FRUIT CULTURE IN WISCONSIN. 
Noxious Insects. —Next in importance to the cultivation of 
the soil, is the protection of fruit trees from the insect pests, 
of which no country is more prolific than the Northwest. 
The Borer (Saperda bivittata) has already made its appear¬ 
ance in many orchards: the only remedy for them is to tho¬ 
roughly “purge” their holes with wire. Their depredations in 
healthy trees are near the surface of the ground; but those par¬ 
tially killed or barked by carelessness, afford t them conve¬ 
nient resting places, so that they enter the tree and perforate 
it in every direction, ejecting dust from their numerous small 
holes which are no larger than shot. Several solutions, such as 
tobacco water, soap, sulphur, &c., mixed properly, have been 
applied, with but little success. The orchardist must closely 
watch his trees in early spring and summer, when, if seen in 
time, the insect is easily cut out, and will be but little damage 
to the tree, or, if left till further advanced may be punched to 
death with a sharp wire. 
The Caterpillar (Qlisiocampa Americana) is, perhaps, the 
most serious enemy we have to contend with. They hatch 
about the time of the tree’s leafing, and increase in size at a 
rapid rate. Living upon the young and tender leaves, they 
often prove a great drawback to young orchards. They are 
however easily destroyed if taken in time. The nest, contain¬ 
ing their eggs, can be seen in early spring, in rings, upon the 
smaller branches. This is the most effectual time for destroy¬ 
ing them—while they are unhatched and in their nests, by 
simply cutting off the young branch which bears them and 
burning it: it is never detrimental to the tree, as they are not 
far from the extremities of the limbs. If neglected at this 
time, as the next best plan, on a cloudy morning, as soon as 
convenient after they have spun their cocoons,—as they never 
leave them until warmed and dried by the sun,—tear out their 
nests with a stick and crush them; or saturate a sponge with 
spirits of ammonia and turn it about among them. 
The bark-louse has already been noticed on page -1*29. 
Pruning must be looked upon with much interest, and never 
be forgotten ; for it may be done at any time, and all the time. 
