Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-24

William Lampson, MT. and Mrs. s. w. Beardsley, Mr. and Mrs. s. A. Patterson, Miss Jennette Booth, Messrs. Charles F. Bur- ritt, E. J. Beardsley, 0. B. Curtis and Albert Wilcoxson represented our town. They left Bridgeport and had delightful sail on the Minnie B. ''MoseUrro."
 Aug. 23.
 Destroying the Elm Trees.
 rFrum the New York sun.l
 Every one who knows anything of the diff ferent kinds of trees planted in the streets and parks of our towns must have noticed that during the past few years the American elms have been suffering from the attacks of some insect that eats out all the soft parts of the leaves, leaving only broWnish, shrunken skeleton. Now the elms are more generally affected in the vicinity of New York than ever before; and in New Jersey especially they look as though they had been scorched, Scarcely healthy tree can be seen in the streets of Newark or New Bruns- wick; and in fact all the elms in the towns and villages to the southward would seem to be dead or dying.
 The mischief is caused by the raTages of an imported pest known by the common name of the elm-leaf beetle, while scientif- cally it is the Galeruca Xanthometoena- It belongs to the same great family of leaf-eat- ing beetles as the now common Colorado potato beetle, and it's natural history is quite similar. with, perhaps, one slight deviation. The elm leaf beetle does not usually go into the ground for it's transformation, but the larva, or grub, merely cEawls under the old dead leaves or grass at the base of the tree upon which it has fed, and in such sheltered situations 1t passes into the pupa, and thence into the winged stage, or the stage of the perfect beetle. These beetles are quite small, of 0 brownish color, with one broad ! black stripe on each wing case, and three black spots on top of the thorax. They hi. bernate in the perfect state, hiding in cracks of the bark, under stones, leaves, or where ever 8 suitable shelter can be found. Thence they come forth quite early in spring, and as soon as the elm trees are fully opened the females fly up into the trees and deposit their eggs on the leaves. At first the beetles are rarely abundant enough to make much show in destroying the leaves, but in the course of 8 month or six weeks second brood ap- pears, and by August third, and by this time their numbers have increased so enor- mously that they soon skeletonize the leaves of the largest elms.
 Trees infested with this insect have very much the appearances of apple trees assailed by the canker werm; and when it first sp- peared in this country 1t was supposed to have a similar habit. Forty-fve years ago the elm trees in Baltimore were almost en- tirely stripped of their leaves in midsummer by this pest and when the leaves came out again. they were attacked by later brood. In a vain attempt to save the trees, the city authorities spent good deal of money in fixing Ieaden troughs filled with oil around the trunks, thinking that the grubs might fall into these traps when descending to the ground, or the beetles in crawling up but it was soon discovered that the grubs, when they desired to reach the ground, would let go their hold and drop instead of crawling down the stem. Occasionally one would make the journey on foot and fan into the ,Aa- f1 kkniC so small that the oil traps were soon aban- doned as useless.
 This elm tree pest has several natural en- emies among birds, spiders and other beetles, and these have in 8 measure kept it in check, and prevented the total destruction of the eIms in our forests as well as in our cities i; but of late years this pest has multiplied far more rapidly than it's enemies, else it could not have become so destructive. The pugna- cious English sparrow has no doubt had something to do in driving away the insect ivorous birds from our cities and their sub- urbs, and the constant and thorough cultiva- ton of the land in our more thickly settled regions of country has either destroyed or expelled the various beetles and bugs that are known to prey upon many of our most com mon and noxious species of insects. With their many natural enemies removed, the elm tree leaf beetles have had an excellent oppor- tunity to multiply, and that they have availed themselves of it is to be inferred from the present appearance of the elms all along the Atlantic seaboard.
 To destroy the Iarvss and beetles on young or small elm trees it is only necessary to syringe their leaves with Paris green and water, or even to dust the leaves with this poison mixed with plaster. But with larger trees this is impracticable, although it would not be impossible to ascend the trees by lad ders and then haul up hand pumps, or some portable atomizer, and with these sprinkle the leaves, or even Ecatter poisonous dust over them. But more simple method of keeping the insect in check, or destroying 1t, is to attack the larVsa as they descend to the ground for transformation for, as we have said they merely crawl under the leaves or grass at the base of the tree, and when col lected there could be readily destroyed by burning over the surface of the ground, or by sprinkling it with hot water. A sprink- ling with solution of kerosene oiI water, and soap would also be eficacious; but to make either successful, person must know something of the appearance of the insect in it's various stages in order to attack it at the proper time. If. those whose business it is to superintend the planting and care of trees in the streets and parks of our cities had in connection with their other quRlif- cations, some little knowledge of insect life, they might readily prevent the introduction, or at least the rapid and unlimited multipH- cations, of noxious species. As it is, the first appearance of a pest is unnoticed, ex- cept, perhaps, by some scientific entomolo- gist and if he calls attention to 1t he is prob ably laughed at for his pains. But when the enemy has taken entire control of the field and destroyed or blighted everything within it's reach, then the cry of distress and alarm goes up, and very often it is then too late to attempt fighting the enemy. It is to be feared that our elms will perish unless some thing is done to save them, and that right speedily.