Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-01-31
STATE HOUSE.
Brown-Tai| Moths on the
Maine Coast.
Prof. Hitchings and Capt. Phil
brook Talk on Situation.
Many Automobiles Coming 10 Maine
This Season.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council,
Feb. %, at 10 A. M.

as regards the INVASION OF the brown
tail moth, it would seem that there is
plenty of work ahead, and work that
must be done thoroughly. TO stem the
tide of immigration which the pests
now have well established.
Prof. +. +. Hitchings of Watervillc
and Capt. T.. +. PhilbrOOk of Portland
both of whom are associated with the
department of agriculture and are do
ing good work in the way of heading
off the inrOadS of the insects, were at
the department Tuesday. Professor
Hitchings having returned from Bar
Harbor and that vicinity where he had
been during the past week. while Cap
tain Philbrook came from Wiscasset.
Professor Hitchings reports that
there are plenty of the nests at Bar
Harbor and that section of Hancock
county. and that 1900 nests had been
found at Bar HarbOr alone. The nests
sem to be evenly distributed in that
section. The people are. however.
awake to the situation and the work of
destroying the nests will be carried on
with such a degree of thoroughncsS
that the nests will all be destroyed by
the coming of spring. Mr.. Hitchings
is sending out circulars to the officials
of all the towns in that section. and
the circulars will also be placed in the
hands of ali of the owners of real es-
tate in the towns. The matter will
also be brought up by the boards of
trade. and there is no doubt that
everything possible will be done in the
effort to get rid OF the pest. The town
of Northeast HarbOr, it is understood,
will at it's coming town meeting. ask
for an appropriation of $1,000 for the
purpose of conducting the crusade
against the moths, and it is probable
that other towns in that section will
also make some provision along the
same line.
AS to how the moths came to be
transported to Bar Harbor there is no
doubt. When the United States
squadron visited the great resort in
August. 1905, the ships came direct
from Boston, and were anchored at Bar
HarbOr for several days. With them
came the moths, and as it was just at
the time when the females were laying
theiE eggs. they soon sought the shore.
1t was at that point that the nests
were first found. and that they were
numerous is attcstcd by the fact that
when a reward of 30 cents per nest was
! offered one man succeeded i'm gathering
over 100 of them on one hunt.
| Captain PhilbrOok is at present en-
| gagged in a trip along the Maine coast
| from Bath to tocltland, and he has also
| found many of the nests in his travels.
He has visited Phippsburg, at which
place the discovery of nests was re-
ported several weeks ago. and also
| Wo"lwich, ArrOwSic. Georgetown and
| Bath. The nests were found in larG-
| est numbers at PhippSburg, Small
| Point and Popham Beach. where they
| exist in colonies. Captain PhilbrOok
had continued his search as far as
WIsrasset, for which place he left
| Tuesday afternoon In regard to the
city of Bath he reported the finding of
a few nests. but that they were not as
| plenty as during the spring of 1905.
The cause of the presence of the
nests in the places mentioned above is
attributed to the steamboats, plying be-
tween Boston and the Kennebec river
which seems TO be very reasonable
solution. And it is not only to these
places that the moths have been
brought, for the islands off the coast
have become infested and each island
has become recruiting station for the
pests for breeding purposes.
The menace which the moths offer
to the Maine coast and interior has as
sumcd such proportions that the gov
ii ernment has taken hold of the matter
and Col. w. NJ. Black of the United
States army. who has charge Of the
river and harbcr Improvements in this
section has issued orders to the garri-
sons to participate in work of eXtinc-
ton in their districts.
III Captain PhilbrcOk reports that in
South Paris, Norway and other towns
of that section. none of the nests were
found. and the country thcreabOuts is
believed at present to be free from
them.
Il The above statements Of the preva-
lence Of the nests in certain sections
of the state should not be taken as
meaning that the same is true Of the
State as whole. for Professor Hitch
inSs states that there are not as many
of the moths in the State as there were
a year ago. The work under the di-
rection of the department of agricul-
l
town officials and individuals. has been
and is being thoroughly conducted. and
with good results. but the task i'm hand
is a difficult one. and one to which
every citizen in the infested districts
should lend his aid, and a close watch
should be kept in districts that have as
yet escaped the invasion.
Some idea may be had as to how the
game laws of Maine are looked upon
by officials of other states, from the
following letter from one of the com.
missioners of New York:
"Hon. L. r. Carleton, Augusta. Maine
NY dear Mr.. Carleton:-May ask
YOU to send me copies Of your law an
plving to the license of hunters of big
game. with exhibits Of tag and coupor
system. with such other information as
would be of advantage in making q
showing before our legislature in the
interest of license system similar to
that used by your State.
"Maine. from the sportsmen's stand
point. is a great state. and l look upon