West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-11-04

1 ~e'SaSu peltS or Dandi
around the smaller twigs. These ar,
readily observed and may be COLLECTED
ana destroyed without much troubl,
curing the work of pruning or AZ 9th
er times. Very effective work ip IN.
collection of egg masses has alread,
oeSn accomplished In regions wher,
this insect has been excessivsi,
ABUNDANT. In some instances Il will,
De possible to enlist the interest n,
school children, as was done In Mich.
igan during the winter OF 1sls.1A
Frizes were offered for the greatest
NUMBER OF egg masses obtained. and
the total collected In this worl
amounted to several million.
Inc tail webworm winters in the
pupai stage on apple and various 9th
er trees. The fiimsy cocoon ia easilv
recognized from the hairs of tho cat.r-
pillar mixed in with the loose s,lk
me cocoons occur in all sorts Of
snSitered places, as in crevices. knot
hoies' under bark scales. etc. Tbev
| should also be searched for I'm ,rost,
on the ground. under boards. in rail
'ehces' and in similar situations.
another insect of general feeding
haDlts is the white-marked mssocl
moth' which winters on fruit trees 4,
.he egg stage. The eggs appear as a
irothy mass and are usually deposited
beside the grayish silken cocoon from
"nioh the wingless parent moth es-
capped II will be easy TO collect and
uSslroy these pupae and egg masses.
throughout the Middle West. and to
less extent elsewhere. the winter
nests OF the leaf crumpler are con-
splcuous objects on fruit trees. es-
peciaiiy ounce. pear and apple. The
iarVe winter In tough. horn-shaped
cases to which are usually attached
several dead leaves. These nests
should be removed and burned 10
destroy the caterpillars within.
The work of the buffalo tree-hopper
usually attracts the attention of the
opservant orchardist, especially dur.
ing pruning. This insect punctures
the young twigs in the course of i,s
egg laying, the scars later producing
much deformed and weakened
branch. Care should be taken To en-,
out these injured twigs, with the view
70 developing new, sound branches.
Ihere are various species of borers
attacking fruit trees which NAV he
very effectively searched for and des-
troyed during the fall, winter. or
spring. "Worming" for tho mach
oorer should be begun in early fall
and continued until the trees have all
Deen gone over. This is done by cut-
'ihg away the injured bark sufficiently
10 trace the burrow and then remoy-
ing the borer with a knife or hooked
wire. Previous to worming the soil
should be dug away from the base Of
the trees 80 that the castings exudino
from the burrows may be seen and
assist In the more ready location of
the borers. Since many of the peacb
Dorers In the fall are yet quite small.
very careful work will be necessary
10 destroy all Of them. After the trees
nave been wormed once Il is a good
practice to go over them again. The
earth should be drawn around the
base OF the tree before there ia danger
OF freezing weather. The same plan
should be followed in worminK the
trees In the spring at which time Il
VIII be somewhat easier to detect the
Dorers because OF their increase I'm
size. Throughout the Central and
Eastern States apple trees should be
regularly wormed In the spring and
lal Tor the roundheaded appIe-tree
Dorer. This insect attacks the trees
near the ground and it's injury is indi-
Gated by brown patches under the
park and the castings which often ac.
cummulate in some quantity on the
| soil The use OF a sharp knife and
moderately stiff wire is usually suffi-
cient In the work OF worming the
trees I'm the case of either the peach
borer or the roundheaded apple-tree
borer.
The work OF the fruit-tree bark
beetle, or shot-hole borer, is often
hrst detected on trees during pruning
operations in winter, and steps should
be taken as soon as it is discovered
TO correct the trouble, IL possible
The shot-hOle borer as a rule attacks
trees which are ia state OF decline
from any cause. IL winters I'm var
ious 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
condition by severe pruning and an
| application as the buds swell I'm the
| spring Of an effective wash, as fsh-oll
soap. at the rate OF pound to the
gallon OF water, or heavy whitewash
or wash made Of l pint OF crude
carbolic acid and gallon OF soft FISH
oil soap dissolved in gallons of vat
or. Washes should be thoroughly ar
piled TO the trunk and larger limbs
In the case Of apple, pear, and other
trees which do not exude gum to any
extent. Il Is a question OF judgment
whether II will be possible TO save
trees attacked by this insect. II the
infestation is rather severe, II usually
indicates that the tree is beyond hope
OF saving. Individual branches on