The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-07-11
Oh
APPLE BORER
IS DISCUSSED
Federal Experts Tell How Or
chard Pest May Be
Destroyed.

WASHINGTON, d. c. July 10
sWorming'' and painting the trunks
of the trees are Recommended to own
ers of apple orchards as efficient
methods Of dealing with the round
headed apple tree borer in new
Farmers Bulletin, No. Go, OF the
United States Department of Agricui-
ture. A heavy application of some
paint that will not injure the trees.
but will remain in an unbroken coat
on the bark for two or three months,
IS effective in preventing the female
from laying her eggs in the tree ana
greatly reduces the amount of worm
ing. or the removal of the insects
with a knife and wire, that must be
Tree Badly Damaged.
The round headed apple tree borer,
the. most destructive of a number OF
similar pests, lays its eggs in or un-
der the bark OF apple trees. After
Matching the larvae feed upon the m
ner bark and wood to such an extent
that the tree is. seriously weakened
or killed. the pest is found over the
whole of the eastern portion OF the
United States and as far west as Ne
braska, Kansas and New Mexico. In
addition to fruit trees, it feeds on
service, Wild crab and mountain ash
trees. which makes it advisable for
lorchardists to remove these varieties
for a distance of, at least hundred
yards from their orchard.
The female lays her eggs. one at a
time. in an incis:on she has made in
the bark usually just above the sur
face of the ground. About fifteen or
twenty days later the eggs hatch and
the larvae appear. When full grown
these are nearly an inch and a half
in length. They first attack the In
ner bark. eating out broad. more or
less circular galleries and thrusting
out through small holes in the bark,
castings which form little heaps OF
reddish wood fragments around the
base of the tree. During the winter
the borers are quiescent but early In
the following spring they attack the
solid wood, while some of them work
their way up the trunk These last
spend one more winter in the tree
and then, having passed through the,
pup stage, dig their way out and
emerge as, adult, beetles Three years
are required for the insect to complete
its development from egg to adult.
M Lives Fifty Days. ei
Ordinarily the beetle HIVES about
forty or fifty days. 1t is about
three-fourths of an inch in length,
light brown in color above, with two
broad white hands, Joined in front,
extending the full length of the back;
the underparts and front of the head
are white The females rarely fly
any considerable distance. so that If
the immediate vicinity of an orchard
can be kept free from them. there is
little danger OF a serious infesta-
ton.
The most common method OF rid
ding an orchard OF these pests is to
cut away the bark sufficiently to
trace the burrows made by the borer.
A hooked wire is then inserted into
the burrow and the insect pulled out
If made with care. the wound in the
tree caused by this process will heal
readily. The castings at thu base OF
the tree serve as All indication of the
presence OF the borers. Where the
burrows are curved or Obstructed in
some way so that the wire can not
be inserted, clifton batting dipped in.
carbon bisulphid should be inserted
and the hole then plugged with moist
earth. The gas from the carbon BIZ
sulphid will penetrate all parts of
the ,burrow and kill the borer.
Paint Often Used.
In addition to worming. as this, pro-
cess Is called. paint Is often used 60
prevent the beetles laying their eggs.
Pure white lead and raw inseed Oil.
LIGHTNING KILLS FARMER
cIRCLEvtLLE, o.. July TO-.
Startling Drum, wealthy farmer
and stoekmans was killed by light