The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-04-29
TO SAVE
SHADE TREES
MIR. MARCH GIVES INSTRUCTIONS
FOR PROTECTION AGAINST
THE ATTACKS OF BOH-
EES.
by w. II. March

This is the time of year when our
telephone here at the nursery iing.es
necessarily and the burden OF the
question is: What can | do for my
trees that are infested With borers?
What is a bcrer? What do they like?
Will they Kill the tree? Can ! do
anything to cure my tree or prevent
Norer5? We have thought hat an
anticipated answer TO this Question
printed in the columns OF the Re
publican would be of considerable
benefit TO home-owners and We are
glad to report any help we may he
able TO offer.
To begin with. the unhealthy tree
or the unthrifty tree invites the Dor
or. and the reverse is not the ease,
that the borer attacks the tree and
makes ii unhealthy. The fly that pro-
duccs the borer deposits it's eggs in
the earth directly at the base of the
tree; therefore it is OF ONE purpose
o keep this earth in a moist and cul-
tivated condition. Secondly. an APP
plication of kerosene emulsion is
very good. or air-slaked lime. An
other good preventative and n that
should be followed moro is to wrap
the trunk of the tree with burlap
The first two years after transplant
ing. Transplanting a tree necessar-
lily that you must u the roots
and OF course this is an operation
that dulls its activities and causes
it to he in poor health until ii has
recovered from the effects OF it's trans
planting. After the second year
good cultivation, plenty of water and
4 little pruning will keep the tree in
a perfectly healthy condition unless
we experience a bad. hail storm or a
bad wind storm. Even then it is pos
sible TO keep the tree in so healthy
/ condition that horers will not at
tack it. All these things are proven
tatives; o for the cure There is
no spray that will do any good. If
the tree is badly affected with borers
and has many holes in ii, probably
the best thing to do would be to cut
the tree down. If on the other hand
The tree still shows sign of activity
cut the bark of with a broad bladed
knife Just over the borer hole, then
take your wife's hat pin and lift him
out. This beats putting Il disinfec'-
ant to kill the borer, because You are
cutting away the dead bark around
the hole and making ii possible at
She same time TO dig out the dead
wood and fill it with cement or wax.
In South Dakota. it appears that
he Ash tree is most readily affected;
..han possibly the Poplar. However,
III OF our trees are more or less al
fected and should be watched close
ly TO prevent more general destruc-
ION by this pest. In taking the bores
gut of the tree. they should be gone
over early in the spring and late in
The fall, and this is the answer to
the man who has u well-deyeloped
place with trees that he wants tc
save. However. TO the new man who
has a home that is in the making
he first part of this little article vii
lnswer the question. When G set
l tree. don't forget II; take some care
of Il. Wrap it with buriap if you
want to: if this doesn't look @01d t
YOU on your lawn. look the tree over
thoroughly at least three times !;
year. Water il occasionally and when
YOU do water ii. soc that it gets any
way from , to 3 barrels al a water
na: then leave il alone. Cultivate
thoroughly as often as we do corn
Don't let the grass grow around fol-
, years. and YOU will find that Will
a good thrifty tree You have no Dor
lprg