Q2 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



were heing vei'}' seriously injured from its effects. It also appears 

 to a limited extent in the winter sweet fruits, and now appears in 

 some cases in the richer of the tart fruits, like the Benoni and some 

 others. Whether they will multipl}' and extend through all kinds 

 of fruit no one knows ; neither has there been a remedy suggested. 

 Some of our scientific investigators are studying its habits, and jk)S- 

 sibly in time there may be some method devised by which its ravages 

 may be prevented. It is not a verj- comforting fact that the lalx)rs 

 of man are to be defeated and set at naught by an infinitesimal 

 insect, almost out of the reach of the human e\'e ; that with all our 

 knowledge and our power we are at the mercy, to a great extent, of 

 man}- of these little enemies. It is not a high compliment to our 

 wisdom, but such is the fact. There is one other point in this paper 

 which I wish to refer to, and that is the old subject, — the borer. 



The idea of brimstone, as connected with the borer, is new to me. 

 It is another application and suggestion of the efficacy of that 

 material where serious sin exists ; and certainly the sinful work of 

 this borer is a thing that deserves brimstone or sonve other effectual 

 application. Trees are often badly lacerated in the destruction of 

 the borer. I have learned that after the borer has been allowed 

 to work its way for two years in a tree, having entered to a 

 considerable depth, its destruction requires deep cutting and 

 causes serious injur}^ to the tree. The borer at that stage, 

 let alone, will work less injury than you will in your efforts 

 to destro}- it with the mallet and chisel. When I find the 

 borer has gone be^'ond the reach of my jack-knife, I let him 

 alone. Sometimes I can reach them with a wire. The in- 

 jury has been accomplished then and he is simply working up 

 through the wood to the proper height where he is to emerge 

 next spring. The damage comes largely from his working near 

 the surface of the wood ; between that and the bark, or in the 

 bark, thus cutting off the suppl}' of sap. He cuts off no supph- of 

 sap when working on the interior of the tree and you will work more 

 destruction with the mallet and chisel than he will. With respect to 

 the application of bands for protection ; I have not secured protec- 

 tion in that way. I have found it was an invitation, in fact, for the 

 deposit of the eggs. The insect depositing eggs, seeks and likes 

 a slight shelter, hence j'ou find more of the eggs deposited where 

 there is grass and weeds growing around the tree. A band is just 

 the protection and shelter that they seek for, and if nothing else 



