Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-17

tectors of customs most of whom, how
ever, draw very small compensation
and few other good Federal ofncers
IN such large cities as Portland and
Bangor. But if the President intends
to lop off any of these as soon as they
have had eight years, the members OF
the Maine delegation are unaware OF IT.
AS fast as these appointments come up.
they will undoubtedly be considered on
their merits and on the endorsements
they receive. The President is not be-
lieved to have any decided objections
to mertorious and efficient men serv-
ing more than eight years and 1t is en-
tirely safe to say that many III Maine
will have Il years OF continuous serv-
/ ice under Uncle Sam"
| Dr. Edwin NJ. Fuller of Bath, a man
VINO has devoted much study to nature
as well as to medicine, writes a long
| letter to the Bath Times dwelling upon
the menace to our State of tire newly
arrived brown-tail or gypsy moth. He
says in part: THE great devastation
which This innocent looking moth has
loccasiOned i'll Massachusetts and other
! states, should put every citizen of
/ Maine upon his guard, that he may
+ lend his aid to the immediate destruc-
ton to this worst Of ali pests to our
agricultural interests. Their damage
, to our forests and agriculture will only
be estimated by many thousands of
dollars. | publicly predicted two years
| ago that these moths were destined to
| visit our State and believed at the time
| that they would first be found in York
| and Cumberland counties, as those
counties seemed to be the most logical
route by which they would travel from
MaSsa chusetts to our Own State. They
chose a different route and it now ap-
pears that they probably came here by
vessels sailing from Boston to Maine.
THEM eggs have been found in large
quantities upon the penobscot River
near Bangor and upon the Kennebec in
| the vicinity of Pittston and Farming
| dale. The millions Of eggs now winter
| ing upon trees and shrubs in these
vicinities will hatch out moths by the
millions in the coming summer AMI
unless something IS done to destroy
them by the summer of 1906 it seems to
me that their destruction to our agri-
cultural interests VIII be OF the greatest
magnitude. The eggs are laid upon the
bark of the trees. upon shrubs and can
easily be recognized by any careful
observer. The caterpillars when full
grown are about two and one-half
inches long and as readily recognized
The eggs can be easily seen if enc is at
all familiar with their size and shane.
1t has occurred to me that inasmuch as
this moth is the worst known pest
which could possibly visit our State.
some concurrent action should be taken
TO begin their early and Immediate ex-
termination. The great value of our
beautiful forests and our agricultural
interests, it seems to me, demands
action before the summer months ar
rive. II the body of CHANGERS through
out our State could take up this subject
and discuss it at their meetings and
obtain some legislation upon the sub
Ject, looking to the appointment of
special commission to investigate the
subject thoroughly and devise some
method whereby these moths could be
exterminated, it would save our State
many thousands of dollars