Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-07-19
Farm and Household.
rFrom the New England Farmer.l
RuuJe Tree ROrers.


while they are at work in the bark of our
fruit trees. and before they enter the interior
of the trees. where it is much more difficult
TO reach them. Their presence under the
bark may be known by the reddish clippings
which they throw out near the ground. 1t
taken carly in the season. they may be easily
found and destroyed by cutting through the
bark with pocket knife. If they have en-
tered the wood, insert slender twig or wire
in the hole and crush them.
There is another borer Of the family Of BH-
,y.,liji,g, which does considerable damage
in some localities, not only to apple, but to
several varieties of forest trees. They are
som,tinc. called the fat-headed bark borer,
rs tn Larvae have broad, fiat heads. The per-
feet ins. ct is beetle. Some of these beetles
are Of a BEAUTIFUL bronze or copper color, are
tapering behind. and rather obtuse before,
arc broader than thick, and have short atten-
me. notched on one side lik the teeth of saw.
Unlike the common apple tree borer (Sdper-
da Hcittqt1) the Buprestidians are diurnal in
their habits. We have occasionally found
specimens upon the stumps of trees, Oasking
in the sun in the early summer. When dis
turbed, they fold up their legs and remain
quiet as if dead Harris describes several
species Of this family which prey upon differ
ent kinds of forest and fruit trees, although at
that they were not so numerous rs to cause
much alarm, but within a few y, AIRS past and
especially at the west, th,y have increased to
that degree that they are becoming one of the
greatest pests to the apple orchards. BuPrcs-
VI J. . ~ ant - a. l4Il
Harris as being about Il half inch in length
of a greenish black color above, with brassy
polish, which is very distinct in the two large
traverse impressed spots on each wing cover
They are found from the end of May to the
middle of July, on white oak trees, and re-
Gently cut timber of this kind of wood. They
had also been found under the bark of peach
trees.
Since this family of insects have become so
numerous and seriously destructive to the
trees of the West, our indefatigable entomolo-
gists have been looking after them and study
ing their habits aud the best means for destroy
ing them Under the head of tlat-headed
borers, Prof Riley furnishes the New York
Tribune with an interesting account of the
habits of this class of insects from which we
make some extracts for the benefit of our
readers who may be troubled by this fiat
headed destroyer.
Considering the fatality of its work and
the number of valuable fruit and shade trees
which it attacks, few insects are more to be
dreaded than this same fat-headed apple-tree
borer. Our oak trees die from year to year.
Inquire the cause, the answer is: Oh, they
cannot stand the influences of civilization!
Search for it yourself, and you will find that
Chrysobothris has had more or less to do with
the death of such trees The townsman
prides himself on the thrifty growth of his
soft naples and sycamores, that are to give
him shade from the midsummer sun, adorn
his lot or line the front of his residence After
a thrifty growth of two three or more years,
one of the trees suddenly dies and the Others
soon follow. The cause is discussed drought,
packed soil, poor nourishment, and dozen
seemingly plausible reasons are conjured up,
and ashes or some other mineral or vegetable
substances are placed around the butt in the
vain effort to save the remaining tree. Pull
off the bark, however, and the real cause is
readily discerned, for the surface of hard
wood is literally covered with broad shallow
channels packed with sawdust-like castings
channels which Chrisobothris, unseen and
unheard, has been making, perchance, since
the tree was first set out Mountain ash lin
den, box elder, beech, plum, pear and peach
alike succumb to its attacks, while the apple
is so subject to its injuries that no man who
does not understand this enemy and is willing
to give some little time to mastering him, can
hope to succeed i'll growing apple trees in Mis-
souri, and in reality, the time and money
spent in planting young apple orchards in the
greater portion of the Mississippi valley is gen
orally wasted for want of the necessary pre-
caution against this insect.
g In treating of the means to be employed
against the lat-headed bOrer, one important
fact should be borne in mind The natural
breeding place of the insect is undoubtedly
in the old decaying oaks of our woods, and
have known it to swarm in old post oak
stumps from which the tops had been felled
for a number of years. In fact, it prefers
partially dead or injured trees to those which
are thrifty and vigorous and partly for this
reason, and partly because rough. cracked
bark forms n better indus for the placing OF
the eggs. The species is most ahundantly
found ON the southwest side of young apple
trees, where they are most apt to get injured
by sun scald. Sickliness in the tree, injury
from the whiffletree or other cause, therefore
predispose to its attacks 1t is also for this
reason that transplanted trees, checked a
they are in their growth, usually fare badly.
" BIT there is yet one other prodisposinG
reckless and careless pruning, especially O
the larger branches. Many fine orchard
tree and many more city shade trees receive
their death shock from the reckless saving OF
of limbs without effort being made TO hea
the wound by coating with grnfting- wax, ella.
or other protecting substance. Around sucl
IN unprotected, sawed limb, as around tn
frustrmn of felled tree, the rain and othe
atmospheric influences soon begin their worl
ct, lana,r ~ tho hurlr and tlt
solid wood, and this is bnt the forerunner o
greater injury by insects which are attracte
to the spot and which, though hidden mean
while from view, soon carry the destruction
from the injured to the uon-njured parts
Among the insects thus attracted, Chrysobo
thris plays no mean part, where, had tn
wounded limb been properly protected, hi
presence would never have been known.
thus becomes of the first Importance in treat
ing this insect, to keep THE young trees vigoi
GUS aud healthy, and the bark rs smooth an
free from injury rs possible, Thus in plantin
n young orchard in this part of the countr
where the sun (whether directly or Indirect
is for the vegetable pathologist to determine
is apt to injure the bark on the southwest sid
of the trees, it will prove labor well spent {
protect them on that side by old paliug c
lath. Young trees are more liable to attac
than old ones, aud consequently requiI
greater care.
AS IA preventive against the insects n
tacks there is nothing better than coating th
trunks and larger branches with soap at lea
twice year, once toward the end of May an
again in July or August. The soap is not onl
obnoxious to the beetle, but it tends to kee
the bark clean and smooth so as to offer II
attractions to the female, and is, wthal, ben,
fetal to the tree"
No HoRsE SHOES. The slipping of horst
on the asphalt pavements in London has give
rise To some discussiOrNas to the nronpr fori