The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1903-08-01
On The Farm.
The Maryland State Horticultural Depart

College Park. Md, July BIRD, 1903.
To the Editor =
Many complaints have come to
this office here of late of injury to fruit
trees by Il small boring insect the fruit
tree hark-b"etle, Scolytus wguloSus.
1t does its injury hy hormg into the
trunk and branches. and if there is no
effort made to check its ravagcs. the bark
of the infested tree will soon be found to
he thickly ''frppcrcd" with holes rs
though by fin" bird shot. These are the
exit holes Of the hrctl" that have in their
larval state mined and developed under
the bark.
Early in the spring the hcctleS max"
their appearance" and may then COM
mcnce their work 10y holing through the
bark. After reaching the sap wood.
fccdin" aS She goes. the female con-
structS a brood chamber and along the
sides of this nj very short intervals,
GnawS little pockets in which She de-
posts her eggs. According to DIR. j. Il.
Smith. the eggs hatch within three days
and the lalva attHiu> maturity in about
twenty days. mt which time it changes to
the pupa. this period lasting about seven
days. 1t now energies as an adult beetle.
passing its life cycle in four to six weeks.
Prof. f. II. Chittcndcn. Department of
Agriculture. states in his circular No.
30, the Fruit Tree Bark Beetle. that he
is led to believe that there are three gen
erations in this latitude
Until recently it was thought by some
that this insect would only attack dis
eaScd trees. but Professor Chittcndru
OF, t,l : ,,t L.. L.. Al.
ing in perfectly healthy trees and the
writer has witnessed the same many
times this year. Therefore there is no
doubt that the insect will infrst healthy
trees. but it may prefer diseased or dy-
ing wood.
In giving remedies to employ against
this pest, the writer realizes that borcrcS
are 1T best very hard insects to deal with
and especially is it 50 in this case as the
beetles are extremely small and numer-
Gus. and, also the fact that they attack
any portion of the trunk and branches
of a tree. Owing to the insects habit of
breeding in diseased or dying trees. it is
of prime Importance that all brush wood
and other remnants of orchards should
always be burned. Where a tree is seen
to be badly infested. it is best to cut it
down and burn to prevent infestntion to
sound ones. However. a tree may re-
cover from slight attacks and in this
case always cut out and burn the dying
or dead growth as soon as detected. For
this as well as other insects. orchards
should always be kept in vigorous CON
dition so they will more readily be able
to withstand insect injury.
Many washes have been employed as
deterrentS against this pest. Whale oil
soap ut the rate of two pounds to the
gallon of water. applied with a brush on
the trunk and larger branches may pre-
vent the beetles from entering the bark
to some extent. Also a wash composed
of one pint of crude carbolic acid and one
gallon of soft soap, diluted with eight
gallons of water, has been recommended.
Much good may come by touching lightly
infested spots from which gum or soap
has begun to ooze with small sponge or
brush saturated with kerosene. If this
is done on the outset of attack, many
beetles may he killed and thereby much
consequent damage prevented.
THOMAS b. SYMONS,
Associate State Entomologist.