The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-12-02
From the Boston Traveller, November IA.
The Cankcr WOTm..lts Iiabi,s--The Way
to Check its itavases.


4 good opportunity is now presented, in
our Immediate vicinity, of removing any
doubts which may still be entertained as to
the habits of the canker worm, that most
destructive ofall the insects which niest cur
orchards and shade trees. The manner in
which they possess themselves of what they
devour with such varacious certainty, and
the efficacy of the process ofpieyenting their
ravagcs by tarring the trunks of the trees,
may be clearly seen in some of the orchards
in Brooklinc, where the work is now going
on. Ourattention was called few morn
ings ago to n scene of this Kind which al
most bcggars description. The ground
around the trunks Of the trees, within cir
Gle of two or three feet in diameter, was lit
orally covered with the insects, which had
fallen in vain struggle to overcome the tar
red barrier by which the trees were sur
rounded Millions Of the spoilers were
writing in the agonics of despair and death.
The mass the invading army were wing
less females, who can only ascend by creep
ing up the trunk. Here and there u flying
male was caught in the mcshcs set for his
more helpless companions. The trees of
this orchard and indeed Of wide belt Of
country running through Cambridge and
Brookline, including many noble clms and
other shade trees, were last summer and the
summer previous completely stripped their
foliage and fruit by these greedy worms,
and reduced to withercd shrcds looking as
If they had been scorched by fire. ma
These destructive insects have been fully
described, and the remedy against their
ravages pointed ont, by Professor Peek, in
the papers of the Massachusetts, Agricultural
Society, and by DR.. Harris, in 4 treatise on
insects injurious to vegetation, published by
order ofthc legislature. Our farmers, how
ever, either from iaithcssness in the pre-
scribed remedies, or shrinking from the la
bOrious care and watchfulness involved in
the application of them, have hitherto very
much neglected what they must now be sat
isfied would have been wise and perhaps
wholly cifectual precaution. 4 single or
chard in this vicinity, which in good sea
sons has produced from Il thousand to iif-
teen hundred barrels of the best apples, has
for two or three years past been reduced, by
these mcrciless marau1crs, TO a perfectly
barren wilderness
The canker worms complete their dcvasta-
ton about the middle Of June when they
descend and burrow in the earth to the depth
OF from three to six inches, and undergo
their transformations into chrysals. 1t has
been generally supposed that they came out
of the ground only in the spring; but it is
now known that they make their appearance
in the autumn; and in mild winters they
continue to emerge from their cells during
every month from October to March. The
occurrence Of mild weather after severe
frost, like that which has Just been expert
enccd, stimulates some OF them to burst
their chrysalis skins and come forth to
TO commence their instructive preparations
for another summer s campaign. They come
out of the ground chiefly in the night. The
males it is said, are more abundant The
sluggish females make their way to the near
est tree, followed by the winged and active
males who iluttcr about and accompany
them in their ascent, during which the in
sccts pair.
Soon after this the female lays her eggs
upon the branches ofthe trees, placing them
on their ends, close together in rows, form
ing clusters perhaps of n hundred eggs,
which is the number usually laid by each
female The eggs are glued to each other
and to the bark by sort of varnish, which
is impervous to water. Having thus pro-
vided for a succession Of their devastating
reign, they anguish and die. The eggs are
Matched in May, about the time that the
leaves of the apple tree begin TO start from
the bud, and the worms gather upon the
tender leaves and live and grow upon the
growing foliage. They leave off eating when
about four weeks Old by which time they
have generally made clean work of the lux
urious feast which nature, through the far
mer's neglect, has provided for them
The methods for preventing the ravagcs
of the cankcr worm, which have been tried
and found more or less cilicac;ous, are: 10
apply tar or oil around the body Of the tree,
either directly upon tho bark or7orsr Il belt
of clay-mortar, or on strip Of canvass or
strong paper to nail boards together around
the base Of the tree, smearing them outside
with tar; to place circular troughs Of tin
around the tree, filled with tar or fish oil, or
n belt of cloth smcared with melted India
rubber, &c. Either Of these remedies is at
tended with considerable trouble, for the tar
or whatever is applied to arrest the pro-
gross Of the insects, must be renewed and
kept fresh as long as they continue to rise.
Sprinkling the trees to destroy the worms
when first hatchcd, has been practiscd With
some success; but this method is trouble
some, expensive and uncertain. II has also
been recommended to dig around the trees
after the worms have descended TO the
ground, and remove the soil. But the APP
plicaton of tar is probably the most ccono-
nical and eicacious mode Of waging war
upon this annoying enemy. ga