The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-29

upon the trees, Tor tne soluble aiseiiio
is neutralized by the lime. Another
sure exterminator prepared by the pro-
fessor is: Acetate of lead, eleven
ounces; arsenate of soda, four ounces,
in one hundred gallons of water; add
adhesives to the mixture as before;
thoroughly stir and apply.
The cheapness of these preventives
and eXterminators is remarkable A
hundred gallons of the first formula,
which will thoroughly spray four large
elm trees, cost about fifteen cents. Ar
senate of soda in the second mixture
may be obtained at about eight cents
pound, and acetate of lead at fourteen
cents a pound.
One of Professor Smiths contempt
raries has recommended an emulsion
of kerosene as a remedy. This he de-
clares ineffective because non-poison-
Gus, Then his eXterminators are much
cheaper, and also sure death for any
other leaf-eating insect whatever
There is" said he, mo difficulty TO
protect the shade trees of any city at
small cost after the first outfit is once
obtained. And truly our elm trees are
worth to us few dollars year TO
keep them in good condition"
The entomologist said further. con-
corning the elm beetle and its habits;
This insect is annually extending Its
range, and is becoming more and more
troublesome wherever it exists. In
many Of our New Jersey cities, towns
and villages elms are favorite shade
trees and they have many Characters
tics justifying the partially SHOWN
them. They have been, heretofore, on
the whole, free from insect injury; but
since the advent of the elm-leaf' beetle,
an undesirable immigrant from Euro
pean shores, their old-time beauty is
rapidly fading, and is in many places
entirely lost. In spring the trees make
a. brave start and become covered with
| a delicate green foliage, beautiful TO
| the eye and promising shade and shell
| ter throughout the summer. Hardly
are the leaves fully developed, howev-
| er, before round holes begin to show in
them and soon the foliage appears as
| if loads of small shot had been fired
through it in every direction-sure sign
| of presence of the beetle.
las the season advances these holes
| increase in number, and so on smaller
| trees become unsightly. If the leaves
| are now examined, little patches of yell
! low, bottle-shaped eggs, set in double
| rows, may be found everywhere on the
| under side. From them little larvae
hatch in due season, and these begin to
feed, gnawing away the superficial lay
er of cells only and avoiding the ribs or
veins. The gnawed spaces turn brown
/ he i,,o Cd haaf rnhpc
the injured foliage, and by midsummer
the leaves begin to drop Those re-
naming on the trees are brown, dry
and unsightly-a sorry fulfilment OF
their early promise The insects mean
while have completed their growth
and the larvae begin to descend tbs
trees in enormous numbers. They
change to adult beetles, ready to re-
sumo destructive work.
Now, the weather conditions control
somewhat the career Of these new bee
ties. They seek food and find nothing
but parched leaves, which are not tx
their taste Should dry weather pre-
vail they become discouraged at the
prospect and go into winter quarters
seeking shelter in attics, under caves Q!
houses, in barns, outhouses, undel
loose bark and even in cracks ant
crevices of wooden telegraph posts
there to remain in a dormant condition
until the following spring brings then
out to renew their life cycle. Often
y when the early fall rain sets in, TIL
trees recuperate little and send ou
new shoots of fresh, green leaves
which contrast strikingly with tn
dead. brown foliage which may remail
on the branches. Should the season b
wet, and the trees make new star
before the beetles have become devel
oped they will attack this fresh foliag
and will riddle 1t as in the earl,
spring"
Professor Smith referred to his sue
cessin protecting the elms in Montclail
N. j., West Point and other places. II
: was consulted in bug matters also b
the governor of the Soldiers Home 1
, washington, and the authorities 9
New Haven wrote to him in consulta
r ton and afterward published nearl
, the whole of his bulletin that has refer
! ence to the beetles. In this instanc
!. they did not follow his directions eS
+, plicitly, and Of course failed.
Professor Smith has little faith in tn
t use of tin collars and other simila
. means of protection, because the bee
ties can fly. They must be nipped
4 the bud, as it were. The entomologis
/ still confesses after years of exper
ment that he has been floored by onl