The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-21
INVADED BY CAPERPILLARS
Baltimore Visited by HOrdes Of
Destructive Worms.

Handsome Trees Rapidly stripped OF
Their FOIiaEc-HOmes Entered by
the Pests-LIttIe Hope of Relief
Before Cool, Dry weather Comes.
BALTIMORE. Aug. 21-Baltimore is
suffering from plague Of CaterpllIars-
Nearly every section of the city is iufest-
ed with hordes OF them, 3nd many trees
bear witness TO their ravages- What were
| until recently beautiful shade trees. ad-
mired for their shape and foliage, have
been entirely despUued Of their leaves
/ and become skeletons Of their former
| selves.
So numerous are the caterpillars in some
| sections that they have entirely stripped
| a large tree in a few hours. This is es-
/ peCially noticeable on IVES Mulberry
! Street near Striker. where a number Of
1 beautiful shade trees were entirely de
/ nudcd, some Of them in one day. So bare
! Of foliage are the trees now that they
| look as If some one had burned or strip
\ ped the leaves of
| Not only do the caterpilIars destroy the
| foliage Of the trees, but They are also a
| nuisance 70 the residents near the de-
| spoiled trees. The insects crawl on the
| pavemeHts. dOOrsteps, walls, and window
! frames, enter the houses and seem to
| strive in every way to make their pres
| ence as manifest and as Objectionable as
| possible. They also have the bad habit
| Of dropping on the clothing Of persons
| walking under the trees which they are
! despoiIing. After stripping one tree in a
! row the pests move To the next. and 50
| on. In increasing numbers. until all are
! without foliage.
The prevalence Of rainy weather this
summer is said 70 be responsible for the
abundance Of caterpillars M this time. and
! At is also said that the caterpiIlars will in
! crease in numbers from now until the end
/ OF the warm season, and that they will
! multiply in all sections Of the city. Eter-
/ nal vigilance and work will afford no
! guarantee Of immunity. The caterpilIars
| are so numerous that no amount of care
/ seems 10 be sufficient TO stop their raw
| ages They are said 10 become worse af-
| ter every wet spell and relief is looked for
| only when cool dry winds prevail
! n r FlittOn, Superintendent of Clifton
| Park, was asked to suggest some means
/ Of getting rid Of this plague Of caterpiI-
! lars. Nothing can be done now" he
said, except 20 spray the trees. a solu-
ton Of any arsenious compound viii be
found ehectivc-paris green, for instance
But. OF course care must be taken in the
use Of that compound
Tree protectors-the bands OF cotton
and waterproof paper that YOU see
around some Of the trees-are good
/ enough for some things, If they are nut
/ on early In the season They prevent
! some Of the small insects from crawling
up the tree, but they do not amount 10
much, so far as caterpiIlars are concern
/ ed
.aTrpy-s-tf,-a y,,--..,,-. -,..--,.4 - .r--
| early in the season II the trees are 10 be
Kept free from vistatiOns such as many
/ OF the city trees are enduring now. Cater
| pillars aren't the only enemies of tres
/ Red spiders attack them, too, and other
insects, also Then, besides. they are
I subject to numerous diseases Of fungoid
origin.
Absolute cleanliness is one of the best
| preventiyes. Early in the spring the
| tree trunks should be washed-scrubbed
| with brush if pOssibIe-with a solution
Of I've, or with whale oil soap. OF even
| with soft soap-with anything that will
I not IuJure the tree and yet VIII destroy
the eggs Of various kinds Of Insects de-
posted in the bark. coat of white
I wash on a tree trunk is inartistic but il
{ usually ~ effective i'm destroying the eggs
{ Of the insect pests.
''One Of the varieties Of caterpillars that
attack trees and shrubs is the Jeut-Cdter-
pillar. The species Is greEariOus and
I whole colonies gather together in the
! webs which give the little beast-a slen-
/ der greenish-yellow- name. As soon as
I these tents, OF webs. are noticed. the
best way 10 eNteTmiuate the colony Is to
break of the branch Of the shrub affected
I II n IS out OF reach. another good way
10 get rid OF the pests is by burning with
/ torch
White hellebore powder blown on with
/ small bellows when the leaves are damp
| Will usually Dee found effective on shrubs
/ and bushes that are attacked by cater
| pillars
Are the birds Of any assistance in get
1 ting rid Of caterpilars2' Mr.. tIitt0u was
/ asked.
The rain crow" ne replied. has an
appetite for the tent-CateTVuIaT But the
| rain crow is shy little fellow. who is
! very fond of staying out in the deep
| woods. Sparrows are not likely % care
I for diet Of catcrpIlIars. unless they are
driven 10 il by hunger-and that is not
l likely to happen In city streets. where
I there f. almost always something for
I them TO eat But the sparrow Is not as
/ black a. NJ has been painted he does
1 some good. He destroys some Of the
I smaller insects that attack the trees.
I But" AIr. FNttOn went on. there's no
lar warfare from the sparrOws. The only
effective method Of lighting the fuzzy lit
tie beasts who strip of most Of the leaves
anc sheletonize those that are left is by
/ spraying the trees
| Clifton Park. Superintendent Flitt0n
said, had not suffered so far from vista
! ton Of CdteTpillars-
/ Captain CasseII Superintendent Of Druid
/ Hill Park, said that Druid Hill had sur
I fered only slightly 80 far from tn pests
/ He was prepared. he said to take dTa site
] measures 10 prevent their taking further
| possession Of the trees in the park
Superintendent SeybOId. OF Patterson
! Park. said that he had never seen so
| many CaterDillaTs before. The warm
| weather and excessive humidity he
/ thought. had had a share IN increasing the
/ crop. Mr. SeybOld had the heavy hose
. turned number or trees Patterson
! Park and in the Broadway squares yester-
| day.
AN IRON COMPANY DEAL.