Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-14
The CnnIser Worm.

In a communication, a day or TWO since, pu0-
lished in the Spy in connection with number
of extracts from Harris book on insects, the
writer most truly and forcibly alludes to the
great havoc made by the canker worm in vari-
GUS localities, leaving trees infested by it as
brown and unsightly, and as fruitless, as if fire
had swept over them. The ravages of this pest
are not confined to apple trees, but to some ex-
tent the cherry trees have suffered this year;
and appearances would indicate that, unless
| fruit growers are more awake to the ravages of
this and some other pests where grubs ascend
the trees in the fall, in the thawy days OF win
ter and in the early spring, that the profits of
such cultivation will year by year grow less and
less, until cultivation may cease altogether.
The usual means of prevention are various, and
it may be said certain, if duly and faithfully
applied, but expensive and laborious. AS re-
commended by Harris, the trough of oil will
secure the end, but at a considerable outlay, if
the number of trees is large Tar is an excel
lent and cheap remedy in its first cost, but ex-
pensive in the amount of labor to keep it fresh
and sticky on the trees-aS it coats over SO
quickly by exposure to air, making the almost
daily re-applicatiOn necessary for success.
In a large orchard this constant daily atten-
ton, at a season, too, when other work presses,
creates an expense many cultivators forge, and
trust to a hope that it may not be needed. Some
of the fruit growers in the city and in the neigh
boring towns, especially in Shrewsbury, have
this past spring been trying new remedy
which has been brought TO public notice, which
seems to be happy medium between the
cheapness and expensiveness of those named, in
the cost of the raw material and in the cost of
the labor necessary to its use. 1t is the sub
stance which has proven its power and useful
ness in keeping the tree of liberty safe from
greater pests thankbugs and worms--printers
ink. And strange as it may seem, this remedy
for political evils that infest the body polite;
this specific for an unhealthy and unremunera-
tive business-has proven itself quite as des-
tructive in its practical effects upon the lesser
insects that infest the fruit trees, and given
new life to the unhealthy and unremunerative
business of fruit raising, where it has been
tried. As printers ink sticks and kills the wrig-
Cling politicians, so printers ink sticks and de-
strOys the wriggling and squirming crawlers
ION our trees. AS one application of printers
inA per week, through the country press, keeps
the growing political life and the interests of an
increasing and 1ourishing trade, vigorous and
heathful, so one application Of printers ink per
aoeek to our trees will be sure wall of pro-
lection against those invading influences that
destroy their vigor and fruitfulness.
Leaving this parallelism, it has been demon
strated that grade of ink made for the pur-
pose, has efficiently answered its design, and at
a saving of time and labor. While the first
cost is but little greater than tar, its lasting
quality has made it many times cheaper in the
cost of application. The best way of applying
it is to nail a strip of tar paper, from four to
six inches wide, around the tree, and put on the
ink with a paint brush. 1t takes but moment
more to cover wide strip than narrow one,
and wide strip is safer, for it is not so liable to
be bridged over with the dead insects as a mar
rover one.
The largest orchard in our section could be
dealt with in one hour, after the first applica-
tion by any smart boy who would be faithful
in the work; this repeated once week, or even
twice, if necessary, would, if all our fruit
growers could be induced to labor simultaneous
| ly and faithfully in this direction, put an end
to the rayages of those insects now spreading
| over the country their work of destruction.
Will not some of those who have tried this
new remedy give to the readers of the SPY the
results of their observations OF its workings?