The morning times., 1896-06-07
WATCHED DAY AND NIGHT
Prof. Collins Keeps Vigil Over
Eggs of TusSOck Moth.
TELLS 1T OVER THE LAND
AS Soon AS the First Signs of Life
Appear-FacilitateS Destruction
OF the NASTY Caterpillars."
Copyright. 1861

In his laboratory in the city of BROOKLYN
learned entomOiogIst is watching a little
fluffy wool-like bunch, literally bespa
with white and gray substances, which
when the sunlight streams on them sparkle
and scintilate like gems
lie not only watches by day. but when the
shadows deepen lights his studio lamp and
places the substances on Il microscopical
slide and subjects them to the closest scru-
tiny. He Towers over them with a solicit
tude OF mother over the cradle of her first
Dorn Yet here the sinlile ceases, for this
saVant sacrifices his days aud nights,
not To save, but that he may be tie iu-
strunent to Work destruction OF the embryo
hfe His vigil, perhaps more resembieg the
solcltudc OF the death watch or a con-
uelnneu murderer whose guards fear he will
cheat the gallowS. Yet although he is wait
Ing TO compass the death OF the nfe he ushers
INTO the world with SO much care, he vii
slSnallZe It's appearance with apparent 10y,
and news OF tue birth will bc flashed from
Gotham To the Golden Gate As when an
uelf 10 throne Is born III some European
country, the telegraph will carry tie au-
nouncenent far and wide Yet SHAT natal
message will be Il death warrant.
The entomologist is Prot Lewis Col
lins, and he holds the responsible office
or Brooklyn. The flurfy-looking stuff is
the cocoon, and the white and gray crys-
.o.4., the cgsS the CusS0Ck moth,
dreaded throughout the United States as
the worm that feeds upon and destroys
the foliage OF trees. These insects are
known to scientific men as the orgyia leu
costiguia, but are more frequently alluded
to by women as those horrid little yellow
caterpillars'
Prof. Collius keeps his cocoons under a
glass case i'll a window, where the sun
can warm and develop them. AT the first
indication OF life the members of the So
cety in Brooklyn and other cities, besides
many persons interested in other parts
OF the country will be teleeraphed to.
For these moths recklessly expose them
selves to destruction by being born all
over the country almost on the same day;
and during the first day or two they can
be easily killed. They gather strength
rapidly, however, and soon defy all at
tempts to externiuate them. 1t takes
trained entomologist To detect the first
signs of life. On receiving this notice,
therefore, the members of the society, or
at least those who desire TO preserve the
foliage of their trees. will arm themselves
with spraying apparatus and forthwith
waGJ var upon tie tribe of the tuSsoCk
moth.
The most effectuaI and radical method
for destroying these pests is carefully TO
pick off the cocoons, wherever found, and
burn them. This. however, involves so
much labor that Commoner method is
to spray the trees as soon as the eggs
show signs of life. The time from the
first signs which appear on the cocoon un-
til the last fertili Zed egg has developed
does not exceed seVenty-t two hours. 50
the Importance of Mr. Collins little in
cuhator can be appreciated. But before
the last egg of the spring brood has de-
veloped into the nasty worm" the Sc
Cret will be out and the Caterpillars can
be eXterminated. Prof. Collins says that
the tussock moth is doubIe-brooded One
swarm appearing in June and another in
August. but at no time does a longer
period than seventy-twO hours elapsc be-
tween the appearance OF tie first and the
last of the brood. The larva is simply a
little caterpillar about an inch long and
covered with yellow hair.
Said Prof Collins: when moths are first
Matched they are not visible to the Ma ked
eye, nor Will they be noticed for several
days. Then the first Indication OF their
presence Will be a slight eating away of
the young foliage OF the trees. 1t worse
than useless to take such precauti ions as
placing cotton around the trunks of the
trees, for in many instances the cocoon is
already in the tree when the cotton is
~ ~ " ~ ~ 'pp'i lSiitdS
for the tuSsock moth is to spray the entire
foliage OF the tree as soon as the first egg is
Matched. Thus will be seen the practical
value of my moth incubator nd the rea-
son for my close watch over it. and of the
haste we use in notifying the members
of our sciocty and the public in general of
the first appearance of these little foliage
deStrOyers.
The public throughout the country are
now beginning TO take a create interest
in the protection of the city trees, both
In the parks and along the streets. We
have correspondence from all parts asking
for information and advice as TO the best
method of Kidding trees of moths and de-
structive insects. The tussock moth is in
no way related TO the gypsy moth.
The solution used for spraying con-