The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-08-07
Aptl. w.r-.4e-rs forsh.rd.'

L :
Editors OF the Register:
In most parts of the country there
has been a gradual decline or failure OF
the apple crop, so that, notwithstsnd-
ing the increase of orchards, the supply
Of good fruit il our narkets is actually
diminishing. and prices corresponding
ly advancing.
In certain localities, as on some Of the
hiIl-sidss of the Ohio river and on por-
tions of the lake shore region, (where
thS grape also twines well,) the apple
orchards seem measurably exempt from
this general deterioration.
|, I Ityho1ld be the special aim Of all
owners Of good orchards to protect the
trees and fruit from the eausesof ipju-
ry, as far as these osuses are known and
are in any degree subject to human
control, for, 1.-THE rate the decline has
been going on forlthe past ten years, it
will not be long before a barrel of fair
winter apples will be rare sight in
our markets, and worth as much as a
barrel of flour.
INJURIOUS INSECTS are the main cause
of damage to the apple crop in Ohio;
and of these the ''apple worm" or larvs
of the Goblin Moth is the most ipjuri-
GUS. This moth, as is well kaown, lays
it's egg in the eye or cslyx of the young
fruit, where it soon matches, and the
worm or caterpillar eats its way grad
ually to the core, causing the fruit to
drop prematurely. The worm then
speedily emerges and seeks place Of
concealment, beneath scale of bark on
the trunk of the tree or any similar
place, where it spins q thin cacoon and
changes to chrysalis. From this it
emerges q moth the following Spring.
Some naturalists say that a portion of
the early crop of worms 60 through
these transformations speedily, SO as to
produce second crop of worms the
Same season; hence we find them in the
apples sometimes late.in Autumn, or
even in Winter. II is also found that q
portion of the worms complete their
growth and'Crawl out of the fruit before
il falls to the ground. These worms do
not pass to the ground at all, but hide
themselves under scales of bark on the
limbs of the tree to escape their enemies
the birds, and for protection from the
weather while in their dormant state.
The CURCULIo or plum weevil has of
late years been also quite injurious to
apples, especially when stone fruit are
not abundant. This beetle makes cut
or puncture on the side of the fruit
sometimes half dozen or more in sim
gle apple-and deposits its egg therein.
1t seems, however, that the larger por-
tion of these eggs fail to hatch, or the
worms soon perish; perhaps because the
apple is not their appropriate food; but
some of them live and cause the prema-
ture fall of the fruit, from whence the
worm passes into the ground to undergo
it's transformations.
THE REMEDIES for both these insects
are in the main the same. The first aim
should be to consume or destroy the
wormy fruit as fast as it falls frem the
trees; but how can this be done without
too much labori Keeping hogs in the
orchard is the NEST simple and easy way
for most farmers. 1t is objected that
hogs root up the grass and thus damage
the value of the pasture; but even this
is of advantage as giving partial cul-
ture to the trees and thereby promoting
their growth.
Sheep, too, can be advantageously
used for the purpose, especially where
the orchard is large and the number of
hogs too small to consume all the fallen
fruit. There is some danger, however,
that sheep will damage the trees by
gnawing off the bark, if they are left in
the orchard more than two or three days
at time; hence it is necessary to change
them into other pasture for day or
two, then back into the orchard again
for two or three days more, watching
to see that they do not suffer from lack
of food, or from any cause commence to
eat off the bark. Besides consuming
the fallen fruit, sheep are quite beneti-
ciai in destroying weeds and bushes.
In gardens and small enclosures,
where hogs or sheep cannet be kept,
children should be employed to pick up
defective fruit as it falls. Poultry are
also of much advantage in the des.ruc-
tion of insects in orchards and fruit
gardens.
BIRDS, also, should be encouraged to
make their nests in the trees. The
wrens and small wood peckers are espe-
cially serviceable in destroying larve
and chrysaldes of the Goblin moth.
Traps also may be set for these in
sects. Place bits of old wooden rags or
apy similar articles in the crotches OF
trees during summer, and the worms
well crawl under them to make their
cocoons. Then by lifting the rags and
examining underdeath they can be
easily seen and destroyed. This should
be attended to as often as every two
weeks during the summer and fall:
Straw bands tied around the trunks OF
the trees q few feet from the ground al
so make an excellent trap for the worms,
Scraping off the rough bark from the
trees and washing the stem and limbs
with I've as strong as used for making,
is also of benefit in preventing and de-
stroying insects and in promoting the
health and growth of the trees.
n. B. BATEHAM,
Painesville, Ohio.