The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-07-30
No Help For the Forests.

leaves from the hardwood growth in
the forests in this and other sections
of the state, has increased the area of
its devastations during the past week
and appeared locally in large num-
! bers at several new points. As its
ravages are likely TO continue for
several weeks longer and as it
threatens not only TO attack wood
land but orchards and shade trees, il
is of great importance that our
readers be acq tainted with such in
formation as now obtainabe with re-
gard to it.
Since the samples sent from here
by the board of selectmen reached
Professor Hitchings, the state ento
mologist, at Waterville, this office has
been in communication with him by
telephone. 1t seems that this worm
has always been present in the state
in small numbers, but that some pc
culiar weather condition, very likely
the drouth, caused phenomenal in
crease, and changed this variety from
a comparatively harmless caterpillar
to serious menace. While no one
can tell what the next season will
bring forth, Mr.. Hitchings does not
expect that this worm will prevail in
harmful numbers next year. AS in
previous instances of a similar ma
ture, he looks for cessation of the
climatic conditions that caused the
increase in numbers at this time, to-
gether with the work of the natural
enemies of such a worm, to reduce
them to numbers that will not cause
serious damage another year. If
this is the case, the injury to the va
rious growths infested by them will
not be SO great calamity, as most of
these trees will survive a stripping of
foliage for one summer. The loss of
their leaves second year would,
however, kill many of the trees and
thus result in almost irreparable in
jury to the wood lands, shade trees
and orchardS OF the state.
Mr. Hitchings does not recommend
any effort to limit the work of these
worms in the woods. The trees are
so high and the area infested is SO
large, that spraying or any other
method of fighting them is out of the
question. Orchards and shade trees
may be protected to some extent,
however, and the state entomologist
gives advice as to what course to
pursue for their preservati on. In Or
chards and on other trees not too
large to be treated in this manner,
where the worms are already at
work, the trees may be sprayed with
any insecticide, paris green solution,
one pound to so gallons, being recon-
mended. If the trees to be protected
are as yet free from worms, they may
be protected by the use of Tree
Tanglefoot, sticky substance which
may be applied to the trunks, over
which the worms will not crawl.
This is manufactured by Massachu
sets concern and will be obtainable
through any local dealer.
Burlapping the trees, in the manner
described in the Maine Agricultural
Report for 1907, is also recommended.
This is done by cutting old short
sacks or any similar coarse material,
into strips about eight inches wide,
fastening around the trunk by string
at the center. Two strips Of this
kind are thus applied, one just above
the other and the upper half of the
higher strip turned down to meet and
overlap the lower burlap. In ascend
ing the trunk, the worms will crawl
beneath the folds of this burlap and
remain for time. The trees should
be visited each morning, and the
worms destroyed. All this involves
some labor and some slight expense
but is well worth the effort rather
than to allow this pest to injure and
possibly kill shade and fruit trees.
AS the worm in question has not
previously existed in harmful num-
bers, it is not mentioned among the
pests in the last agricultural report,
the method of burlapping above re-
ferred to being that employed in
fighting the worm of the Gypsie
Moth. For like reason its life his
tory and habits have never been the
subject of exhaustive study and def
mite information is hard to obtain re-
garding it. 1t seems to prefer the
beech, maple and birch in the order
named, and is found on most all hard =
wood growth to some extent, with
exception of the elm. To the present
time we have no report that that
famous and beautiful variety of shade
tree has been infested. 1t would be
well for every one to examine the
trees about their premises TO see if
the worm is present in or about them.
They have already entered the village
and were at work stripping the shade
trees at the residences of B. f. Eaton
and DIR. j. n. Merrill on Tuesday.
Outside the village they are reported
in the Tobey and Bigelow Hill sec
tions, the Coburn Woods and dozen
other places. They do not seem to
eat grasses and garden truck, for
which we may for the present be
thankful, but not enough is known
about the habits of this worm to say
that ii may not enter the gardens be-
fore the summer is over.
Meeting of Tax Commission.
/ William s. White of Rockland,
Milton l.. Merrill of st. Adams, Geo.
rolaGo ond Ernl ~