22
Gardening in Washington
AND ITS EWIROiSS
Conducted by J. V. Wellington, Carden Editor, The Star.
} PEACH BORERS
For a great many years peach
growers have struggled against a
severe handicap in the peach borer,
an insect which in its immature or
larval stage lives and feeds beneath
the bark near the base of the tree.
As there are usually at least 8 to
10 insects working in a single tree,
the injury results in a stunted, un
productive condition and may in
severe cases actually cause death to
the tree. So prevalent are the insects
that it is quite impossible to find an
uninfested peach tree. Masses of
brown jelly-like gum frequently exude
from the wounds and mark the pres
ence of the borers. For years fruit
growers and entomologists sought
vainly for an effective remedy but
were forced to rely upon the tedious
procedure of digging out the borers
with aid of a wire and sharp knife.
Frequently this treatment itself
caused severe injury. Finally De
partment of Agriculture workers hit
upon a relatively simple and effective
control which has since been adopted
by practically all commercial grow
ers and is available to the small
orchardist as well. It was found that
fumes arising from paradichloroben
zene placed in a circle about the base
of the tree would penetrate the bark
and kill 90 to 100 per cent of the
worms.
