Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-24
INSECT PESTS.
Conditions Unusually Favorable for Them
This Year.

1t iS.evident to the most casual OBJ
server, that the present summer is to
be unusually prolific in insect pests.
The caterpillar in particular has not
been so abundant in many years
The foliage of many orchards has
beeninjured to such an extent as great
ly to impair the fruitage unless the
thousands of caterpillars-at times
from 20 or more nests on a single tree
have been destroyed while they were
yet young. This serious destruction
could have been easily prevented by
cutting off the egg clusters from the
were leafless. or twisting out the web
nests from the forks of the branches in
the morning or evening when the cat
eIpillars occupy them. and crushing
them underfoot.
The white marked tussock moth"
says Prof. J. A. Inter. the New York
etOmologist, lis notorious pest of sew
eral of our shade trees in cities, espe-
cially where it occurs in two brooas
each year. If the remedy is adopted of
collecting its snow white egg clusters
from the trunks of trees and fences.
beneath window stills and wherever the
cocoons are placed, While they arr
readily seen and before they become
discolored with age. the continued de-
folation of our shade trees may BE-
largely prevented.
THE spring canker worm is multi
plying. Ii is not a difficult insect to
control through spraying the foliage Of
infested trees with paris green and
water as soon as the young caterpillars
make their appearance. Later the
poison is less effective, and much
stronger mixture is required to kill the
neaFly mature larvae.
fhe elm leaf beetle is continuing its
spreal with rather slow but steady
progress over the region where climatic
conditions favor its existence. For the
past two or three years it has been
particularly destructive, having already
killed a large number Of introduced
elns. Through spraying with paris
eresn in water for killing the larvae
when they first appear, and later the
application of Kerosene or hot water
s,,en the lavae descend the trees for
prpation, are the best means Of pro-
tection from the ravages of this pest.
..The asparagus beetle. which has Tor
number OF years past been confined 10
portions of territory near the seacoast'
IL nnw extending inwardly and has re-
Gently invaded the more southern New
england, states. Its multiplication should
not be permitted, for it is not difhcuit TO
destror it by the use of air-slacked lime
,l,,sfed on the young plants and not az
,oyyiner the insect to develop upon the
mature plant
several localities have suffered severe
w during the past three or four! years
fr,m the ravages of grasshoppers. very
.orio,,s losses have been suffered by
Grass and other crops from the remark
abIe abundance of these creatures. ~ Is
boped that they will not appear 50 ue-
structiyely in the present year. put
shn,,la they do so, they should DC me-
,-itb the best known remedies against
+,ese injurious pests, as destroying the
80, masses by plowing, spraying the
,.,,,nr larvae with kerosene einuision'
collecting them with the ara OF hoppsi
,,osers. or poisoning them with the pisN
nash used for the purpose.
..rrhe cherry tree aphis has peen u'l-
,-,,,1yv abundant this spring. The curt
~, ~ the leaves shows its presence anu
animation that its excessive mutt
= ,,s.i,,, should at once be checked py
l'l.s, 50 as to reach the insects on
snr side Of the leaves, a spray ol
.iie emulsion or strong tobacco
water. hor,, ,orso has
.s+rad,,ced from Europe probably
,,itl,fn the last is years, winch rom -
- Ia multiplication and spread tii'"'
- hacome quite injurious TO seNei',
- .ha 4necies of elms, both ha'iVe ana
.,,4roduoed. It is known as 'osss %. -
.n ,a,. ana may be recognized from us
uiiii IN clusters on the lower SIDE
oe % w. limbs and by its dark body anout
" .o,tt of an inch long "feh i''t.''
ohe-'en' nth being surrounded with
ING ~ ,;+ish excreted waXy nalef."i
ring of whitisn margin and also
"hicn inward to a greater or less de-
extends up"'i,s toints of the body Its
gree between 80. ha affected by the