Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-21

struction wrought to pine and spruce
trees in particular Is very pronounced,
emphasizing the great necessity of
using the utmost endeavor to head off
Its career within our borders. One of
the officials in Massachusetts told me
that it was one of the most fearful in
sect pests in America.
There are various ways in which
the moth may be brought into the
State. 1 understand that it is some
times carried from one place to an
other on the clothing, oftentimes in
the furniture or in pile of wood that
d person is transporting. 1t seems to
me that all families moving from the
infested district in Massachusetts to
Maine ought in some way to be report
ed to the agricultural department. that
lookout may be undertaken. Another
common way, l am told, of transport
ing insects unawares, is through the
medium of empty freight cars, and I
could not help thinking as | saw a long
line of empty ears at Maiden that had
been bringing lumber to Massachusetts
and were to be returned to Maine. that
here was a very good medium for
transporting the pests.
There is one redeeminp quality
about the gypsy moth. 1t stays pretty
much where it is born, and does not
cover much territory. and, as the fe-
males cannot fly, there is not much
danger of their visiting Maine except
through inadvcrtent transportation,
such as l have referred to. But it
makes up for this, in part by multi
plying very rapidly wherever it is To-
Gated, and unless quickly checked. gets
beyond all individual power, as the cit
liens of Medford and vicinity found
to their sorrow, after using every avail
able means of destruction. Even be-
fore the state could subdue the pests,
they had eaten their way over some
400 square miles.
1T WAS IL curious and yet pathetic
sight, said Mr.. Ring, "to look over
those wide tracts of woodland and see
the tops of trees eaten off, the effect
being Dis if fire had suddenly swept
through the forest. One could hardly
believe that such thorough and insist
ent work could have been done by
these little pests. Still more pathetic
WAS to see many of the most magnifi-
tirely denuded of foliage, all the trees
on some estates practically wiped out
by these destructive moths.
You will remember that they
thought at one time that they had
these pests eXterminated, and after
working for a number of years system
atically to that end, through some
wrdnSle in the Legislature, the appro-
prIation was temporarily discontinued.
with the results that the pests in the
meantime got very much ahead of the
authorities, and they have now been
obliged to spend more money than ever.
'One Of the remedies quickly adopt
ed where a tract of woodland becomes
infested is to Immediately cut down
and burn the trees in the infested dis
trict, and il the moth has not made too
much Roadway this generally proves
effcctual. Where woodlands are infest-
ed to any extent it is of prime import
ance to destroy the egg-clusters in the
fall and winter. The economy of this
practice will be understood when it is
recalled that the destruction of a sin
gle cGg-cluSter saves the labor that
otherwise would be required the fol-
lowing summer for searching out and
killing by hand the 500 or more cater
pillars that would hatch from the clus-
ter
The egg-CluStcrS resemble to the eye
and touch small, silk-vclvet cush-
ions of a bright buff or sponge color.
They are more frequently deposited in
the crevices of the bark on trees. and
after the female deposits them, she.
herself, very considerably shakes off
the mortal coil. leaving only a sort of
a shell or skeleton on the bark, and I
saw Il number of these grewsome re-
mind"rs Of her havoc in my rambles.
'"i'here is no mistaking the gypsy
moth" said Mr.. Ring. "There is not
another caterpillar in New England.
except the gypsy moth. that is spotted
with blue ard crimson. If you find any
an inch and half long, not
spotted on the back with blue and
crimson. you may feel confident that
il is not the gypsy moth. Further than
that. it is a very hairy insect, although
this is not distinctive feature.
at is so easy to discover the moth
that people i'll all the cities and towns
along the lines of railroads in particu-
lar, would have no difficulty in dis
tinguIShinG the insect should it arrive
at any time as an unwClcOme guest, |
and ] almost feel that it would not be |
wholly wasted effort for these conmu- |
mites to have some person selected. |
who's" special duty it shall be to keep |
il Watchful eye for the sudden arrival |
Of these pests. For certainly in the |
case of these gypsy moths, an ounce |
Of prevention would be worth good |
many dollars of cure.
1T is to be hoped that we will not |
have scmblance of these pests in |
Maine, and with proper care and
prompt notification, there is little like
ihoOd of a devastation, as the lumber
men. foresters and farmers are ever
alive to their best interests, and can
always depend upon the hearty coop
grafton of the agricultural and STATED
forestry departments"
Il am glad to see the prompt and
painstakins work being done by Mr..
Hitchings. the State entomologist, asl
regard him we'll equipped and par
Iicularly able to cope with the situa-
ton"