6 BULLETIN" 787^ U. S. DEPAKTMEISTT OE AGRICULTURE. 



Some of these tracts are in excellent condition, others almost totally 

 destroyed. It is necessary to describe only a sufficient number of 

 these to give all conditions of culture and past history. 



8. Along the line of the railroad, between Philadelphia and Har- 

 risburg. Pa., near Kinzers, are two locust plantations, one on the 

 south side planted in 1904, one on the north planted in 1905. To- 

 gether they comprise about 25 acres, containing 44,000 trees. As far 

 as can be ascertained,, nothing was done in these plots until 1909 and 

 1910, when thorough prunings took place. The entire tracts were 

 gone over and all the trees trinmied to a single straight stem. All 

 natural growth of other trees or shrubs was thinned out. The writer 

 personally assisted in one of these thinnings in 1910 and at that tune 

 noted a few borers in the larger trees. Nothing more was done, but 

 an examination in 1912 showed the borer very abundant and many 

 trees breaking off. At present it is difficult to find a good tree. A 

 few have not been injured sufficiently to cause them to break, but the 

 great majority form, a broken tangle. Many root sprouts and suckers 

 are present. . These are now meeting the same fate. 



9. Near New Brunswick, at Stelton, N. J., are several more plan- 

 tations in a long strip on the old roadbed comprising some 8 or 10 

 acres of 13,000 trees. One of these lies along the present roadbed 

 near the station. These trees have been pruned from time to time 

 by the section crews. At present they are badly infested (in the 

 spring of 1918 averaging 10 living borers to a tree) but few broke off 

 until the summer of 1918, when a severe wind destroyed about 5 

 per cent. These trees average 2 to 5 inches in diameter. 



Farther west, some distance from the present roadbed, is a simi- 

 lar stand planted at the same time. No care was taken of it and the 

 trees grew up in thick weeds and other natural, shrubby growth. 

 They are scarcely close enough to produce much natural pruning 

 and all have several large branches. An examination in 1917 and 

 1918 showed that only a very few trees were infested or ever had 

 been infested. The average diameter is larger than that of those 

 nearer the station. 



10. One mile east of Metuchen, N. J., are 10,000 trees planted in 

 1909, divided into about equal stands, one on the south and one on 

 the north side of the roadbed. The north plot was pruned at two 

 different times, but the years could not be determined. In the spring 

 of 1918 all these trees were badly infested and many were broken off. 

 Many root sprouts and suckers have grown out. The trees on the 

 south side never were pruned or thinned. In the spring of 1918 it 

 was almost impossible to' find a borer in the tract ; however, a certain 

 amount of old work was present, though not sufficient to mar the 

 trees greatly. These trees were not planted close enough to cause 

 natural pruning and consequently are considerably branched. Very 



