Newark post., 1922-08-02
Peach Borer Can
Be Eliminated
Peninsula Horticultural Society Is.
sues Interesting Method to
Destroy Nuisance

Delaware and Chesapeake Peninsula
than all other causes combined. There
is no need for much of this loss fol
there is remedy. DR.. j. T. Headlee
of the New Jersey Experiment Sta.
tion, told US all about it at the meet.
ing in Berlin last winter, and he has
stated that one-half Of the peach
trees in New Jersey over six years OF
age have been treated with the rem.
edy and the results are very success
full. He quoted at length from E. B
Blakeslee, of the U. S. Department OF
Agriculture, who has been working
on this remedy for several years and
at last he discovered it and expert.
mented with it until he is satisfied
that it is entirely practicable. Para.
dichlorobenzene does the trick. One
of the firms that is making this ma.
terial has called it "Paracide," q
shorter name and one easily remem.
bered. Paracide is substance spe.
cially crystalized for the purpose
about like granulated sugar. II
slowly is converted into gas and the
gas is poisonous to Peach Borers, but
not to human beings. This material
is placed in a circle around the trees
about two inches from them, and
about an inch or two in width. An
ounce to a tree is enough. The best
time in this latitude is about the tenth
of September. It will not do to use
it on trees less than six years of age
When a peach orchard is set out
great care should be taken that the
trees contain no Peach Borers. They
should be examined very carefully to
see that the Borers are removed, and
they should be wormed overy year
until they are at least five years old.
They should then have the Paracide
application every year thereafter.
The whole work could be done for not
much more than three cents per year
per tree.
The New Jersey Bulletin gives the
following method of procedure:
Prepare the trees for application
of the material by removing with a
hoe the weeds, leaves, stones, sticks,
etc., from about the base of the trunk.
In other words make smooth, fiat,
clear space six to twelve inches wide
about the tree at soil level. Do not
dig into the surface soil any more than
is necessary. In case a large amount
of gum is present about the tree, re-
move it. 1t seems to be advisable to
apply Paradichlorobenzene at point
level with or about the highest infes-
tation on the tree if one wishes to kill
all of the larvae. However, recent
experiments show that this is not so
important, provided sufficient
amount of dirt is piled high above
the crystals and the larvae within the
tree.
When the trees are ready for treat
ment, measure out the amount of
Paradichlorobenzene to be used in
some container which is graduated OF
holds when level full the amount re-
quired. A short, wide mouth bottle
or tin or wooden pill box may an
swer the purpose. Some growers
measure out one ounce in closed fist
Take hand full of the crystals and
then close your hand tightly with the
first joints of the fingers straight
The size of your hand will determine
the amount you can hold in this way
The crystals should be evenly dis
tributed in a continuous, narrow, cir
cular band two inches from the tree
Do not place crystals against the
trunk, for serious injury may result
Material placed four to six inches
from the tree has given fairly salts.
factory results provided the soil is
dry and plenty of dirt is placed above
the crystals.
After the material is in a ring
around the tree, place several shovels
of dirt (four to six) free from weeds
grass, sticks, stones, etc., over the
crystals and compact it with shovel
a hoe or otherwise. The first shove
Of dirt placed above the "death ring
should be fine and carefully placed OF
top Of the crystals in order that the
position of the poison be not disturbed
The matured insects emerge from
the tree and begin to lay their egg.
about the middle of July and they
hatch in ten days. The remedy should
be applied about the tenth of Septem
ber. The fall treatment is much bet
ter than spring because the worm:
are small and young and are easily
killed. They have done little injury