September 4, 1895.] 



Garden and Forest. 



353 



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4 





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Fig. 49. — Section of bark of Hickory, showinj^ galleries made by borers. — See page 352. 



large and small as well as in the trunks, and 

 for food, shelter, or in sheer wantonness, the 

 beetle sometimes eats into twigs just below 

 the growing shoots, causing the latter to wilt, 

 wither and die. 



The ne.xt letter, dated July nth, was more 

 encouraging in tone : 



I have been carefully over the liranches of 

 the diseased tree that I am treating and cut out 

 about twenty borers of the kind I sent you. 

 Formerly my trees were first attacked low on 

 the trunk and they died all over at once. The 

 attack "this spring has been solely on the upper 

 branches, the result being that these branches 

 only have lost their leaves. I argue from this 

 that as the tree has been stimulated by rich 

 fertilization, the trunk and larger brandies have 

 bepome strong enough to repel the attack. 

 If -this deduction has any foundation in fact, it is 

 encouraging. I notice a much more kixuriant 

 growth of foliage with deeper color, and the 

 trees are, many of them, throwing out sliools 

 on the trunk, which seems to me to indicate 

 that they are gathermg strength. 



Besides soaking tlie upturned earth after it 

 was fertilized, I have drenched tlie ground with 

 the washings from my stable yard. I propose, 

 about the tirst of August, to sliglitly disturb the 

 surface again of these dug-up places and put on 

 more fertilizer, thoroughly wash it in, and the 

 first of September I propose to dig up around 

 every tree. Hickories and others, and apply 

 about two hundred pounds of bone meal, my 

 idea being that the meal will slowly decompose 

 and furnish fertilizer for the trees for some 

 time to come. In addition to that shall top- 

 dress my lawn early each spring. 



In reply to this I indorsed the measures 

 taken and proposed, and a note dated July 

 31st reports that no more trees seem to be 

 affected. I have offered the record of this 

 case, at this time, because it is by'no means 

 an uncommon one, and because instances of 

 this kind are likely to increase rather than 

 otherwise. It is too often forgotten that 

 forest-trees on well-kept lawns are in an un- 

 natural condition, and that their surround- 

 ings, so far as moisture and food-supply is 

 concerned, are distinctly unfavorable, com- 

 pared with the normal situations. Insects 

 are thus given an advantage which they are 

 not slow to seize upon, and though the trees 

 make a gallant fight, of vi'hich they ma)'- 

 show no traces for years, yet in some un- 

 usually dry or otherwise unfavorable year 

 they become discouraged and suddenly give 

 up. 



The lesson is plain and should be heeded 

 by those interested as ovs^ners of trees gen- 

 erally, for it applies not to Hickories alone. 

 Borers in large trees are difficult to contend 

 with, and when once a tree becomes gen- 

 erally infested we are helpless. But if we 

 notice promptly a slight attack we can 

 usually save the patient. In the first place 

 make sure that a sufficient supply of food 

 and moisture is provided, and then smear 

 the trunk, at least to the large branches, 

 v^ith "insect litne" or " dendrolene." These 

 are petroleum products which make a viscid 

 coating of great lasting power, which no in- 

 sect can penetrate and through which no 

 eggs will be laid. The result will be the pro- 

 tection of the trunk from new attacks and the 

 destruction of the insects then working in it, 

 by preventing their issuance. The tree thus 

 gets a new chance and will usually respond 

 and repair damages. , , ,, „ .^, 



New Brunswick, N. jT Johnh. Smtlh. 



