PEACH-TREE. 



239 



Dr. Thaddeus W. Harris has written a paper on this in- 

 sect, which was published in the N, E, Farmer^ vol. v. 

 p. 33, and observes, that " One of the first writers v/ho de- 

 scribed the peach-tree insect was the late Dr. Benjamin 

 Smith Barton, the celebrated botanist, and professor of nat- 

 ural history in the university of Pennsylvania. In his me- 

 moirs on various destructive insects, which obtained the 

 Magellanic premium, in 1806, from the Philosophical So- 

 ciety of Philadelphia, this insect is called Zygoma PersiccB,''^ 

 Dr. Harris also observes, "he" (Dr. Barton) "having first 

 described this insect, the name which he has imposed has 

 the priority, and must be retained." 



" This insect," continues Dr. Harris, " I first obtained in 

 the perfect state in July, 1823, and sent a description of it to 

 Hon. John Lowell. It is a remarkable coincidence, that the 

 name which I then gave it is the same as that given by Dr. 

 Barton, although I was then unacquainted with his account 

 of it. I also obtained a specimen of the male from an excres- 

 cence on the trunk of a cherry-tree, and have frequently 

 observed the larvae in those tubercles which deform the 

 limbs of that tree. 



" The females deposit their eggs, in the month of August, 

 on the trunk of the peach-tree, near the root; the eggs are 

 soon hatched, and the larvie immediately penetrate beneath 

 the bark. Some eggs are laid as late as the last of 

 September. 



" The precautions which I would recommend are, to re- 

 move the earth around the roots, carefully to search it and 

 the trees for any cocoons or larvae which may exist there, 

 which should be crushed or burned. This operation should 

 be commenced early in this month [August.] Then cover the 

 trunk with the common composition, or wash and surround 

 it with coarse paper, such as is used for sheathing, and 

 which is manufactured from junk, or old cordage. This is 

 to be properly secured by strings of Canton matting, and 

 should extend two or three inches below the surface of the 

 ground, and six or seven inches above it. Mortar may 

 now be placed round the roots, so as to confine the paper, 

 and prevent access beneath it, and the remaining cavity 

 filled with fresh loam. The strings may be removed after 

 the winter commences ; in the spring the tree should again 

 be searched for any of the larvae, which may have escaped 

 at first, and the application of the composition and loam be 

 renewed. 



" In getting out the caterpillar, we should be sparing in 



