The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-10
DEATH TO THE BEETLES
POINTERS FROM WASHINGTON ON
HOW TO PROTECT SHADE TREES.
New Spraying Machines That Are Be
ing Worked successfully in Larger
Cities of the East.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Speclal to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, May Am army of
small enemies is getting ready to move on
American cities. 1t is more to be dreaded
than the foreign war ships and battaiions
against which We build Notifications and
navies. These domestic foes are already
on the field. They are the leaf beetles,
caterpillars and the like that every sum-
mer attack the shade trees. Nearly all
cities now have extensive parks and all
have thousands of trees along the residence
streets. For some reason these seem more
subject to the attack of insects than do
the trees of the woodland. AS a conse-
quence it has been the unfortunate expert
ence of nearly every city in the country
at one time or another to have it's trees
denuded of their foliage early in the season
and SO stand ragged and unsightly for
weeks. A good many trees die of the
injury.
Recent experiments nave proved that it
is not necessary to submit to the ravages
of the insect pest. The results obtained
furnish encouragement and guidance to
municipal authorities to protect their trees.
The Department of Agriculture has been
active in awakening interest in lighting
the insects and in inducing public officials
TO take prompt measures at the proper
time. DR.. l.. O.. Howard, entomologist of
the department, has made a thorough study
of the subject and the conclusions arrived
at have been placed before the public in a
number of articles written by him and is
sued by his division. One article appeared
in the Department Yearbook for 1895; an
other will be put in the book for 1896, now
in course of preparation. Others have been
issued in the form of pamphlets and leaflets.
These publications show that for the past
fifteen years there has been a steady ad-
vance in success in fighting insects harm
full to fruit and shade trees till the methods
of protection have been made very effective.
At the same time they are comparatively
inexpensive.
Last year DR.. Howard described fully the
more important of the lite pests that make
inroads on the trees. This year he will dis
cusS the use of machinery in spraying trees
for the destruction of the bugs and worms,
with especial reference to the kind of motor
best adapted to force the fluid insecticide
through the hose and VI into the branches.
After going over the whole ground he
recommends a machine operated by a gaSo-
line motor as probably the most salts
factory. Steam machines are described at
length and their advantages noted. A very
serious objection to the steam machine
is the noise 1t makes. In New Haven 1t
was found necessary to close the street
when a steam machine was at work to
PAOfOAlI AAA6AbSAAAAASP oESNAAS 1900 NSNN~
the rumbllng and pulling of the engine
caused annoyance and danger to the sick.
The noise has been got rid of In the com
pact little apparatus especially constructed
for the department of public works in New
York under the supervision of the city en-
tomOlogiSt, DR.. SOuthWlck. IhlS gentleman
had previously conducted extensive spray
ing operations by means of a hand pump.
BY a careful study of the subject he de-
Vised the apparatus recommended by DIR.
Howard. The essentials of Il spraying out
fit are much the same in all devices. There
must be a tank holding the fluid TO be used
as an insecticide and a pump with a nose
attachment. In DR.. ~SouthWickS machine
the pump and motor weigh only about 3O
pounds. The fuel is gasoline, and enough
for a davis work is carried in a gallon can.
In the operations last summer two sections
of one-fourth inch hose with three nozz!es
each were used, but four sections with
twelve MOBILES may be attached TO the ma
chine if desired. The pump is a three-pls-
ton machine, with sixty pounds pressure;
DIR. SouthWick thinks a larger pump would
be better, as that employed by him dld not
utilize more than half the power or the
motor; The tank used for the spTaylng
within wide limits is a matter OF convent
ence. o mi.
cost of operating the apparatus independ-
emf of the wages of the force of men ham
ding it is only a few cents a day.. Inc eA-
penSe for labor would increase, or course,
with the number of men employed. Three
men were enough for the apparatus as run
in New York. Two carried the lines or nose
While the JllrQ OTONG anu
stirred the fluid in the tank to keep IL or
a uniform strength. DR.. Howard estimates
the expense necessary to protect the trees
of a city the size of Brooklyn at $3,WO 10
1000 a year. This, he says, would insure
green trees the summer through. rms
amount, moreover, would probably not be
needed as an annual appropriations The
first cost of the spraying apparatus goes
into the initial expense, and after TWO or
three vea~s c~onsecutively Of thorough work
II is probable the numbers of insects would
he reduced so as to make the cost mucn
less. 9 49,
In case any city has an old steam hre
engine DR.. Howard suggests that II could
he readily made available to supply the
necessary force for throwing the lnsectl-
eide. An important consideration IS the
time at which the spraying is done. II not
attended to PROMPTLY at the right time
more or less damage will be done by the
insects. and more money must be spent IN
sDraying. During the latter part OF May
and the first of June in the case OF nearly
ali important leaf-eating insects one or
two thorough sprayings must be made. "A
second spraying begun immediately aIter
the first will be enough in most seasons.
In addition to the spraying a force OF
man should be employed for a time IN July
70 destroy the elm leaf beetle larvae as
thew are descending to the ground, ana TO
hrrn the web of the first generation OF the
fa1 web worm. Toward the winter the
fnld ought to be looked over again 10 de-
strov the eggs of the white-marhed ,tussock
NTH tha cocoons of the fall web worm
anIJ tbe baoS of the bag worm.