Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-03-09
SHALL NAPLES BE TAPPED?
\ Question of Interest Relating'to Cater
pillar Infested sugar Groves.

4 Question of Interest Relating'to Cater
pillar Infested sugar Groves.
Many maple-sugar bushes in New Ork
and neghb)riug states were defoiated
by the forest tent-lesS caterpillars during
the past summer; some of these sugar
bushes also suffered defoliation from the
same cause the preceding year. wish
here to propose the name of forest tent
less caterpillar for this insect instead OF
the old name of forest tent caterpillar
This latter name is mlsnomer, as the
insect practically makes no tent, and yet
the old name has been in common use for
so long that it will be difficult to super
sede it by any very different name. The
name propose retains the old name. and
yet specifies a marked, distinctive, char
acteristIc In the habits Of the insect as
compared with those of its very near
relative, the apple tent caterpillar En-
tomologists have realized for some time
that this insect should he renamed, and
it : ,ems to Us, after giving much thought
to the subject. that the name of forest
tent.less caterpillar is the simplest and
best way to solve the problem.
Many owners of sugar groves, which
have suffered from this insect, are hest
tsting about tapping these trees this
spring for fear that It may endanger their
life. 1t is apparent at once that this is a
very important question | have con-
suited with our professors of forestry
and botany here at Cornell university, as
well as the professors of horticulture in
Vermont and New Hampshire. None
were able to give me any facts based
upon actual experience. There can be
no doubt that the defoliation of the trees
reduces their vitality. for in several in
stances trees which have suffered defoli-
alton, even but two years in succession,
have been killed outright. Ii is said that
the maple tree will not stand such defoli
alton so long as some other trees, like
the apple, for instance, which | have
known to be defoliated by canker-worms
for four or more years, and yet show
considerable vjgor. 1t is thus quite evil
dent that the work Of the caterpillars
must weaker the maple tree, although
in many instances the trees put forth
| second crop of leaves which are often as
: extensive as the first crop.
/ 1t seems to be the general opinion that
/ the normal tapping Of maple tree for
the production OF sugar In the spring
does not notceably weaken the tree or
reduce its vitality. Botanists assert that
most plants have stored up surplus Of
food product, and they thc0rize that the
sap obtained by tapping in the spring is
only part of the surplus product. One
! Of hn
growth of maple trees which are tapped
regularly year after year, hence it is as
sumed that the process does not notice
ably affect the growth of the trees. The
authorities consulted agree that if the de-
folated trees put forth vigorous second
crop Of leaves, they would not ordinarily
hesitate to tap the trees the next spring
But all agree that they would not expect
to get quite as much sap from such trees
because the putting forth. of the SECOND
crop of leaves may have drawn upon the
, surplus food in the tree. They alst
, theorize that they would not be surprised
TO find that the sap obtained in the fol
lowing spring might differ somewha
from the normal sap, and possibly poo
grade of syrup might result. As mat
ter of fact some sugarmakers in Yer
mont and New Hampshire are said t
get what they call buggy syrup iron
trees which have been defoliated by tn
caterpillars the preceding year
Theoretically, then, the tapping of nor
NAL maple trees does not noticeably re
t duce their vitality or interfere with thel
I growth. But the fact that many mapl
trees have died after being ravaged tw
! or three seasons by the caterpillar
u shows that their vitality must be reduce
u by the work of the insects. Aud in cas-
d the trees do not put out a vigorous sec
ond LEAKAGE in the fall il would seem wis
J. not to tap them in the spring. tn
: drouth was so great in many sections dun
Il ing the past summer that doubtless man
Il of the trees which were defoliated by tn
y caterpillars were unable to deyelope
e full second crop of leaves. In brief, ther
q it would seem best not to tap the tree
u which put out scanty crop of leaves
a and one should at least hesitate befor
y tapping trees which did put out yer
e vigorous crop. And yet it is doubtful
y in either case the tapping of the tree
< would noticeably hasten the death of III
u trees. The amount of sap obtained frol
l. such trees next spring would probabl
y be less, and possibly of differer
= quality, from that obtained from norma
is trees which had not suffered from II
Ne caterpillars.-M. l.. Slingerland in Rur;
New Yorker.