Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-14
The American Elm and It's Enemies,
the DOrers.

Several years ago the Dispatch pub
lished letter to the City Engineer from
the United States Agricultural Depart
ment, replying TO his enquiries concerning
destructive insects found depredatiag in
our parks. This letter was intended for
our Query column, with the view OF
eiciting information on the subject.
Since this question Of destruction to our
trees has become so serious n matter
one half OF the Gins at Reservoir Park
being threatened with death-we think
1t both timely anu instructive 10 print
in full copies of letters and reports giving
the results OF experiences and inves,lga-
tons which are Of great importance TO
those having the planting and care Of
trees, and which should stimulate the
efforts of others to preserve and protect
our trees from such wholesale destruction:
United States Department Of Agriculture,
Division Of Entomology,
Washington, ID. c.. August IL. 1898.
W. L. Cutshaw. ESD. City Engineer,
Richmond, Va:
Dear Sir,-In the absence of Professor
Riley. l beg TO acknowledge the receipt
OF your letter of the 18th instant adj
dressed TO Mr.. i. r.. Fernow, of this
department, and which has been referred
To this division for reply. The grubs
taken from the American elm are With
out much doubt the larvae Of wood
boring beetle. known as neoclytus caprae.
This insect is on record here as occurring
In all stages Of the feled trunks of elm
and hickory, and Is also found To fire.
quently infest species of ash, working
near or IN the ground and in the roots.
1t is more apt 10 injure trees already
weakened from some source, AMI no ef-
fective remedy can be given, except the
telling and burning of the trees, which
Is hardly practical, or the system OF grid
ling certain trees and allowing them 70 de-
cay, to serve as taps TO attract the
insects, and afterwards burning Them
q method followed by European foresterS
with considerable success but requiring
considerable labor and care TO insure sat
isfactory results, and not at present at
tempted In American forests.
The specimens from the black locust
are larvae of cyllene roliniae, the com
mon black-locust borer, which has be-
come so abundant in all sections Of this
country, where the black locust is grown
as to practically prevent the growth of
this tree. No satisfactory remedy
against this insect has been discovered,
and il Is advisable wherever 1t has gained
such foothold as 10 seriously injure the
tree, to abandon the growth OF the latter
In favor OF other forest shade-trees.
The pines are probably injured by some
distinct insect, being subject to the at
tacks of a host of wood boring species.
IL you can send us specimens of the i'm
jured pine or the insect causing the dam
age, the latter can probably be deter
mined and perhaps n remedy suggested.
The grubs taken from the peach are
the larvae Of the, peach-tree borer San
NINA exitiosa). a handsome, ,clear-winged
lepdopteron. The moths issue during
June and July, and deposit their eggs
on the trunks of the trees near the sur
face OF the ground. From these the
young larvae emerge, and bore into the
bark, feed, and reach their full develop
ment just beneath the bark at or a 'ittle
below the surface OF the soil. A very ef-
fective remedy. and one easy OF applica-
ton, consists In removing the soil for
few inches from the base OF the tree,
and painting the exposed trunk for a
foot or so above the soil with a thick
mixture OF London purple and water
This should be applied about the LIST OF
June. and the young larvae Matching
from the eggs deposited by the parent
moths, will be poisoned in eating their
first meal while penetrating the bark.
Yours truly. : c. l.. MARLATr.
Acting Entomologist.
Meehan's Nurseries,
Germantown. Phil, September 5. 1885.
W. K. Cutshaw. Richmond. Va:
Dear Slr,-The problem which you have
presented 10 us In regard 20 the destruc-
ton OF the various. borers which attack so
many OF our trees is one which no one
has been able TO solve. These borers,
which enter the tree near the ground, can
easily be COPIED with as suggested by the
representatives OF the Department OF Ag-
riculture. In the letter which you have
submitted 10 US Is stated that London
purple used as a paint is very effective,
but this has to be applied early in the
spring before the young borers hatch out,
otherwise II Is likely to be washed away
into the earth. We have found that
pitch-tar, or wagon-grease painted around
the collar Of the tree is an effective pre-
ventive, as an insect will not deposit its
egg In this mixture. The only known
remedy for the other insects Is TO encour-
age as much as possible insectivorous
birds One blessing In that whenever any
Of these insects increase there Is always
large increase In the number Of para
sitic insects, which, like birds, keep down
tv.so Hok