New-York tribune., 1886-07-17
NEW-YORK TREES ATTACKED.
RAvAGrs OF THE CArERrILLARs IX SOME OF THE
SQUARES AND PARKS.

SQUARES AND PARKS.
The orqvia leac0stqmd which IS harrO wing the
souls of the Brooklyn people IN tlerLnOnl-aVc' Is
not altogether absent from New-York. Its chef
ravages here have not been upon the shade trees "
the streets, but upon tue ouPh-harked trees oi
some of he parks. Both citerplldrs ana cocoohs
are t. be found upon the noble elms along the Mall
in Central Park, but not in alarming Numbers, nor
does the foliage show any indications OF severe ere
treatment A linden here. willow tnerc on tHe
outskirts of the ball ground may al lsO reveal
hairy crawer fluffy cocoon tucked carefully
within the seams of the rk, out. upon the whole,
Central Park is reasonably clear OF these crcatulc'
winch are never quite eXtrpated Where. Ill slite
of the most vigorous measures. In Washington
Square and Battery Park the facts are much less
cheering. In the latter there are nearly dozen
small trees elms and NAPLES, upon when tnero Is
not the veStIge OF u leaf. lle peculiar app
ance of the bark Is not directly due TO the
or yir, but to the wire bro0ms VIII when the Iark
authorities are attempting to sweep hun out OF eX
istcnce. This Implement has no bad effect upon the
large trees, but it Iasps the tender trunks OF the
small ones aud gives them varlegated appearance
ouite unusual 10 elms. Whether TINS riSpng VIII
Iniure the afll ;cted Gins and lindens Is IN these
cases matter OF minor considera'mpn' on ane HrGat n
iured bv the loss of their leaves Ihey usually
take in carhonic acid gas through the stomata
underneath the leaves, ana give out oxygen ana
thereby accomplish their breathing and keep their
sap in good carbonaccous condition, enabling them
10 make good new wood. With the leaves gone
tins ,tiOn necessarily stops.
None of the larger trees IN the Battery is
affected. though there are a few cocoons upon
nearly all the big elmS. In Washington square the
fact is tie reverse. These pest made violent
attack upon the great silver popars which are the
price of the locality and upon the tall elms, and
neglected the small and the young trees Inc APP
ssla''Cv sast oneer Ji The % prg~as in the caterpillar
stage devoured all tie leaves of the lower
branches. but could, not climb to the topmost
branches which are therefore unnJured. Inc NE
of an orqyia ca terpar is short and 1t has to eat
perpetualiv and it, time for climbing Is therefore
limited. But pressed by numbers the orgyiG on
these silver poplars had to mount to get anything
to eat and the consequence was that they as
cended to heights unknown III 0rgVd history. lhelr
white cocoons are not only upon the trunk, PIT
ting IT like bad case of smallpox. but extend up
ward to 10 all the branches save those forming the
crest. This fortunate because many OF the
female moths when they emerge from the
chr, sails state will not be fertillzcd
and will lay abortive eggs. The Park
authorities have used their wire brooms upon
tne ems, but they will not wOrk upon the poplars
and these have been left untouched Something
ought to be done for the ravages If these caterpl
lars will spread along tie shade trees OF the streets
about Washington square, and as many OF these
are young trees. they will be fatally damaged.
They have already done great harm TO the young
lndens the Asbury Methodist Episcopal
Church. and to the young naples at the beginning
of Flfth-aye.