The evening times., 1896-03-27
BUG KILLERS IN DEMAND
Better Service Is Needed in the
Capital City.
MONEY ALONE CAN GET IT
Three Great Pests Are Now Ready to
Make Their Appearance With the
Bright Sunshine of Spring-Arsen-
icul Polsons Can Knock Them Out.
Much Spraying Needed.

With the coming of the ambient spring
| and Easter bonnets, also appears the willy
| persistent and destructive tree bug. A
nineteenth century rhymster in brief verse
| Oncc paid It certain house bug, most in eyi-
| 1ence by night. the compliment of accom-
| plishing a great deal without wings.
! Some of the bugs who make the foliage
! Of q tree appear to have been run through
| 4 perforating machine, have wings, and
| some are without the machinery OF aerial
| flight, but they all get there just the same-
The three most destructive members of
| this class are the white marked Tussock
MOTH the web worm and the imported
! elm-leaf beetle. The firstnamedh has lready
made il appearance in the many parks here.
The trunks and branches of the trees are
dotted with white cottoney masses, con
tanning several hundred eggs each, which
VIII hatch out rivIEing life, so soon rs
warm weather sets in- From the larva
comes a white caterpillar, about an inch
long, which is a familiariy disagreeable
sight.
These worms are tuf,ed at either end
with brushes OF fuzz. and dange by siiken
threads from the trees. falling TO the
payemenis and on passersby- The first
but the increase after that, in April and
May is very large. The moth feeds only
IN deciduous trees, and does them great
lamage unless rapid measures are taken
lt once for its destruction. These should
commence Immediately on its initial ap-
pearance.
THE WEB WORM.
The web worm or caterpillar builds
gates in great numbers and one of the
methods of Kidding the trees of this pest
IS 20 collect the webs and burn them. IL
any of the progeny are left they multiply
rapidly.
Web worms effect ruin In the foliage in
an incredibly short time.
But of all these the worst enemy to the
trees is the elni-leaf beetle, which is q
weli-known depredator in the Old World,
particularly in South Germany. Austria,
and France. 1t was imported 20 this
country in 1887, and its earliest attacks
were particularly severe in Washington
and Baltimore. 1t is pest that has al
ways flourished the most in this vicinity.
The insect appears on the trees in three
different stages. and the fourth stage is
passed on or under the surface OF the
gTOunu the utSe Ol tut tIee ne Deetie
is little over a quarter of an inch long.
makes its appearance in spring, about the
middle of April, beginning to come out
before the trees have put out their leaves.
and continuing through until October, when
they enter winter quarters.
For the purpose of hibernation the beetles
frequently enter houses and barns or out
buildings, sometimes assemblying in such
numbers that 1t is possible to collect them
by the quart. They also enter cracks in
posts, telegraph poles, fences, etc, or
wherever they can secure partial protection
from winter storms. All these insect the
Tussock moth, the web worm and the elm
beetles, are easily subject to treatment.
The best means against the adults and
larvae consist in the use of arscnical poison
in the form of sprays on the foliage. The
adults for week or two after emerging
feed on the ne WY expanded foliage, and
spra ying with Paris green or other
arsenicals will destroy the great maj ority
of them. Especial pains should be taken
TO accomplish the destruction of the insect
IN this stage in order to prevent the par
tial Disagreement which will result if the
matter be delayed until the larvae begin
to appear.
II rams Interfere WIN Spfa aylnR 1Of tue
idults or IL 1t be neglected, the trees
should be spra yed with arsenicals promptly
on the first appearance of the larvae, and
the application perhaps renewed n week
or ten days later. This is the opinion of an
expert on the subject, Mr.. C. L. Marlatt,
first assistant entomologist of the Agri-
culture -bepa rtment.
AN EXPERTS VIEWS.
"After ALL said MIR. Marlatt to Il repre-
sentative of The Times, parts green is the
best destroyer, and it may be safely used on
the trees at the rate of one pound to 100
or $50 gallons of water. In spraying !
for the larvae it is very essential to thor |
oughiy wet the lower sides OF the leaves, on |
which they principally feed. In the case |
OF the adult this is not so necessary, because |
it eats the entire substance and will get |
the poison from either side"
Mr.. Marlatt said that these means had |
been adopted by the park commission. but |
they were hampered In their work by lack |
of funds. "Three thousand dollars more a
year would accomplish wonders. And It |
is small sum when you consider that one |
OF tue chief beauties OF this city is its parks |
and avenues of trees"
Mr.. Mariatt stated that the first effort |
4 hn,,Id no IN desfrov the insects ot fhot,