The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-06-24
Apple-Tree Vermill.
From the Forthcoming Report of the Michigan
State Board of Agriculture
OLD APPLE-TREE BORER

OLD APPLE-TREE BORER.
This pest, which has been SO long in
our country, is widely distributed in our
State. Very few 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 lesscned in vitality,
and it not infreQuently happens that the
trunks become SO riddled with their tun-
nels that the tree becomes prey to the
hard winds which are sure to come with
each returning year.
The beautiful brown beetle, with its
two stripes Of white, appears carly in
June, and thence on through July So
the cgglaying 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
l have frequently found apple-trec limbs
no larger than my thumb with tunnel
as large as pipe-stcm. These larvae
push their sawdust-likc particles back
of them and out of the hole where they
first entered, so that it is not difficult to
find them. They live ana feed On tho
wood of the tree for three years; hence
we sec how that single larva may bore,
if left undisturbed, for distance of sew
eral feet. They finally bore hole for
exit, fill 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-lay1ng they arc found to avoid trees
to 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 early
in July with soft soap or a very strong
solution of the same. T. 2. 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 VIC may reach him with wire
thrust into the hole, and by a vigorous
ramming crush the culprit. If we have
doubts as to the crushing VIC should fol-
low him with the knife; but in cutting
out the borcrs 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 it as source of profit can afford
to neg lect this September examination
nor the previous application of soap to
which it is supplementary.
FLAT-HEADED BoRER.
At present this borer is quite as ruin
GUS in our State as the preceding ono,
and should not think it strange if in
well-balanced account it 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 dcvastator:
Not long since nurseryman came from
a distant part of the State to 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 to practicing against this devasta-
tor, for, as we shall see, such trees are
peculiarly liable to attack.
Tn ese bOrers are not confined to the
apple tree, as I 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
Saperda, the eggs are laid on the bark.
The whitish grubs, with their enormous
front, brown head, and curled tail, usu-
ally bore only specifically, eating the
inner bark and sap-wood; yet have
seen, and have now on exhibition here at
the college, sections of young trees over
an inch in diameter bored completely
through by these big-headed rascals.
They eat but single season, pupate as
in the preceding case, and come forth
as images early in the spring.
They usually work on the trunk, though
sometimes in the branches, almost al
ways on the south, the west, or the south
west sides of the tree; and their where
abouts may always be ascertained, not
only by the sawdust, but also, and more
certainly by the black color of the bark.
When the black color offers the sugges-
ton of the presence of this borer we can
quickly become assured by striking a
knife into the same. If the blade pierces
the bark and goes ON still a little further
we may be sure Of the enemy's presence.
This borer is far more liable to attack
feeble trees. Anything therefore which
serves to diminish the vitality of the
trees promotes the ravages of this borer.
Hence, after such winter as we have
just experienced, or after having the
growth Of our trees interrupted by the
removal from the nursery to our orchards,
we are in special danger of harm from
these destructive borers. Hence, the
coming season, when loss will be inevita-
BILE, we should more than ever be on the
alert to mitigate the damage by our vigi-
lance and care and by the timely applica
tiop of remedies.
The remedies for the fat.headed bprel
ale the same as those giveh for The ,H'i 9e