The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-07-13


some Of our old subscribers may have for
gotten them, we here give them again
Every man who owns an apple tree will feel
interested in the subject.
Hos. JoHS c. GR,Y-Dear Sir Having
been for many years very much troubled
with the borer iu my apple trees. last spring
determined, IL possible, to find ont their
origin, and l believe succeeded. Allow
me to give you an account Of the transac-
ton.
sawed OF small tree, which was bad.
ly catea by the borer. then spill, into 1t
so fur as to discover four borers, one oil
which was far more advanced in its state Of
existence than either Of the others. and
which, I supposed, might come out that sea-
son in another form. carefully preserved
the tree until the 10th day Of August, when
I saw that tho insect in the most advanced
state was dead. then, for the FIRST time,
took il out to examine it very particularly,
that might know its like, should l discover
it alive. Its head, eyes, feelcrs and body
were perfectly formed-its wings, partly
Indeed, !. was 50 far formed and perfect,
that had an accurate idea Of the bug 1t
had been destined to form, had it not been
molested. then went out among my ap-
ple trees for the purpose Of finding its like.
The third day found the bug, and knew it
to be the same at first sight. brought It
into the house, and put it with smooth
and fresh limb of an apple tree, under q
glass II readily ied on the bark. During
tho day il was very dull, but at night was
exceedingly brisk and dactiyc. AS soon as it
was dark, il would commence piercing row,
about an inch in length, Of very small holes
through the bark, and then with its sharp
teeth or cutters, which !, seemed to use like
a pair Of shears, by putting one cutter in
one hole and the other in the next, it, ap-
parently with great ease, cut the bark from
one hole to another, and so continued, until
it had Gu, each and every holo into the 9TH
er. BY this means, it made perfect slit
in and through the bark, tho whole length Of
the row Of holes, which, as I have before
said, was about an inch in length. Itwould
then mako use Of its tail as apry, and with
it raise up the bark so far as to enable it 10
deposit its eggs under it. In this way it
continued to deposit from two to four eggs
every night, until the middle Of September.
My examination Of its operations was by
the light Of lamp, which did not disturb it
at all. After had seen il deposit its eggs,
as supposed, | examined, in the day time,
10 see If could find them. l had no diff
Guilty in finding thcm-they were about the
size Of q piu-head but considerably aattened.
After noticing the marks on the limb under
the glass, | could with ease discover oil
those marks that were made on my trees,
the last season, by the bug and by lining
up the bark, in every instance, fnd the egg.
could also End the places where the bug
bad fed on the bark OF the tree, as IL did on
the limb under the glass. From what ]
have sean Of the borer, have no doub, that
il remains in the worm state, three years at
least, and perhaps much longer, in the tree.
presume the egg is not Matched until the
next season after it il deposited. During
the las. year the borer remains in the tree,
il borss up through the wood, leaving moth
pg but slight covering Of bark over the
hole, and remains there while it is passing
from the worm the bug state. When trans
formed, IL readily removes the bark and
comes out, leaving round and smooth hole
behind, AZ large and in some cases larger
than the largest nail-gimlet. Il has by
many been supposed that this hole is the
one through which the worm enters the tree:
but | am certain, from observation, j, is not
so-it is tho hole through which tho bug
makes his exi. from the tree, while the hole
below IS tho one where tho egg was deposit.
ed, and through which the bOrinss and 9th
er matters are cast out.
The bug Is seven-eighths Of an inch in
length, white body and head, with three
brown stripes from the top Of the head TO
tho extremity oi the she'll tha. covers the
wings, leaving two white stripes between
The eyes Of the insect are very black. l
still have the insect in my possession. though
his legs have fallen oil, and he Is otherwise
somewhat mutilatsd.
Thinking that the above facts. communi;
Gated 10 those whose leisure and attention
are directed TO such subjects, may be Of use,
in suggesting remedy for the evil, has in
II A..