180 



INSECTS* 



the whole tree, not excepting the young shoots. This 

 layer, when it becomes dry, forms a hard crust, which, 

 enveloping the insects closely, completely destroys them, 

 without doing the smallest injury either to the bark or 

 Duds." — Thacher^s Orchardist, Solutions of potash and 

 decoctions of tobacco are likewise recommended. 



Apple-tree borer. — Saperda bivitata.— The scientific 

 description of this very pernicious insect is thus given by 

 Professor Say, of Philadelphia : — " Hoary ; above, light- 

 brown, with two broad, white fillets. Inhabits the United 

 States. Bodij^ white; eyes^ fuscous; a small spot on the 

 vertex, and another behind each eye, light-brown ; anienncBj 

 moderate, slightly tinged with bluish ; thorax, light-brown, 

 with two oroad, white lines, approaching before; elytrUy 

 light brown, irregularly punctured ; a broad, white, longi- 

 tudinal line on each, nearer to the suture than to the outer 

 edge. Length, from one half to seven tenths of an inch- 

 A very pretty in.sect. In the larvae state, it is very injuri- 

 ous to the apple-tree, boring into the wood." — Journal of 

 the Academy of Sciences, Phil, vol. iii. p. 409. 



Professor Say, in a letter to Jesse Buel, Esq., says, " You 

 state, that it leaves the pupa, and becomes perfect in the 

 latter part of April, and that the eggs are deposited beneath 

 the surface of the soil. These two circumstances ascer- 

 tained, I would recommend the application, early in May, 

 or the latter part of April, of common bricklayer's mortar, 

 around the base of the tree, so as to cover completely the 

 part, and its immediate vicinity, where the deposit is made. 

 This preventive was successfully employed by Mr. Shot- 

 well, against the attacks of the peach-tree insect, (see 

 American Farmer , vol. vi. p. 14,) and I see no reason why 

 it should not be equally efficacious in the preservation of 

 the apple-tree." — Mem, of N. Y, Board of Agriculture, 

 vol. iii. p. 479. 



The Mass, Agr, Repos. vol. v. p. 360, contains a paper 

 on this insect, by John Prince, Esq., by which it appears 

 that worms of this kind are got rid of by digging round 

 the tree, and clearing away the earth to the roots, and then, 

 with a sharp-pointed knife, a chisel, or a gouge, (and a small 

 wire to probe, if they are deep in the tree,) they may easi- 

 ly be destroyed." After taking out the worms, the wounds 

 should be covered xyver with grafting-clay and a large pro- 

 portion of dry wood-ashes mixed, and the earth then 

 returned to the tree. The process for cleansing the trees 

 from borers should be performed in the spring, as soon as 



