American pomology; Apples

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1867 Excerpt: ... similar to those above mentioned. Seek for the young worms in their shallow burrows in August, before they have gone deeply into the tree. Dicerca divaricata, (Say), or the Cherry-tree Borer, is similar in its habit of boring in 'the sap wood under the bark, and may be combated in the same way. The perfect insect appears in June and July. Prenocerns Supernotatus, or the American Currant Borer, feeds upon the pith of the stalk. The larva is a small, white grub, which changes into a slender, longhorned beetle; black, edged with chestnut-brown. The wing covers are marked with two small grey dots, anteriorly, and a crescent-shaped one behind the middle. It is very injurious to the currant bushes in many parts of the country, and constitutes a serious obstacle to growing the plants to a single stem, tree fashion. In the bush form of this plant, the constant reproduction of new shoots compensates for the destruction caused by the borer. There is another currant borer, an European, which is confined to young shoots; as it is not the larva of a beetle, but of a butterfly, it will be treated in its proper place. Bostrichus bicaudatus, or the Apple-twig Borer, affects the small twigs, and when numerous, will produce an effect like that called twig-blight, by causing the death of the part and the withering of the leaves, at mid-summer. A small hole will be found near the axil of a leaf; this turns with the twig, and often extends several inches along the pith. The insect is a small, chestnut-brown beetle, 0.25 to 0.35 of an inch long, and is characterized by two projections or horns at the hinder end. Has been found rather common from Michigan to Kansas. Remedy.--Kill, when found. Scolytus pyri, or the Pear-blight Beetle, affects twigs of pear, apple, and other fruit...