New-York tribune., 1875-07-12
THE ARMY WORM.

TREES IN MAINE ATTACKED BY T..
FRUIT TREES IN POUR COUNTIES STRIPPED OF &IR
LEAvEs-DEsuLATE APPEARANCE OF TIL: FOR
EsTS.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUSE)
OXFORD, Me-, July 6.-The farmers and
frugrowers of the western part Of Maine are losing
money by the devastatons OF foe with which most OF
them have formed their first acquaintance this year
Last year the army worm made its appearance IN the
northern part Of oxford and in portions OF Franklin
Counties. This year It's depredations extend through OK
ford Franklin, Androscoggn and the northern part OF
Cumberland In sections the foliage has
been Entirely stripped from the apple orchards and tue
forests look II they had been destroyed by fire. In
ulaces vast tracts of woodland which usually at this
season are clothed with brilliant green leaves are black
and sered as in midwinter.
The army worm is q little than inch in length
II has nine white spots OF oval form It's back which
is Of black color. Below these is a stripe of
orange and below this on the Sides wider stripe OF
blush green The under part Of the body is brown 1t
has ten legs with which it travels with great rapdity
either forward backward. II has an enormous appe-
tite and when. is usually the case great numbers
make their appearance together the leaves stripped
from large trees in very short time.
The worm began its attack in May before the leaves
were fully grown. Its preference at first was for apple
and cherry trees it next sought poplar trees, then oak,
ash white birch and bass. When these had been en-
tire y exhausted 1t would attack the elm and maple In
districts where the invaders marched IN fewer numbers
the last two untouched and the stems and thiekes
abers OF leaves OF other trees are not eaten "he
they come large numbers all the trees are visited in
the order given above and evcyhngs eaten down 10 the
hard wood From the time the young worm hatches until
1t folds itself up build its cocoon the worm marches
steadily onward devourng the leaves as 1t goes Some
fines the line battle Ii unbrOken for several miles, IN
other places the invaders march in columns OF varying
width leaving strips OF country untouched, OF visited
only by . few skirmishers or straggers In drive
through the towns OF Oxford Hebron and Turner FEW
davs ago found the road alternately leading through
Woodlands which presented Of utter desolation
and through those which the foliage seemed to have
suffered no injury One orchard would have appear
ance of life and another only short distance would
be full OF leaves and give fair promise OF fruit
The worst depredaons Of the are In the northern
part Of Oxford County and in Franklin County There
the line Of march unbroken and no efforts OF the
farmer could stay their progress appreciaby diminish
their numbers In Perue, Milton Township and FRANK
lin Plantation they covered the limbs OF trees 70 deph
Of several inches presenting the appearance ~ bees
when swarmng They covered houses which lay In their
path 10 densely that could not tell the material OF
which the houses were built Fsrm-houses OF dazzling
white color>-which abound in NewEngland-were re-
duced TO dull brown, without spot Of paint visible
from rdgepoe to foundation. The people scraped them
down from their houses barns, and trees with boards
fastened to long po and buried them in trenches but
millions came supply their places Farmers plowed
trenrhes around orchards finding that the worms
could not crawl up their desthe yielding loan giving
way under their feet The next morning the trenches
would I've found filed with writhing mass but the
main Lody of the army would have passed over On the
backs OF their Imprisoned comrades In their progress
fences and ways would be entirely covered by rhe
and in one instance train Of the Grand Trunk
Railway was stopped by them m the town own OF Of
Paris and extra engine had 10 De sent
It's assistance before II could be started Az nrst
of the pest but It found that all labor 70 that
end was virtually wasted. Few orchards on tne SANDY
River in Franklin County escaped In Philps strOh<
and Farmingt0n there are many dne orchards
there will be absolutely fruit Harvey Dodge, TAR
mer in the town Of strong determined 70 save bis apple
trees II posnble and he fought the army worms from
their Ant appearance He made trenches scraped the
worms from The Trees and sprinkod them with not soap
suds and kerosene Inch by inch he retreated before
them and finally concentrated hts attention upon dozon
Valuable young trees near his house which were just
coming into Fearing. Hc win raise two or three
bushels Of apples this year. Few farmers con.
tinued the contest after the nrst week "
was hopeless from the start look from the window NJ
which am writing out farm which In sood ycaf
produces 800 or 400 barrels of nt quality merchantabc
ppes and more than bushels OF fruit OF inferior
quality. Il win mot produce 70 bnshe: q spplss O. @ all
Kinds this year Fortunately this not the year ior
large apple crop In ths State tue orchards pIouusnx