The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-06


 of the most productive varieties. in- , stead l would recommend for your SOIL one of the large cared varieties like Shaw, Sanders, McMackan's Gourd Seed, Henry Grady, etc.
 J. F. D. The Peach Tree BOrer.
 The peach tree borer which works Tn | the trees at or close to the surface | of the ground Is one of the worst ene- mics that the peach grower has to combat. The common practice or re- moving the soil from the roots during | the fall or early winter, leaving the roots exposed from then until spring, ! under the impression that by so doing, ! the borers will perish from colo' IS l largely a misapprehension. Any one who will study the habits of the borers | will discover that they work mainly | towards the root of the tree, and tend to lodge below the level of the soil. It is therefore probably true that to re- | move soil from around the peach-trees | during the fall season, without at the same time removing all borers. Is to produce a condition which may drive | the borers farther down toward or into 1 the roots. Of course. if the dirt is re- | moved after the borers have suspended | operations-hibernate In other words the removal of the dirt can have no l effect on the location of the borer. An ! opening around the base of beach, trees. causing the roots to be partially l exposed, allows water to collect, es- pecially in heavy clay soils. and by freezing during cold weather may work a detriment rather than an ad- | vantage to the tree. But even if the 1 borers are not induced to work lower before steady cold weather prevails it is very doubtful if borer ever dies through freezing. In Georgia the win ters are frequently so mild that peach borers probably continue to work havoc in the trees at intervals all | winter.
 | The practice of removing the soil | from around peach-trees is all right and should be done at least once a year; provided, however, that the bor- CTS are removed immediately and the soil replaced within few days No possible benefit could result from re- moving soil and leaving the borers in the trees to continue their work of de- | struction.
 The plan which will give certain re- suits is this In the fall. between | September 1 and December 1, remove all borers from the peach trees by the use of a sharp knife. The process can not be thoroughly accomplished until the soil Is first removed so as to ex- pose the larger roots: but the work of 1 exposing the roots should not be done many days in advance of the removal of the borers. In case the dirt has been away from the tree for several weeks, the person who goes to dig out the borers will have a harder task to | perform. for the active borers may | have burrowed down into the roots.
 Sometimes it is not possible to get at the task of removing borers during the fall months. In that event the work may be performed at any time during winter but there are several objections to delaying the work until cold weather. The most important objection is that laborers will not do as good and thorough "worming" in cold weather when the hands are apt to become cold. and the body cramped from bending down to the ground. The borers are also gaining rapidly in size and destructiveness during the late fall months. Worming should of course be dcne in the spring when attended to during the fall; and 1t may even become necessary to worm" in fall and spring both
 | h removing reach borers. care. pa tience and skill are required. All ex- udations of sap and gum, together with sawdust or castings eXuded by the borcrs. must first be cleaned from | a dull-edged knife, care being taken not to bruise the bark excessively. A sharp knife must be used for digging out tke borers, and some cutting will be necessary. If the precaution is taken of cutting only up and down, lengthwise of the wood, instead of around or across the grain. much in- jtry will be avoided. Sometimes com plaints are heard that removing borers , with a knife causes more injury T than the borer itself. This might easily be the case where the operation Is carelessly performed.
 After he trees are apparently freed from borers wash made as follows shod dld be applied to the trunk and roots:
 Lime. one bushel sulphur, ten pounds; coal tar. half gallon; water, fifty gallons
 Place the lime in a barrel or box and slake carefully with hot, or at least warm water Use only sufficient water to prevent burning. Stir frequently to insure a uniform mixture, and while the lime is slaking, add the sulphur, which sh ould previously have been made into a thin paste. When slaked, the lime will be smooth and milky The tar should then be added and thor oughly mixed, after which the mixture is ready to dilute to fifty gallons. This wash will adhere to trees for lon g time. It must be frequently stirred while being applied. Whenever prac- ticable only enough of this wash should be made at one time to last for one or two days. The fresh mixture will ad- here best. As soon as this application of lime wash Is completed. the soil should be at least partially replaced.
 Such a wash as just described will act in at least three distinct ways against the bOrer. In the first place. if applied after removing borers in the fall, it may kill some small, partially grown individuals that have been dis lodged by the workman, and exposed. but not actually killed. This caustic lime wash win kill small borers that have been exposed, but 1t would have no effect on those that are covered by the bark. Many little borers after be- ing disturbed if not killed in some way would eventually get back into the tree, there to silently destroy, while the fruit grower. happy in his ignorance, thinks that he has re- I moved all the little pests. In the sec ond place, this wash. or some other, of a like nature, will tend to have a heal ing effect on the lacerated surface of the trunk and roots injured while ex- polling the borer; and a third and very important effect will be to expel