inches below the surface and a 



A nearly full-grown larva of the Peach-tree Borer. Magnified four diameters. 



foot above with a whitewash, with a pint of coal tar to each five 

 pounds of quicklime, put in while the lime is slacking. More 

 recently the application of asphaltum "grade D" has been made 

 with good results. This should be done in April. A killing treat- 

 ment which has proved effective and safe to the tree is carbon 

 bisulphide, when wisely used. Mr. Ehrhorn gives these 

 precautions : 



Carbon bisulphide should not be applied when the soil is wet or just before 

 a rain, nor just after cutting out borers and putting on lime and other pre- 

 ventives. Avoid putting it on the bark of the tree. Procure a machine oiler 

 which will hold about eight ounces of carbon bisulphide, remove the soil around 

 the trunk of the tree about six inches wide and six inches deep, being sure 

 to detach all soil adhering to the trunk of the tree. After this is done, fill in 

 this space with loose soil to the level again. Now squirt the liquid a few times 

 from one to one and one-half inches away from the bark around the tree, and 

 cover immediately with six inches of soil. Borers have been killed in from 



