120 ORDKR COI.EOPTERA. 



species, like many other Insects, seems to be much more abundant some years or periods 

 than others, and also more common in some districts than others. In illustration of this 

 fact, I may re for to the existence of this species in the neighborhood of Troj in 1825. 

 This was first mack' know n to the public by the late Judge Bt el, in one of the numb 1- 

 of the Albany Cultivator. He says that 'he was sent for bj Mr. JIiautt of Troy, to 

 witness the devastation made in a fine young orchard l>y a grub hitherto unknown to the 

 farnier> "t" tin- vicinity, and which to know and guard against was a great public interest.' 

 It appears from the letter that the orchard was injured to the extent of two thousand 

 dollar-, according to the estimate of Mr. Heaktt. 



The larva of this speeies penetrates the young tree just above, or it may l>e just below, 

 the surface. In its progress, it cuts its way in a winding direction upward ; and as it is 

 three- years in coming to maturity, it continues to mine onward, cuts off the circulation of 

 the sap, and dep rives the tree of its necessary nutriment. One borer is sufficient to stop 

 the growth of a young appletrce ; and if several are mining at the same time, the tree is 

 inevitable destroyed. All the workings Icing near the root, the tree is after a while so 

 perfectly riddled with holes that it has no strength to stand. The circumstances that favor 

 these results, are, first, a poor soil, containing hut little nutriment ; the second is the growth 

 of sprouts or suckers from the root, and of grass, which protects the base of the tree from 

 sunshine, and conceals from the \ iew of the owner the work which is going on. Hence all 

 young i - should be kept free from these incumbrances at theroot : this is one of the 

 preventives of a fatal result, and should not be neglected. 



It is needless to dwell upon the injurious effects of the appletret bcrer. I would take the 



liberty to caution the owners of orchards of fruit trees not to trust to uncertain measures, 



as the surrounding of the roots and base of the tree with tanbark or any other material 



lie kind. A judicious use of the knife and a go d stiff wire are the only certain means 



_• tting iid of these customers, when they have once got possession of the premises. 



The perfeel insect, according to Dr. Habris, comes forth in June : this, at any rate, is 

 the month during which I have found them. They come out at night : in the daytime they 

 are ■ in feeding upon the leaves of the tree, or remain quietly at rest, very rarelj 



flying during the day. 



That ;sness and inattention to young and old orchards is the great cause of the 



prevalence of this insect among us, is true : and so long as so many neglect the means for 

 ridding their trees of this pest, s,> long it will continue to harass those who are on the 

 watch, and who intend and wish to raise good fruit. A remedy, consisting of a solution of 

 camphor in chloroform, may be tried, by inserting in the borings a plugof cotton wool 



ked in it : it is worthy of trial, and may save cutting awaj the sound wood of the tree. 

 Or ■ ■ camphor alone, or ammonia formed by rubbing together sal ammoniac and an 



alkali, either lime or potash, reduced to powder, and introduced into a borrow where it is 

 dangerous to follow the larva, may be worth the experiment. 



