ausing
its death. This is produced by a brown and white striped beetle about
half an inch long. It does not go through its different stages annually,
but remains a grub two or three years. It finally comes out in its
winged state, early in June, flying in the night and laying its eggs. If
the borers are already in the tree, they may be killed by cutting out,
or by a steel wire thrust into their holes. But better prevent them.
This can be done effectually by placing a small mound of ashes or lime
around each tree early in the spring.

On nursery-trees their attacks may be prevented by washing with a
solution of potash--two pounds in eight quarts of water. As this is a
good manure, as well as a great remedy for insects, it had better be
used every season.

[Illustration: Borer. Eggs. Beetle.]

_Caterpillars_ are the product of a miller of a reddish-brown color,
measuring about an inch and a half when flying. They deposit many eggs
about the forks and near the extremities of young branches. These hatch
in spring, in season for the young foliage, on which they feed
voraciously. When neglected for two or three years, they often defoliate
large trees. The habits of the caterpillar are favorable to their
destruction. They weave their webs in forks of trees, and are always at
home in rainy weather, and in the morning till nine o'clock. The remedy
is to kill them. This is most effectually done by a sponge on the end of
a pole, dipped in strong spirits of ammonia. Each one touched by it is
instantly killed, and it is not difficult to reach them all. They may
also be rubbed off with a brush or swab on the end of a pole, and
burned. The principle is to get them off, web and all, and destroy them.
This can always be effectually done, if attended to early in the season,
and early in the morning. If any have been missed, and come out in
insects to deposite more eggs, bonfires are most effectual. These
should be made of shavings, in different parts of the orchard, and about
the middle of June, earlier or later, according to latitude and season.
The ends of twigs on which the eggs are laid in bunches of hundreds (see
figure), may be cut off in the fall and destroyed. As this can be done
with pruning-shears, it may be an economical method of destroying them.

[Illustration: Caterpillar Eggs. Canker-worm Moths, Male and Female.]

_Canker-worm._--The male moth has pale-ash colored wings, with a black
dot, and is about an inch across.