Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-03-11

fving about at night. The beetles APP
pear in spring, the females usually de-
posting their eggs on the bark of the
trees near the ground, where they soon
hatch, and the grass bore into the sap
| wood of the trees, frequently complete
" girdling the stems. The grubs are
nearly cylindrical, tapering slightly
from the head to the end of the body.
The head is small, brown, and horn
like in appearance. Apple trees that
are cultivated, with the stems surround
ed by grass and weeds, are much more
likely to be attacked than those receiv-
ing the opposite treatment.
The grubs can be found in the trees
at this season and during the summer,
their presence being readily detected
| by the saw-dust-like excrement pushed
out from the furrow made by them.
They should be dug out and killed a
small gouge or a strong sharp-pointed
knife being used for this purpose.
or ashes are frequently recommended
as preventives, being heaped or strewn
| thickly about the stems but we are
inclined to believe that their efficacy, if
they possess any is mainly due to keep
LILY llIS IdSS dl1ll SScSlS 1IO1u SIOW1llS
up and shading the very place where
the beetle selects for depositing her
eggs. The Saperda attacks trees of all
ages, but appears to prefer those that
are young, probably because the bark
is thinner and affords more ready &C
cess to her young. The only certain
method of preserving our apple or
chards from destruction is to examine
the trees once or twice every season,
and dig out every grub found in them
! If the base of the stem, for foot or
more from the ground upward, is en-
closed in oiled or tarred paper, or any
similar material, the female will seldom
attack the trees. But even with these
precautionary measures the tree should
be annually examined.
The next most troublesome insect is
the 6 hat-headed borer." The grub is
the larva or small, fattish beetle, about
half an inch long, of a greenish-black
color above and a bronze appearance
underneath. The name of this beetle
is Ch1ysObOthris .femOrata, and it APP
pears at various times during the sum-
mer, the females disposing their eggs
on the stems as well as in the forks of
the main branches. It does not how
ever, contine its ravages to the apple or
trees belonging to the same family, like
the Sapefda named above, but attacks
the beach, oak, and several of our for
est trees as well as other kinds of fruit
trees. The grub bore almost entirely
between the bark and the wood, the
latter dying as they advance. They are
very fiat and the head appears very
large in proportion to the body; hence
the common name, fat-headed apple
tree borer" In some parts of the
country this insect is very abundant,
and large patches of dead shrunken
bark mark their presence in the trees.
The only preventive with which we are
acqu ainted is painting the trees at least
twice each summer with strong soap.
Of course the application, to be effectu-
al, must extend from the ground up to
and among the larger branches. Ere
queut examinations are also necessary,
and every grub should be dug out and
the wounds made by it covered with
some kind of wax to prevent decay Of
exposed wood.