The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-12-01
VI, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD
Habits of the Fall Canker Worm,

rhe habits of the worm that DESTROYED
rop of apples this year. The worms
nto the ground after they get their
eth, and after going through the
sails state crawl up the tree and
mother crop of eggs late in the fall
s. what seems the most wonderful is the
n weather the moth can stand. Only
4 week we found some odd looking,
less moths crawling on the south
i u the trees, and got some specimens
sent them to Professor Harvey, Ento-
4 ogiSt at the State Experiment Station
n and received an answer saying that
3 were tie females He sent a male
4 prono that has wings. We had no.
e The winged millers in our orchard
\ ,me time. Then we cot some good
4 mems of the male and female and
sent both TO Orono Our inStruc-
a a>t spring from Orono We're to
= harrow and work the ground under
Y rteS as many would be crushed in SO
then bandage the trees and keep
\ adages tarred. We found, however
"a lne tar GOT So stiff in the cold nights
hey would crawl over ii. But pillow
ui working the ground has done good
.e There was one large baldwin tree
Id not get under, and on that tree,
{. ne of my boys, we counted 1872 fe-
hat were killed last Sunday My
\ 1Drs must excuse the Sunday work,
shall 60 over the trees every day
The ground freezes. The highest
d er We found on any tree that was
#o under was 10, but about every
4 i the $50 that was infested with
sg~ asst spring had some. and no doubt.
viii be enough to destroy the crop
4 - year. for it is said the females Law
i'D to 200 eggs each. The eggs are
NC the branches of the trees. and
y ines on buildings and fences nearby
hard. Hence our bandages. well
in the spring when the weather is
er may help us some. At any rate
e1n to make a good fight, for our
- is young We; and worth an effort.
worm is called the fall canker
and from what | hear they are in
orchards III Verona and in many
orchards along the river in Bucks
ili only two orchards in Prospect
a Ward 5 and my own-was the crop
3 we'd. Both orchards are among the
"A in town. They are nearly three
part and six miles from Verona.
-trest orchards that were infested
year, and on the other side OF the
hat. SO, how did they get here
St think of it, farmers. when YOU
20 out III the orchard with five
# snow on the ground. With nit
Q kill insects. The female moths
Tt the color of the bark on the tree.
some of the largest are half an inch
md a few feet from the tree Won
say there was nothing there But
and see. The males III the warm
y from tree TO tree and are lively.
II next day after the recent snow went
eNnding still in the orchard you could
several at a time. How much cold
aSects can stand is something |
know, but probably zero weather
not stop their propagating courage.
.dhly the location. protection and
ave something to do with the raw
these canker worms. The TWO
.~ mentioned in Prospect are near
ected with a stone wall. and the
pretty thickly set. The soil be
~ mellow as in the woods. and under
.,es is a paradise for all kinds OF
that bulrow in the ground. The
Saving leaves every year tighten the
We had trees only three rods from
4Ain orchard that were not touched ::
"A i4> some thirty young trees along the
vail. none over fifteen rods away.
G0t injured. The two orchards each
! mine not fifty rods away, were all
Where there is a small number of
where the wind can have a chance
the leaves in part from under the
nd the ground is grassed over, or
aahard is cultivated, OF let in the
there will be no danger from the
,rs of these worms, in my opinion
Were is Mr. Mckeene, Secretary of the
II Agriculture He is wanted here
up worms. 1t is our turn now.
4lay we renewed the tar on the band =
and when it is fresh we can catch
worms. Sunday night the ground
Int five got stuck to the tar on the
.dwin. so it is best to use tar often.
way | managed was to buy burlap
the strips two inches wide clear
rough bark and tack on the strip.
thirty cents per gallon Warm it
Sc brush, and to be of any use it
oe put on often enough to be sticky
rdy had better look on both sides
r trees, and look sharp, for the
are Just the color of the bark
they are. If the bark is light they
lark they seem to change to dark
aenish. Perhaps something could be
with the tar to make it stick i'll
9hts. How long these worms are
to be with us | cannot tell, but