The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-19
FOR CARE OF TREES.
Advice to Orchardists In Regard to
Tree Pests.

! Guthrie, o. T., April 1S-The expert
ment station at saltwater has issued
| the following bulletin on Remedies for
torers in trees:
| There are several kinds of borers which
work in the trunks of fruit trees and
shade trees in Oklahoma. as the farmers
are learning by costly experience. The
most troublesome of these is the fat
headed borer. which is reported TO work
iE apple, pear. ounce. plum. peach, cher
~. ash. elm. maple. box-elder and other
trees. The borer is -.ially destruc-
tive TO newt transplanted trees. and
seems TO prefer trees OF which the bark
has been injured by sunburn.
The adult of this insect is a beetle. 1t
lays eggs. probably mostly in April and
May, and in crevices In the bark Of suit
able trees, usually on the southwest side.
The eggs hatch In a few days. and the
young grubs eat their WHY through the
bar kand burrow in the wood, sometimes
completely girdiing the tree. BY the next
spring the grub has grown to full size.
1t then bores outward nearly through
the bark OF the tree, and then undergoes
transformation into a pupal stage. CORE
spending TO the chrystals OF a butterfly.
After about three weeks IN this condi-
ton, the adult beetle energies from the
skin or case OF the pupa. cuts hole
through the bark, and comes out prepar-
ed to do it's part in the work of laying
more eggs.
Several methods are used TO check the
work Of the borers. The presence of the
borer sin the trees may be detctd by dis
Of h.r I,xr f1. Hot
of sap or gum. or by the presence Of
castings beneath the burrow. In such
cases. II the burrows be not too deep or
too long the borers may be killed with
a pointed wire Otherwise they may be
destroyed by cutting them out with a
knife. or by pouring kerosene or hot
water into the holes.
The best way to combat the borers is
by preventing the laying Of eggs on the
bark Of the tree trunks. Wrapping the
trunk withEews<aper or wrapping pa
PER IS one the easiest and best meth
DDS OF securing this result and il has the
advantage that besides keeping the fe
male beetles from the bark. the paper
protects the bark from the injurious ef-
feet of the heat of the sun. Paper used
for this purpose should cover the tree
trunk completely. and be held in place
by Irvine not strong enough TO injure the
growing tree Soil should be drawn up
an inch OF two around the paper at the
foot Of the tree. TO prevent the female
bellies from getting inside the paper from
below and the top Of the paper should
be made 10 1T the bark closely. A band
Of cotton line just inside the top Of the
paper will serve to keep the females out
from above.
Various washes have been used 20 pre-
vent the insects from laying their eggs
on the bark or 20 kill the newly Matched
erubs before they make their way into
the bark. but II il not certain that the
use Of these viii always be found profit
able in Oklahoma.
Even more important than protectinb
the bark OF the frees from the egg-iaying
female beetles. is the matter Of keeping
the trees in vigorous condition b. proper
cultivation Of the soil Grass and weeds
should not be allowed 20 take the mois-
ture needed by the trees. After rains
the crust Of the soil should be broken
into a fine mulSh 20 reduce the rate OF
eva poration from the soil II T. also rec
commended that trees be headed low. 20 !
that the leaves may shade the trunk from |
the midday sun.