New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
way Her death caused her father the deepest
grief, and his friends have noted that his spirits
have never revived.
WAR on TIE CATERPILLARS.
THE PESTS LESS PLENTIFUL THIS YEAR THAN


Within the last few days there have been COM
paints from people living near Bryant PARK ABOUT
the ravages being made upon Its trees by tne Ia
miliar hairy caterpillar. The Tribune received
letter the subject a few days ago. In when the
writer said that the foliage had already been badiy
eaten, and that the insects apparently on Inc
increase
Edmund b. Sou,hwick entomologist OF the city
parks talked with a Tribune reporter Thursday
about his warfare against these annually recurring
pests.
II have heard the complaints regarding Bryant
Park" ne said "and | expect TO BEGIN work there
to-day. know OF the presence Of the caterpi.iars.
Of but Ii ii impossible. with the assistance
have to get around often enough TO each oil the
several parks throughout the city. My force con-
sists OF only four men, ana while we are attending
to the trees in neghborhood. those in all the
others are at the mercy of the caterpiars. We
have just finished the spraying in Madison Square
and part of Union Square In fact. have
been spending much time lately in the down.
town districts that ! am afraid Contra PARK
Is suffering from lack of attention. Fortunately.
the trees there were well looked after last win
ter. which is really the proper time TO do the work
Then the eggs laid in the fall may be collected and
burned and all the usual trouble which occurs when
the leaves come out in the spring may be avoided
But the most practical method when the insects
have got considerably the start OF us IL the one
am using now everywhere We have long poles
with rubber on the ends. The branches are Jared
gently with these and the caterpillars which are
on the smaller twies and the leaves drop off very
easily. Ii does not take long TO shake an entire tree
completely free OF its destroyers No attempt IL
made to kill them, as they lie on the grass. We
walt until they begin TO crawl up the trunk again
which they do In few minutes. 1t is curious
thing TO them all start patiently back the in
slant they touch the ground, and make for the tree
one after another, like flock OF sheep. AS soon a6
they well up. almost far the lower limbs,
This IS composed Of carbolc acid kerosene and soft
soap mixed with large quantity OF water. There
Is knack In boiling the mixture to just the proper
point, that il may form emulsion with the water.
instead Of having the oil rise to the top We have
Improvement the old hand pump now in pos
sessing Daimler gasoline motor 10 furnish the
force for the spraying.~
-Four lines Of hose may be attached to IT, so that
with a man 10 direct each, the entire tree may be
finished i'm short time The caterpillars In
stantly killed when touched by the poison. Then
We use long-handled steel brushes TO sweep them
down from the trunk and also 10 clean out all the
eggs that may have been deposited in the crevices
OF the bark. There are two or three brOods OF the
Insects in a season. and they multiply with amazing
rapidly. We destroy them in the cocoons whenever
possible for as soon as they emerge from these
moths the eggs for the new brood laid.
THE caterpillar Is the one which has been
visiting us every season for several years scentlh
cailv known as the orgyia leucostigma. tussock
moth. II was originally native of the Southern
States, but has been gradually working It's way
i'll the city this year than have been known for
several seasons and II We only had a larger force
with which TO fight them there il reason why
they should not be completely destroyed"