The sun., 1901-06-23
BROWN-TAlL MOTHS A PEST;
B0STON SUBURBS SUFFERING FROM A
NEW INSECT INVASION.
TIE Moths Believed 20 Have Been Imported
From Holland About 1907 Their Rapid
Spread This Year Intense Irritation Caused
o. the Flesh By the Caterpiilars.

From Holland About 1907 Their Rapid
Spread This Year Intense Irritation Caused
o. the Flesh By the CATERPILLAR.
suburbs arc being bothered by nsv kind
Of moth. Tho brown-tll moth plague. as
II 10 called. causes tho classical and the devout
to talk OF murraln and other visitat!ons Of
ancient days while tho unlettersd 60 forth
with brooms and torches 70 slay the myriads
Of insects that cover suburban foliage. lawns
and piazzas. OF all the various species Of
moth, that Boston has heard Of In the last
few years this new calamity threatens to be
the worst. since II is pois onous
Some weeks ago the people OF Allston.
Cambridge and Medford especially. and OF
most Of the suburbs within thirty miles OF
the Hub began to DO alarmed over the thou
sands OF caterpillars that clustered on fruit
trees and verandas. Sweeping and scraping
with brooms made little impression upon the
caterpillar ranks. When husbands forsook
their garden patches after supper to spend
an hour pokins kerosene torches among the
pear trees their Interested wives looked on
and believed that this drastic treatment would
certainly kill the pests But tho torches had
apparently no more effect than the brooms,
The second the flames touched the Gator
pillars they dropped on into the grass and
were back on tho tree, together with scores
Of now ones by the next morning.
Their presence on the trees and grass was
reckoned nuisance enough. and when tho
caterpillars began to cluster on tho citizens
themselves tho excitement took fresh start.
Il was noticed that many children COM
planned Of itching. and when their necks and
arms wore examined 1t was found that In
hsmmation not unlike the appearance OF
rash or poison existed. Grown-up folk
also found themselves scratching away
with the youngsters. Whenever a cater
pillar happened to touch the flesh, innam-
nation swiftly followed
In many cases the poisoning assumed a
serious phase. A Cambridge physician was
90 affected that the irritation covered his
entire body almost and for nine days he
hardly slept moro than throe hours night.
He tried all sorts Of lotions and salves and
only succeeded In allaying the itching with
a weak solution OF commercial ammonia
and water. Out In the Allston district one
or two children have come near dying from
tho caterpillar poison. Similar reports como
from tho other suburbs.
The annoying features OF tho plague are
manifold. Tho stripping OF the trees Is
indeed a minor phase Of the trouble. The
caterpillars swarm over the walks and veran-
das, rendering It impossible for people to
stay there. II an open door or unsoreened
window Is disooverable. the caterpillars
wend their way into halls and parlors
Tho battle against tho pest has already
assumed important proportions. Out In
Cambridge. for example. tho Board OF Alder
men has met and secured an appropriation
for the purpose Of engaging people skilled
In moth destruction. Other suburbs are
ihs war that the Common wealth wased
VS% Soupio S o, milo millions and citi.enS are w wondsr.
= %S0a % eSs S e sUss
years ago that q Medford naturalist aoci-
dentAlly left come ooooons near an open
.SS I'M. Hn' n ": S:d SpSS tho sef
| for the purpose OF making soientno expert
| msnts with regard 70 silk culture, IL Is sup
posed that the moth escaping 70 the ne neeaTSy 10y
time threatened 70 devastats not only Massa-
| ohusstts, Connecticut and Now Hampshire.
but In fact. the whole country -. ,,.
lowing spring. and spread with suoh rapidity
i % Sn year: .:o@sS SstSri tsy sS 10 Be
soourgsd BY tho insect, The state was com
pelled 70 night tho pest with every resource
i. :S%mSnd MS.n Of mem sSa
thousands of dollars were systematically
and scientiGoally placed at the labor OF curb
Ing the pest, the sypsy m,th =, x .ors
! over. tree by tree. and rood by rood miles
| Of updsrbrush and rubbish were burned over
| bands Of tarred paper were oareiuily fastened
| about the trunks OF magnificent forest trees,
and at enormous labor and cost Finally.