The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-05-03

pillars, all vending tnelf way toward
the house. The ditch was between the
house and swamp, and as the caterpil-
lars came to the ditch they would fall
in and stay there. All fruit trees at
this place were ruined. as We're the
vegetables.
Had to Quit Home.
Nancy Hazard lives in the next
house. and her family was compelled
to move out and ditch the place.
Robert Smith related the same eX-
perience as the others, and stated that
he would have had to move, but he
knocked off from his work and stayed
at home to fight the caterpillars away.
Carrie Shaver's place was just like
the others visited, and showed the de-
struction of the caterpillars.
Going over to the Ogeechee canal
the caterpillars were found just as
thick, if not thicker, than at the Anti
och church. Every bush or tree that
had a green leaf on it was being eat
en- up.
The PaImettos Escape.
Going along the Pine Barren road
toward the Louisville road everything
in the way of trees is thickly coated
with caterpillars. Scrub palmetto
seems to be the only thing they do not
care to tackle.
On the Louisville road everything
shows the work of the dreaded insect.
Parties riding bicycles report the road
as being covered with them. A num-
Der of the prettiest flower gardens in
Pooler have almost been ruined, and
only persistent work has kept the
pests down.
1t was reported last week that the
engine on the tram road of Bourne
Bros saw mill had been stalled by
the caterpilIars, and that the stencil
caused by the dead ones had almost
caused the men to cease work.
MIR. DOtsOn's Fight.
On the farm of Mr.. Richard Dotson
the destruction is plain to be seen. |
Mr.. DOtsOn's home was attacked, and
only bv the hard work of the whole
family in destroying the pests were
the people allowed to remain at home. |
On the turpentine farm of Judge +. |
S. LathrOp work has almost been at a
standstill in one way, and more work
made in another. All the turpentine
boxes that had the least gum IN them
will have to be dipped and thrown
away, as the caterpillars, having
crawled into them, stuck there and
died.
At Williams station, on the Sea
board railway. it was learned that a
freight train was stalled last week by
the caterpillars. The dead insects
caused such a stencil that people pass
ing that way were made sick.
There has never been such plague
as TINS IN this section, and some of
the older people believe it is warn |
ing of something awful to happen this
summer,
ParIes living in the neighbOrhood |
of harden swamp, where the destruc- |
ton IS greatest, believe that the |
plague commenced there. Certain 1t
IS mat huge nests, some as large as a |
Dusnel measure, were seen in the tall |
as well as the snort trees. The nests !
uave been seen to drop off the trees,
and wnen they strike the ground burst
open and turn loose innumerable IN |
sects.
No Remedy for Them.
A number of remedies have been |
tried to Kill the pests, but even hot |
water and potash only seems to make
them thrive. Kerosene oil does not !
seem to affect them much. Lime has
been used, but they seem to eat that.
These caterpillars range from one
inch to four inches in length, the
larger ones having horny backs. The
young ones are brown spotted on the
sides, while the larger ones have a
pretty shade of blue spots. They seem
to have a million legs, the way they |
travel. No one in this part of the
country seems to know the proper
name for them, but all hope that they |
will soon disappear.