New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-10
INSECTS ~ CENTRAL PARK.
THE PERENNIAL WAR THAT Is WAGED
OF THEM-ENLISTING THE AID
OF PARASITES.

OF PARASITES
ln.. row, i the busiest time OF the year for mo
ea;omooE =. to the Department o: Public Parks AMI
he with his six assistants. Is hard at work de-
s,roving the eggs OF the tiny enemies 20 the shade
and ornamental trees in Central Park. II might be
supposed that spring and summer would see them
busiest, bu: /; ~ ar more important. besides being
much easier destroy the Of the insect pests
than 10 wage against the arvse Once Matched
the larvae soon comfortably ersconced within
the bark and beyond the reach OF kerosene, paris
green and the many poisons used by Professor
Sou,hwlck. or course there Is great deal TO be
done in the spring and summer for. in spite OF his
best efforts. not more than hall the eggs are de-
stroyAd and the larvae that hatch ont have to be
Killed In me spring, while in the summer the per-
feet insects developed from ths unGes,.oyed larvae
must be eSterninatsd
When Il !s remembered that every moth viii lay
from 80 70 iOlo0so eggs. tho importance o. their
destruction vii h. realized In fact ,he work done
IN the summer would BE Amos; useless unless II
We. preceded by a vigorous winter CAMPAIGN.
TIE mos, deadly enemy with which the ento-
mologtst has 70 'eal Is the .ini borer Or Zeuzera
Pyrina. which IS importation from Germany
over there has long been a pest. hui ii was I'M
known here until ahou; four years ago. The method
OF this destructive insect IA Shat peculiar. IL
not conten, with feeding the bark OF the tree
which Il attacks. but Invariably eats around the
limb upon which it happens 20 be until 1t has re-
moved the bark in a complete circle. The result IS
that branch decays and drops on 30 th1; dozen
elm borers supposing each engage upon a
direren, limb. completely ruin an entire tree.
In comparison with its size is appetite is tre-
nendous and Il breeds RAPIDLY. The professor has
recently discovered poison which Is peculiarly
fatal 10 f.. and he hopes materially 10 check tho
advance o. the voracious insect though its exter-
mination i. impossible
Mex, 10 the elm bOrer IN destructiyeness comes
the tussock moth. Orgyia Leucostigms. This
troublesome creature is also exceedingly prevalent
In Boston. II does not attack the bark but eats
the leaves, until tree infested with them looks
"a though il had been ridded with small shot.
There is not as much difficulty in destroying IL as
N tho case Of the elm borer but It's extraordinary
raproductversss more than makes up FOR this.
preparation known London purple has now
superseded paris green as an insecucide, on &C
count Of its greater solub.lI;y IN water. II is
sprayed on the leaves by means OF large syringe.
and In the case Of tall trees by hose which Is
Ift.d UP on the end OF a long bamboo pole. Pre-
viously 10 this. however, the professor and his as
sistants have been busy earlier in the year scrap
ing oN the cocoons by means OF wire brushes
mounted on the end OF long stick. Earring the
tree by heavy blows and then collecting the larvae
which are shaken OF IL another method employed
The elm beetle and bay worm are two more In
sects which work sad havoc among foliage. ana
require incessant attention 10 keep Gown their
ravas-s The insects mentioned are those which
cause the most trouble 10 the chronological de-
partment but they only fractional part OK
the number with which the department has to
deal Professor Southwck showed reporter
large cabinet which contained 800 different spect-
mems o. insects which feed trees and shrubs,
and which he has captured IN Central Park Those
known tree-boring Insects are the most TO be
dreaded, though their ravages not so apparent
TO the ordinary observer az those OF the insects
which feed the leaves. The professor. armed
with large pair OF field glasses tell al sng.s
glance the particular kind Of insect which is re-
III. 10, In tha I'M
mer ne goes about at night with small lantern
fastened his coat. and by means Of a net
captures insects which would not be obtained in
the daytime.
lay observer. hundreds OF branches each bored by
psr,cnSr insec. are s c,.ss anu IN which
different species are being Matched ont. In addi-
the many poisons used for the eNtermlnaton
~ the the aid OF parasites Is called In 20
help on the good work D.. ,,....,,
infected with the parasite the parasite Is i,amedi-
stey put INTO a glass case and colony OF para,
let go among the trees 10 infect other beetles
OF those beetles which have escaped Inc polsons.
unfortunately. no parasite has as yet been discov-
known as the wood leopard moth. This insect 10
protected bo,n before and behind by a bard shell.
the hole which has bored II simply draws in IT'S
has been done 1t presents noting but sort OF mail
to any hungry parasite. and is consequently per
successful means OF attacking this redoubtabe in
is 10 inject b.sulphatc Of carbon into Its bur-
row and then 10 close the orfce with putty or
soap. II is not TO he supposed that the elm borer
confines It's attention 10 elms. for has been found
IN almost every tree In the Park.
The attempt 70 inocuate insects with diseases
have not been entirely successful species OF nun
gus which attacks the chinch bug Is the only dis
which has so FAR been successfully transmitted
The method OF incubation Is 10 collect OF the
fungus and then 10 shut few bugs up In a box
containing the fungus. After :aey have been con-
nned day or So they are let loose 10 spread the
disease
The enormous number OF insects In this country
which have been imported from abroad and are
working havoc among the trees here suggests the
Idea Of establishing an chronological quarantine.
Young elm trees imported from Germany are Ne
struet,ve insects which slight precautions would
have an expert chronological. whose duty II would
be TO inspect the incoming trees and shrubs and
treat those infected by means OF spraying or other
wise
Should the efforts OF the Park entomoiogist and 20
his assistants be relaxed there Is little doubt that
the foliage Of Central Park would present a much
more ragged appearance In summer than It nov