Milford chronicle., 1915-12-31
APPLE EoRER CONTROL.
Means by Which orchardists May Rid
Their Trees Of This Fest.

Prepared by the United States depart.
ment Of agricultural
"Worning' and painting the trunks
Of the trees are recommended to own
ers of apple orchards as efficient meth
DDS Of dealing with the round headed
apple tree borer. A heavy application
| OF some paint that will not injure the
trees, but win 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 and greatly reduces the amount OF
worming, or the removal Of the insects
with u knife and wire, that must be
done.
The round headed apple tree bOrer, the
most destructive of number Of simi-
lar pests. lays its eggs in or under the
bark Of apple trees. After Matching
the larvae feed upon the inner 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 Nebraska.
Kansas and New Mexico. In addition
to fruit trees. it feeds on service, wild
crab and mountain ash trees, which
makes it advisable for orchardists to
remove these varieties for a distance
of at least a hundred yards from their
orchard.
The female lays her eggs one at
time in an incision she has made in
the bark, usually just above the sur
face of the ground. About fEteen or
twenty days later the eggs hatch AMI
the larvae appear. When full grown
these are nearly an inch and a half in
length. They first attack the inner
bark, eating out broad, more or less
circular galleries and thrusting out
through small holes in the bark cast
ings. which form little heaps of red
dish wood fragments around the base
of the tree. During the winter the
bOrers are quieScent, bat 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 ana !
then. having passed through the pupae
stage, dig their way out and emerge as
adult beetles.
Ordinarily the beetle lives about
forty or fifty days. 1t is about three
fourths of an inch in length. light |
brown IN color above, with two broad |
white bands joined in front. extending
the full length of the back; the under
parts and front Of the head are white.
The females rarely fly any considerable
so that if the immediate vi
cinity of an orchard can be kept free
from them there is little danger Of a
serious infestation.
The most common method Of Kidding
IN orchard of these pests is to cut
lway the bark sufficiently to trace the
burrows made by the borer. A hooked
wire is then inserted into the burrow
md the insect pulled out. If made with
are the wound in the tree caused by
his process will heal readily. The
astings at the base Of the tree serve
IS an indication Of the presence Of the
,orers Where the burrows are curved
r Obstructed in some way so that the
wire cannot be inserted, cotton batting
Tipped in carbon bisulphide should be
Inserted and the hole then plugged with
1oist earth. The gas from the carbon
isulphide viii penetrate all parts of
he buTrow and kill the borer
In addition to wOrming, as this proc
SIS is called, paint is often used to pre-
ent the beetles laying their eggs. Pure
7hite lead and raw linseed oil, mixed
lther thick. will not injure the trees.
nd when applied to young, smooth
ark will form q protective coat during
le egg laying season. 1t is probable
lat this is a more effective method
ian wrapping the trees with building
lper, cotton batting, cloth or other
sometimes used for this pur-
)se. Before painting. however. the
nth should be removed from the base
the tree for depth of from three 10 {
ur inches. The surface Of the trunk {
us exposed should be first scraped I
Id painted and the earth then re- q
aced. This is necessary. for the I
.etle sometimes lays her eggs under S
stead of above the ground.