Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-14
STATE HOUSE.
Revival Of broWn-tai| Moth
Scare in Maine
"A North Carolina Tribute to
Supt. ". ". Stetson.
Sebago Fish HaieheD---A Days Chat Of
the Departments.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next meeting Of Governor and Council,
Wednesday. August 9, at 10 A. N.

cause of the invasion OF bOStoH anu
surrounding places by the brown-tail
moths, and in such numbers that it is
hardly thought possible tnat Maine can
escape having more or less OF the pests
brought within it's borders.
The State of Massachusetts has been
a sufferer from the brown-ta1ls for
about seven years, and they have be-
come distributed over 2 wide area. in
both cities and towns, but never before
have such numbers invaded the city OF
Boston as they did, Sunday night. when
they appeared in legOns. oId not only
in the city itself, but in the sOurrOund-
ing towns for miles around. They first
appeared fluttering aroun1 the street
LAMPS like driving snowstorm, and
later the trees. shrubbery, vines, walls.
fences and the exterior OF buildings
were covered with them.
According to one oe the Boston
papers, the park authorities are in de-
spair. Within few days the female
moths will lay their eggs. That will
mean that where there are Eow IS in d
tree there will be about 1900 next
month. Each female moth lays be-
tween 200 and 400 eggs and then
promptly dies.
But what agitates the public mind
most is dread of the 'brown-tail
| itch" which results from contact with
| the ''fuzz'' from the caterpillars. Tbs
.fuzz" or tiny hair particles from their
backs, in the caterpillar state. poisons
the skin of those who encounter 1t.
1t will be late in August before the
eggs deposited by the ncwly-arrived
females will yield caterpl'ars. so that
no "fuzz" will be flying for month to
| come. This reduces the present dan
| ger to the more remote bite of the
| moths. Vaseline or sweet oil allays the
/ itch.
In speaking of the invasion. yester-
day. Hon. A. w. Gilman, commissioner
of agriculture. thought that some of
Il the moths must surely be brought into
Maine, as so many opportunities were
offered for their transportation. The
II steamboats, and the railroads afford OK
II cellent facilities for spreading the pest
II in all directions and Mr. Gilman thinks
Il that the danger Of the moths securing
II a foothold in the State WIS never so
Il great as at present, ana that the people
everywhere should awaken to the seri-
BUSINESS of the situation.
II In regard to the work which is being
done in Maine against the moths, 1t Is
the opinion of those in charge that the
destruction of nests, last spring. in the
infested districts around York AMI
L Cumberland counties. was thoroughly
done. the greater portion Of them be-
ing destroyed, but for fear that some of
/ them may have been overlooked, Mr..
Gilman will send Prof. Hitchngs, the
State entomOlogist on n tour of inSpec-
ton through those counties today or
| Saturday, to see if any moths are
Matching in those localities. and if they
are. means will be taken for their de-
struction, and spraying will be recon-
mended Many people scoffed at the
appropriation of $4,000 ny the legisla-
ture. last winter. for the destruction of
the moths and their nests hut the in
vasion of the Massachusetts, cities an 1
towns, within the past few days, shows
what the possibilities may he for Maine.
and that a fight against the moths
should be made from the first.
| Concerning Superintendent Stetson s
tripito North Carolina in June in which
he delivered several lectures at educa-
tional meetings the News and Observer
of Raleigh. N. c., has this fiattering
tribute in it's introduction to the report
of one of his lectures.
There are statesmen and statesmen.
The tribe of political statesmen is the
largest. because the fell is more
gorgeous and more inviting, but there
are literary statesmen. hi!anthrOpic
statesmen and commercial and finan-
cial statesmen, and all these have be n
with us during the greater Part of our
national life, but the demands of the
times are rapidly developing another
class of statesmen. The educational
statesmen. Men VINO with earnestness
fidelity and peculiar fitness are delvina
more deeply than ever before, into the
problem of citizen-buildiny.
"One Of these. and j disciple among
them. is DR.. William Wallace Stetson
of the State of Maine This distin-
guished gentleman, the present super
intendent of the public school system
of the State of Maine. WIS among the
noted visitors who helped to make this
years session Of the North Carolina
Teachers Assembly more productive OF
substantial results than any session
2 perhaps that has been held since its
. organization.
: Or. Stetsou, while his home is in the
: Pine Tree Commonwealth, is a distinc-
tive American. He Is fill grown IN
physique and in mental development.
!. He is broad-shouldered and broad
= minded. bis-bodied, big-brained and
big-hearted. He is an idealist but
conservative. safe and sound. He is a
practical worker, as well as & profound
scholar.
He has lived in the strenuous West
as well as in the prosaic East. nor Is
, he typical of either one or the other
He has sojourned among the people OF
the South, studied men and conditions
: everywhere. and equipped himself 70!
wise and wholesome council among tn,
educators of the country from border