Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-04-29
Trap the Worms.

Every person who has an apple or pear or
ounce tree, and wishes to preserve the fruit
on the same, or who is willing to do some
thing towards preserving the fruit crop of the
State, should give a little attention to the
coddling moths at the present time. The
moths, if any on your tree, will be found in
the form of small white worms, or in the pu-
pa or chrysalis form, and slowed away under
the loose or partly loose pieces of bark, or in
the crevices of the bark of the stem or body
of the tree. You will not be able to see the
little pests until you pull off these locse
pieces of bark, or open the creyices, and
then, if at all, you will find them snugly hid
away iu little, compactly built nest or CO.
coon made of the worms silken web and fine
bits of bark or Other material Immediately
surrounding the nest. You will have to look
very sharp to find the nest at all,
but when you discover something that
looks little as though it did
not grow there, take your knife
blade and pick it open, and you will probably
uncover the worm, or, if little further ad-
vanced, the pupa. In either case there will
emerge from this nest or cocoon q small moth
about the size of the house moths that fit
This is the codling or apple moth. II a
female, this moth seeks the small apple, or
pear, or ounce, aud busies itself in flying
from one to the other and deposit
ing its eggs in the seed-ends of the
same. In a few days the eggs SO depos-
tied hatch cut small worm-so small
as hardly be seen at frs with the naked eye.
This little worm at once begins TO look for
food, and piercing the skin OF the small fruit
- J. Al "a
and lives upon its pulp till he is full grown,
in the meantime checking its growth and
probably causing it to fall to the ground.
When fully grown the worm leaves the fruit
and seek sheltered place, makes In turn its
cocoon or nest, changes from worm to
pupa and then matches again q moth.
Instinct teaches the worm when it emerges
from the fruit to seek the body or stem of the
tree on which to make its cocoon or nest, and
for the second generation of the season, in
stiuct also seems to tell it that the weather
will be warm, and that therefore it need not
be particular to find so secure q place as it is
necessary in the fall of the year, when it is
making a house for winter Now, il the
rough bark of the tree has been scrsped of,
and o band ct paper or cloth has been fastened
around the trunk, say foot or two above
the ground, the worm will be almost certain
to seek this wrapping under which to make
its cocoon or nest. When q large number Of
worms have thus securely slowed themselves
away in or under the cloth or paper, the
wrapper can be removed and all the worms
destroyed in a very few minutes. This can
be done about every sixth day, and thus
milliens of worms killed, and large
portion of the crop of fruit saved
This is Just what the Chief Horticultural
Officer and the several County Horticultural
Boards are trying to teach all owners of fruit
trees to do. It Is q very easy and simple
thing to do, and will pay better than any
orchard or on the farm. Everybody that has
. tree bearing apples, pears or ounces should
attend to this little Job at once. and save the
fruit.