5 



ing on high land than in those growing on low land, and that it is worse in ploughed 

 orchards than in those which are seeded down to grass. 



The accompanying figure represents the insect in its larva or grub 

 state, and in its perfect condition as a winged beetle. The larva when 

 full grown is about an inch in length, and less than a quarter of an inch 

 in thickness. It is of a pale yellow or whitish color, with a brownish 

 polished head, and deep black jaws ; it is destitute of legs, but is 

 enabled to move in its burrows by the contraction and expansion of its 

 segments. The perfect insect is a pale brown beetle with two chalky- 

 white longitudinal stripes running from the head to the apex of the 

 wing-covers ; the underside, legs and antenna? are also white. It makes 

 its appearance in June and July, but is seldom seen, as it usually 

 remains in concealment during the day, and flies only at night. The 

 females deposit their eggs upon the bark of the tree near the base of 

 Fig. 2. the trunk, or collar as it is termed 'From the eggs are soon hatched out 

 tiny whitish grubs, which penetrate the bark and leave a hole so 

 minute that it soon closes up. For the first year the grub feeds only upon the sap- 

 wood, in which it excavates a round smooth cavity immediately beneath the bark $ , 

 generally nearly filled, when opened, with the sawdust-like castings of the worm. 

 These castings may very frequently be observed extruded from the burrow and 

 on the ground at the base of the tree ; whenever they are noticed search should 

 at once be made for the borer within. As this borer does not occur in any part 

 of Canada in which we have resided, we have had but little opportunity of in - 

 vestigating its habits, we therefore quote the following excellent account from our 

 friend Mr. Beadle's Prize Essay on the Apple (Fruit Growers' Report 1868, p. 172) ; 

 "When the grub his become about half -grown it ceases to cast the dust out of its cavity, 

 and proceeds to fill it up, at the same time boring a passage or gallery upwards into the 

 heart of the tree. This gallery is continued upwards, of varying length, sometimes not 

 more than two inches, and sometimes twelve inches, and is gradually brought outwards 

 again to the bark of the tree, but not through it. When the grub has completed this- 

 gallery, it turns round and returns to that pirt which is nearest to the heart of the tree ; 

 this part it now enlarges by tearing off the fibre from the walls, and with this fibre care- 

 fully and securely closes the entrance, so that if some insect enemy should find its way 

 through the hole in the bark at the collar into the chamber where it passed the first part 

 of its life, that enemy could not enter the gallery to its present abode. Meanwhile it 

 crowds its sawdust-like castings into the upper extremity of the gallery against the bark, 

 thus, at the same time, diminishing the danger of attack from that quarter, and keeping 

 its chamber tidy. Having thus perfected its arrangements, it again turns round so as to 

 have its head upward, passes the winter in a torpid state, and in the spring casts off its 

 skin and becomes a pupa, from which in June the perfect insect hatches, climbs to the 

 upper end of the gallery, tears away the fine sawdust, gnaws a hole through the bark and 

 creeps forth." When several of these borers are at work in the same tree, their excava- 

 tions approach each other so closely as often to girdle the tree and cause its destruction. 



Many modes have been proposed for the destruction of this noxious insect, some of : 

 them essentially absurd, such as plugging up the holes in the trees which are made by 

 the beetle when taking his departure from the scene of his early life, after he has finished 

 his work of mischief. The simplest and most effectual remedies are : (1) the application 

 of soap (cold made soft soap is especially recommended) to the trunk of the tree early in 

 June and again in Joly ; rub it well over, especially near the base of the trunk, and place 

 a portion in the fork of the tree that it may be washed down into the crevices of the bark 

 by the rains. (2) If the Borer has already taken up his abode in the tree, cut into his 

 burrows with a sharp knife and get him out; his presence may generally be detected near 

 the collar of the tree by the discoloration of the bark and by the saw dust castings. 

 This is the most effectual, and by no means difficult remedy ; much benefit, however, may 

 also be derived from washing this part of the tree with lye, or any strong alkaline solu- 

 tion, which will penetrate the interstices of the bark and kill any young grubs that may 

 be commencing to make their way inwards. The trees should be carefully examined — 



