The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-10-15


tiers in the egg stage on various or
chard 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 OBJ
served and may be collected and de-
stroyed without much trouble during
the work OF pruning or at other times.
Very effective work in the collection Of
egg masses has already been accom-
plished in regions where this insect
has been excessively abundant. In
some instances it will be possible to
enlist the interest of school children,
as was done in Michigan during the
winter of 1884. Prizes were Of
fered for the greatest number of egg
masses obtained. and the total collect
ed in this work was several million.
The fall webworn winters in the
pupal stage on apple and various other
trees. The flimsy cocoon is easily
recognized from the hairs of the cater
pillar mixed in with the loose silk,
The cocoons occur in all sorts of
sheltered places, as in crevices, 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 es-
capped. 1t will be easy to collect and
destroy these pupae and egg masses.
Throughout the middle west and to
a less extent elsewhere, the winter
nests of the leaf crumpler are conspic-
uous 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 re-
moved and burned to destroy the
caterpillars within.
The work OF the buffalo tree hopper
usually attracts the attention of the
observant orchardist, especially during
pruning. This insect punctuTes the
young twigs in the course Of its egg
laying, the scars later producing
much deformed and weakened branch.
Care should be taken to cut out these
injured twigs, with the view to devel-
oping new, sound branches.
There are various species of borers
attacking fruit trees which may be
very effectively searched for and de-
stroyed during the fall, winter or spring.
"Worming" for the peach borer should
be begun in early fall and continued
until the trees have all been gone
over. This is done by cutting away
the injured bark sufficiently to trace
the burrow and then removing the
borer with a 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 bur
rows may be seen and assist in the
more ready location of the borers.
Since many if the peach borers in the
fall are yet quite small, very careful
work will be necessary to destroy all Of
luClp. AllCI TIC tlCCo nave DCCA
wormed once it is a 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 some
what easier to detect the borers be-
cause of their increase in size. Thru
out the central and eastern states ap.
pie trees should be regularly wormed
in the spring and fall for the round
headed apple tree borer. This insect
attacks the trees near the ground and
its injury is indicated by brown patches
under the bark and the castings which
often accumulate in some quantity on
the soil. The use OF a sharp knife
and moderately stiff wire is usually
sufficient in the work of worming the
trees, in the case OF either the peach