Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-06-24
Apple-TFee YermIn.
From the Forthcoming Report Of the Michigan
State Board Of Agriculture.
OLD APPIE-TREE BoRER.

Prom the Forthcoming Report OF the Michigan
State Board Of Agriculture.
OLD APpIE-TREE BoRER.
This pest, which has been SO long in
our country, is widely distributed in our
state. Very lew if any orchards are ex-
empt from it's attacks. Not that it al
WAYS, or generally, totally destroys the
trees; still, those suffering from its at
tacks are always lessened in vitality,
and IL not infrequently happens that the
trunks become so riddled with their tun-
nels that the tree becomes q prey to the
hard winds which are sure 10 come with
each returning year.
The beautiful brown beetle, with its
two stripes Of white, appears early in
June, and thence on through July. So
the egg laying is principally done in these
two months. The grub, whitish with a
round black head, eats through the
bark, and then usually passes in and
up, frequently eating through the
branches far out toward the extremity.
have frequently found apple-tree limbs
no larger than my thumb with tunnel
as large as pipe-stem. These larvg
push their sawdustlike PARTICLES back
of them and out OF the hole where they
first entered, so that 1t Is not difficult TO
find them. They live and feed on the
wood of the Tree for three years; hence
we see how that a single larva may bore,
il left undisturbed, for distance of sew
eral feet. They finally bore hole for
exit, I'LL it slightly with their sawdust,
and little back of the same make
cocoon of their own chips, in which they
pupate. Soon after, in June and July,
the beetles again appear.
Soapy mixtures are found to be obnox-
ious TO these beetles, so that In their
egg.layiag they are found 10 avoid trees
10 which such an application has been
made. Thus we may hope to escape all
danger by washing the smooth trunks OF
our trees early In June and again carly
In July with soft soap or very strong
solution Of the same. 7. L. Lyon, now
Of South Haven, whose judgment Is
very reliable In such matters, urges that
we always use the soap itself.
We should always examine the trees
carefully in September, and wherever
we lind this pernicious grub's sawdust
single out we should give him call.
Perhaps we may reach him with a wire
thrust into the hole, and by vigorous
ramming crush the culprit. II we have
doubts as TO the crushing we should fol-
low him with the knife; but in cutting
out the borers too great care cannot be
taken To wound the tree just as little as
possible. This heroic method is sure
and requires very little time, and no per-
son who takes pride In his orchard or
looks to 1t rs a source of profit can afford
TO neglect this September examination
nor the previous application OF soap to
which Ii is supplementary
FLAT-HEADED BoRER.
At present this borer is quite as ruin.
GUS In our State as the preceding one,
and should not think IL strange ii in a
well balanced account il was found even
to surpass the other IN the evil which it
works to our fruit interests have seen
young orchards nearly ruined the FIRST
summer after setting by this devastation,
Not long since nurseryman came from
q distant part Of the State 10 consult me
as to the ravages Of this pest He said
that during the past summer, in some
regions of the State, more than half the
trees he sold were killed by this scourge,
and Of course he was unjustly blamed
AT present no nurseryman should sell
trees without throwing In advice in re.
gard 10 practicing against this devasta-
tor, for, as we shall see, such trees are
peculiarly liable TO attack.
These borers are not confined 10 the
apple tree, as have found them work.
ing in oak, maple, and other trees OF our
forests.
This brownish beetle with coppery
luster is found from May till August,
though have found them more common
In June and July. As with the striped
Sdperaa, the eggs are laid on the bark.
The whitish grubs, with their enormous
front, brown head, and curled tail, usu.
ally bore only superfcially, eating the
inner bark and sap-wood; yet | have
seen, and have now on exhibition here at
the college, sections of young trees over