Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-28

successful as to save the crop for this year.
and have gained such q KNOWLEDGE OF the
worms and their habits as will enable them
IN control and destroy them much mere
efFactn.iIv hereafter. From samples OF the
caterpiller and its cocoons ard eggs wnich
Mr.. Cooke obtained ard has row at bis efnce,
we are enabled to give cur reaieTs the lo-'"r
| ing description OF the same: lie ia,V:s Oh
this insect. when full grown, is caterpllier
shont two inches long and an eighth
- an inch in diameter. Its general color
ia Of a reddish brown; is covered with short,
fna hair. has a line Of yellow Gorsal spots,
and ON each side has double row OF broken,
waving lines of the same color. Its
head is black and fuzzy. When young,
a sudden jar as by blow upon the tree,
causes the worm to let go and tall to the
ground. When older, these are found col
lected in clumps on the limbs, ard may be
killed with mops saturated WIN strong soap
suds. or NAV be rubbed off, and when on the
ground they seek the tree to again ascend.
Mr.. belong follows tie latter plan, and has
found that bands Of cloth, covered with hogs
lard, will completely check their ascent. As
they collect in punches around the stem of
the tree they are killed. The moth has not
vet made its appearance, and hence we can
not describe it. Il deposits its eggs in
punches or belts around the small twigs, and
covers them with gummy matter. These
eggs hatch Just as the trees are throwing out
their first leaves in the spring. The cater
pliers make their cocoons, which are of a
fine silky material and Of pure white color.
on the leaves of the tree, and under scales,
and in crevices of the bark. So far as known
they produce but one generation IN the year.
From the observations we have been able to
make of this destructive orchard pest we are
inclined to give it place among toe class of
insects known as GiSiocdmpG, and the larva
is popularity known as the American tent
caterpillar, from its habit OF living in colo
MES and protecting itself from the weather by
building ia the crotches and forks of trees
web or silken tent, under which the colony
gathers as protection from the rays of the
sun in the day time, and of cold nights in
freezing weather. In the northern Middle
States some thirty years ago this insect was
the most destructive orchard pest known. 1t
may be most cheapiy and easily destroyed by
finding and destroying the eggs IN the tail
after the leaves have fallen, or in the spring
before the leaves have come out. Ii any of
the eggs are missed then, Earring the small
Larvae to the ground and trapping them as
they attempt to ascend the stem Of the tree.
The most expensive and least certain way OF
destroying them is when they have gained
nearly full size to mop them down when they
are in punches or in their nests. There is a
close relation to the CfisiocaRpa, or c. Amer
icana, called the C. Sylvatica. that lives on
different forest trees, mostly the oak, and
takes its name from this native homo. This
also sometimes leaves its native trees and at
tacks the apple trees. There are a great
number of varieties OF this class Of insects
both in Europe and America. When the
moths hatch we may give cur readers de-
scription Of them, and then we will be the
better able to make certain OF their classifica-
ton