The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-07-06

and burned between August 1 and April I,
and some of the sharp-eyed boys accumu-
lated quite little sums, while The shade
trees, shrubbery and orch rds were nearly
free from them the next year. We forget
whether the expense was paid by munich
pal appropriation or by private subscrip-
ton, but either the city or citizens could
we'll afford to deffay the expense. rather
than TO suffer such loss as occurred IN
some OF the villages in Eastern New York
Where not too abundant, colonies OF
the1can be destroyed upon small trees,
soon after they hatch out, by swabbing
them with bunch OF old rags or cotton
waste, and all the more surely if the swab
is saturated with kerosene. This IS best
done in a cloudy or rainy day, as they are
then clustered together, while in bright
day they scatter over the tree.
They are also destroyed easily when
feeding, by spraying the foliage with either
Paris green or arsepate of lead. The lat
ter is preferred by the Massachusetts
Gypsey Moth Commission, as being not
liable to iniure the foliage, but safe on all
trees. Professor Fernald's directions for
preparing this are to add II ounces acetate
of lead, tour quarts of water in a wooden
pail mot metal) and four ounces arsenate
Of soda, 50 per cent strong, to two quarts
OF water in another wooden pail. Let
these thoroughly dissolve, which will be
done more quickly if the acetate of lead is
put into hot water, and when entirely dis
solved put both into $50 gallons OF water,
when the arsenate of lead will be in the
form Of white powder held in solution in
the water If from two to four quarts OF
glucose is added to the $50 gallons of
water, the spray is supposed to adhere or
the leaves better, where Paris green to
the new substitute for il is used. Green
arsenite. it is usual to put four or hve
ounces Of it with pint or quart OF fresh
lime water into 50 gallons OF water The
green arsenite, is claimed to be finer than
Paris green. and remains longer in suspen-
sion in the water.
But In forests and upon very tall trees
it may not be easy tc spray effectually, from
inability to get among them, or lack OF
machine of sufficient force to throw the
spray to the top of the trees. In such
cases there are two ways of destroying the
caterplars. AS we have said, they come
the tree to moult three or usually four
times during their growth, collecting In
masses of hundreds within reach OF the
ground. They can be crushed there, or
with stiff broom brushed off into a pail
containing kerosene and water
Some have succeeded in nearly exter-
minating them by spreading sheets or
canvas under the trees, and than with a
padded mallet jarring them down, begin
ming at the top Of the tree and following
down each branch until all are shaken Off
II any remain suspended by their thread
or web, pole swung above them quickly
cuts that off. Then collect and burn all
found.
Others jar off to the ground, and band
the tree with strip of stiff paper, covered
with tar or raupenleim (caterpila lme),
which last is better, as it remains sticky
longer, and will keep them from going up
if the band is properly put on so that they
may not crawl under it, and renewed as,
soon as it gets bridged, over so that the
living can crawl over the dead bodies.
These bands are most useful in protecting
an orchard when there are infested trees
near it which they may leave.
1t may be necessary in these methods
to repeat the jarring process at two or
three different times, as more than one lot
may appeal, perhaps days apart They
are most easily Jared off in a bright day
when they are feeding Something may
also be done by collecting and destroying
the white, loosely woven cocoons from
the trunks of trees. walls and buildings
near by.-AmeyicdN CHAiTator.