The times., 1897-06-30

done by the public authorities against
sbade-tree iusects. New York is the only
city :. the country where man OF en-
tomologicaI knowledge Is employed TO
direct operations against sbade-tree insects,
either la the streets or public parks.
81 do mob wish TO he understood as
advocating the appointment or paid
entomologist by every city goyernsnent,
although where the parks are large in
cities situated wit hin the region OF
greatest shade-tree activity, such course
is always desirable. With an intelligent
ard industrious superintendent OF parks.
or a CITY forester, and wise expenditure
of comparatively small amount OF money
each year. tie shade trees in any city
could be kept green throughout the sum
mer. The amount OF money to be
expended i'll this direction would naturally
vary with the number OF trees TO oe
treated, as well as the variety and size
of the trees, and the geographical ioca-
tion OF the city. Even In Brooklyn, and
this seems TO be the most unfortunate
of our eastern cities In this respect, 1t is
within bounds to estimate that an ex'
penditurc of $4,000 or $4,000 annually
would result in green shade trees the
summer through. The first cost OF a
proper spraying apparatus Will have 10
be added, but the apparatus once pur-
chased tas is the case in Washington,
although it has never been used and
thorough work performed Tor Two or
three years, crisecutively, the proba-
bilites are strong that the number or
shade-tree insects would be reduced To
such an extent that considerably smaller
annual expenditure would be sufficient.
"A steam spraying apparatus will do the
work with much greater rapidity than
hand pump, and yet, with a strong double
acting force pump, which can be operated
10y single man, and tank of 100 gal
Ions capacity, mounted upon strong cart,
many large trees can be well sprayed in
the course OF a day. From such a pump
two lines OF hose may be run with adyan-
tage. The working force should be a horse
to draw the cart, a man to drive and to do
the pumping, and one man to each line OF
hose. A steam or naphtha apparatus, how
ever, OF such capacity that pressure OF
seventy-fiye pounds per square inch may
be gained will enable the operation Of four
or five lines OF osesimultaneously
"In one OF two instances a steam fire
engine has been used for this purpose, the
object being to knock the insects off the
trees by means OF a strong stream OF water.
By such means the superintendent Of the
Military Academy at West Point kept his
elins green several years ago.
"Jf the works. not done promptly and just
at the right time, more or less damage will
result and a greater expenditure be neces-
sary
'.Where city governments will not In
terest themselves in the matter, it is
unreasonable to expect that q private
individual will invest in a Spraying ma
chine and spray the large trees in front
of his grounds Therefore, in spraying
operations where large trees exist in
numbers there must be combination of
resources. This affords an opportunity
for the newly-inyented business OF spray
ing at SO much per tree. The defect Of
the plan as a general practice lies in the
fact that not ali property owners or resi-
dents can afford to EMPLOY a tree-sprayer,
while others are unwilling, since they deem
IL the business OF the city authorities, OF
do not appreciate the value of tree shade.
"An effort, therefore, looking toward
the arousing of popular sentiment, or the
handing together of good citizens In the
interests of good shade, is desirable. What
a man Will do for the shade and orna-
mental trees in his own garden he should
be willing to do for the shade trees ten
feet in front OF his fence"
Entomologist Howard has been using an
experimental naphtha spraying machine
with good results on the elms at the A gri-
cultural grounds.