The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-11-11

coonS under scales OF bark, In crevlces
and IN knot holes on the trunks and larger
limbs of the apple. Old trees especially
should be thoroughly scraped with dull
hoe or similar instrument to destroy the
the alternating codling- moth larvae.
The apple-tree tent caterpillar winters
IN the egg stage on various orchard trees,
as the apple and peach, and especially on
Wild cherries growing along fences or on
waste land. The eggs are placed in
rather conspicuous dark colored belts or
bands around the smaller twigs These
are readily observed and may be collect
ed and destroyed without much trouble
during the work of pruning or at other
times. Very effective work in the col
lection of egg masses has already been
accomplished in regions where this insect
has been excessively abundant. 10 some
instances it will be possible to enlist the
interest of school children, as was done
In Michigan during the winter of 1914.
Prizes were offered for the greatest
number of egg masses obtained. and the
total collected in this work amounted to
several million.
The fall webworm winters in the pupal
stage on apple and various other trees.
The f1imsy cocoon is easily recognized
with the loose silk. The cocoons occur
in all sorts of sheltered places, as in crew
ices, knot holes, under bark scales, etc
They should also be searched for in trash
on the ground, under boards, in rail
fences. and in similar situations.
Another insect of general feeding
habits is the white-marked tussock moth,
which winters on fruit trees in the egg
stage. The eggs appear as frothy mass
and are usually deposited beside the
grayish silken cocoon from which the
wingless parent moth escaped. 1t will
be easy to collect and destroy these
pupae and egg masses.
Throughout the Middle West, and to
less extent elsewhere, the winter nests
of the .eaf crumpler are conspicuous
objects on fruit trees, especially ounce,
pear. and apple. The larvae winter in
tough, horn-shaped cases to which are
usually attached several dead leaves.
These nests should be removed and burned
to destroy the caterpllars within.
Cut Twigs Injured by Buffalo Tree-Hoppers
The work of the buffalo tree-hopper
usually attracts the attention of the OBJ
servant orchardist, especially during
pruning. This insect punctures the
young twigs in the course of its egg lay
ing, the scars later producing much
deformed and weakened branch. Care
should be taken to cut out these injured
twigs, with the view to developing new,
sound branches.
Destroy Borers by "Worming''
There are various species of borers at
lacking fruit trees.wbich may be very
effectively searched for and destroyed
during the fall, winter and spring.
"Worming' for the peach border should
being in early fall and continue until the
trees have all been gone over. This is done
by cutting away the injured bark suffici-
emily to trace the burrow and then re-
moving the borer with knife or hooked
wire. Previous to worming the soil
should be dug away from the base of the
trees so that the castings exuding from
the burrows may be seen and assist in the
more ready location of the borers. Since
many of the peach borers in the fall are
yet quite small, very careful work will
be necessary to destroy all of them. At
err the trees have been wormed once it
is good practice to go over them again.
The earth should be drawn around the
base of the tree before there is danger
of freezing weather. The same plan
should be followed in worming the trees
in the spring, at which time it will be
somewhat easier to detect the borers be-
cause of their increase in size. Through
out the Central and Eastern States ap-
Pile trees should be regularly wormed in
the spring and fall for the roundheaded
apple-tree borer. This insect attacks
the apple trees near the ground and its
injury is indicated by brown patches un-
der the bark and the castings which
often accumulate in some quantity on
the soil. The use of sharp knife and
moderately stiff wire is usually suffici-
ent in the work of worming the trees, in
the case Of either the peach borer or the
roundheaded apple-tree borer.
Prune and Apply Washes for Shot-Hole
Borers.
The work of the fruit-tree bark-beetle,
or shot-hole borer, is often first detected
on ttrees during pruning operations in
winter, and steps should be taken as
soon as it is discovered to correct the
trouble if possible. The shot-hole borer
as a rule attacks trees which are in a
state of decline from any cause. 1t win
tiers in various stages in galleries just
beneath the bark. Peach trees attacked
by this insect and which still have vital
ity to exude gum at the injured points
may in some cases be brought into con-
dition by severe pruning and an applica-
tionlas thesbuds swell..in:stheIspringEof