THE CULTIVATOR. 
311 
APPLE-TREE BORER. 
In most of the older settled parts of our country, the 
owners of apple orchards are aware that their trees are 
frequently attacked, and much 
damaged, if not destroyed, by in¬ 
sects which perforate the bark 
of the tree, and penetrating the 
wood, destroy the circulation 
of the sap, and thus effect great 
mischief. The history of this 
insect, called the apple tree bo¬ 
rer, has been involved in much 
uncertainty, and even now there 
are some perhaps unessential 
Saperda bivittata-Apple-tree Points not fully elucidated; but 
Borer. the main things, the appearance 
of the insect itself, the time of its depositing its eggs,and 
the way in which the evils they occasion may be reme¬ 
died, may we think be considered as very w T ell settled. 
Dr. Harris, the well known able entomologist of Mass, 
led the way in this investigation: but we think, so far as 
the practical results are concerned, the greatest credit be¬ 
longs to Mr. Buckminster, the veteran editor of the 
Plowman. By a long series of careful observation and 
experiments, he has arrived at the following conclusions: 
“ That the beetle, the parent of the grub or larvaa, (in 
which stage the mischief done by the insect is produced,) 
makes its appearance on the stage in June, and about the 
first of July, she is in the habit of making provision for 
her offspring. That she usually lays her eggs, ten in 
number, on the body of the tree, near the surface of the 
earth, and in this form, not larger than the head of a pin. 
,0000^ 
o o 
0000 
“ That the eggs are hatched out in a little more than 
eight days, when a white maggot appears. That the 
maggot or grub burrows in the bark of the tree, and pro¬ 
ceeds no farther the first season. That during the second 
year he bores into the body of the tree, upward. That 
in the third year he is found up eight or ten inches high¬ 
er than where he commenced; and that in June of the 
third year he or she comes out of the tree fully winged, 
when she is ready to lay more eggs.” 
Mr. Buckminster very well remarks that considerable 
allowance fnd'St fr©»Hiade for the time of the insect’s de¬ 
positing its eggs, as from observations maxle by trimrself 
and others, there are some ten or fifteen days difference 
between the first and the last of their appearing. Mr. 
Buckminster confidently recommends washing the apple 
trees about the time the eggs are deposited, or near the 
time of hatching, with lye strong enough to float an egg, 
as his experience shows that this application will kill the 
eggs and the young larvse without injury to the tree. It 
would appear, however, from the papers of correspond¬ 
ents in Mr. Buckminster's Journal, as well as the other 
Mass. Ag. papers, that the application of lye has not in 
all cases prevented the attack of the borer. 
We would suggest there may be several reasons for 
this. It is possible the application of the lye was made 
before the eggs were deposited, or the larvae had pro¬ 
ceeded from them; or it may have been delayed so long 
that the young borer had entered the bark so far as to 
prevent the wash from reaching him. It is also possible 
that the trees themselves contained larvae in some of the 
stages of their existence, and as these would not be af¬ 
fected by the application of the lye, they would go on, 
form the perfect insect, and thus perpetuate the evil in 
spite of the single washing, even admitting that such 
washing with lye destroyed as we think it would, all the 
eggs and young grubs it touched. It is also possible the 
tree was not sufficiently scraped before washing, to re¬ 
move all rough bark, as under such bark the eggs are 
frequently deposited; and if not removed by scraping the 
tree thoroughly, it might prevent in many instances the 
contact of the ley with the egg or the young. We think 
then, those whose orchards are infested with the borer, 
will do well to wash their trees with lye, first paying 
attention to the following things:—First, see that all 
grubs existing in the tree are thoroughly eradicated by 
cutting them out with a knife or narrow chisel, or de¬ 
stroying them with a flexible barbed wire. Second, sec 
that the trees are thoroughly scraped before the wash is 
applied. Third, apply the lye wash twice in the season 
at such an interval as shall embrace all the eggs deposit¬ 
ed, or the grubs hatched; and fourth, repeat the wash¬ 
ings for two or three seasons, or until the insect has 
wholly disappeared. Washing with lye is one of the best 
applications for trees we have ever seen used, giving a 
smooth fine bark, and unusual vigor to the tree. It is 
possible that a heavy coat of whitewash, laid on after the 
scraping of the tree, might prevent the eggs from hatch¬ 
ing, or hinder the beetle from depositing them, but we 
have no experiments to prove conclusively that such 
would be the result, and it is certain that neither white¬ 
wash or lye will affect the grub after it has once penetra¬ 
ted the tree, or prevent the emergence of the perfect in¬ 
sect. Insects are so injurious to fruit trees, that they de¬ 
serve more attention than has yet been given them by the 
public, or by those best qualified for the task of observa¬ 
tion, the men of science in our country. 
LARD OIL. 
This new article of manufacture, bids fair to be of in¬ 
calculable benefit to the great pork-growing region of 
the west. Although it is only about three years since 
the making of oil from lard was commenced, it already 
to a very great extent supercedes the use of sperm oil. 
A great deal has been made, as was to have been expect¬ 
ed, in the outset of the business of an inferior quality, 
which has been offered at a low price, and purchased on 
account of its cheapness. The poor quality of this oil, 
has led many to conclude that it cannot be made to an¬ 
swer in place of sperm oil. From a Cincinnati paper 
we learn that one firm in that city, manufactures 80 kegs 
of lard per day. The product in winter is one-third 
elaine and two-thirds stearine; in summer, the propor¬ 
tion is exactly the reverse. The oil thus manufactured 
is equal to 200 gallons per day. The value of the oil 
and stearine shipped from this single establishment du¬ 
ring the last sixteen months, is over $100,000. In the 
pork season, oil is made directly from the hog. 
The paper referred to, states that before the manufac¬ 
ture of lard oil, sperm oil was sold at from $1.25 to 
$1.50, and that the corresponding qualities of lard oil can 
now be had at 50 to 62-| cents. 
- There is the same difference, and from the same cause, 
between summer and winter lard oils as in summer and 
winter sperm oils. The article made in summer holds 
more or less stearine in solution, which the access of 
cold weather readily detects, and renders necessary that 
the winter supply should be made as that season ap¬ 
proaches. 
Lard oil is made in Cincinnati in twenty-two establish¬ 
ments, which manufacture an aggregate of 600,000 gal¬ 
lons per annum, value at 50 cents, nearly one-third of a 
million of dollars. The value of the stearine and other 
residuum, must be at least as much more, these articles 
having steadily advanced in price since the introduction 
of the lard oil manufacture. 
NEW GRAIN DRILL. 
The Argus, published at Marietta, Pa., notices a ma¬ 
chine for sowing grain, invented by Messrs. Haines and 
Kilburn. It is stated to have performed its work per¬ 
fectly, though the ground was riot in a very good state 
for sowing. It is described as follows :— (C The manager 
of the drill stands upon the hind part of the machine, 
with a handle that reaches from the large wheel in front 
by which he is enabled to guide the machine. It sow r s 
the seed in drills nine inches apart, and five drills at a 
lime. The seed passes from a hopper or box to the hol¬ 
low teeth that open the ground, and the seed passing 
down directly behind, falls in the furrow', and the dirt 
falling back directly upon the seed, and a roller follow¬ 
ing, presses the seed in. The depth of the planting can 
be varied by simply turning a screw. The teeth are fix¬ 
ed in pieces of scantling, which are separate from each 
other, that they may follow the unevenness of the 
ground, and so plant the seed at a regular depth in the 
ground.” The price is $50. 
