West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-12-09
SAVING SHADE TREES
Time Is Ripe For Kidding Towns
Of Caterpillar Pests.
COOPERATION A NECESSITY.

Citizens Of Rural Communities Should
Unite In Gathering the Esas--After
This 10 Accomplished Stringent Meth.
ode Should Ne Adopted.
Now that the caterpillar time" Is
over for this year and tho inhabitants
OF suburban towns have recovered
from the "squlrmy" feeling that these
creatures cause. why not now take
the time 10 consider tho havoc these
pests have madc among the trees?
The majestic naples and clms that
adorned the village streets and made
tho town beautiful now stand leaf.
'lss. These shivcrIng skeletons sure.
ly call out to tho citizens for help as
they stand rooted aud dependent IN
prominent parts of n dooryard Loyal
and Industrious townspeople should
and do love their trees and hold them
among their most cherished friends
This is tho time when people should
arouse themselves to the greatest nc
uvity. It is the tlmo when they can
do tho most TO save the trees from
tho disastrous effects or another such
season.
For the benefit or those who seek
TO improve tho condition OF trees that
count SO much I'm tho Improvement or
their towns the expert makes the fol-
lowing suggestion: First rid the neigh.
borhood OF the patches OF small white
eggs. These eggs arc now pure white
and easily seen. but soon they will be
soiled with the dust and CRIME OF tho
city, nking on tho dark gray OF the
surrounding bark or weathered wood,
making IL almost impossible TO find
them. Gather all the egg masses that
can DO found md destroy them. Those
Familiar with the caterpillnrs know
they leave the upper twlgs to spin
their cocoons among tho crevices I'm
the bark OF tho trunk or about our
porches and homes, so we know
whero to look for the eggs. They
also know TINT tho female never
leaves her cocoon, so II the eggs are
destroyed she cannot ny or crawl TO
our trees and lay more eggs now or
ot any other time. so one thorough
gathering will do the work.
NhNh "ho NitlIeh IL sure tn0t MS
private trees arc clean let him try 60
interest hts neighbors I'm doing as much
for their trees. In this way he Will
DO saving himself trouble I'm the spring
when the eggs begin 20 hatch and the
young cnterplllars go In search OF food.
Should they be found making their
way up the trees next spring tie n
band or loose cotton about the trunk.
Let this word ''loose" bo emphasized,
for if the cotton is wet by rains or
covered with dust and dew TIL it ls
stiT 1t is useless. as the caterpillars
Will crawl over its hardened surface.
1t Is only when the cotton is fluffy
that IL Is OF use. This means you
must change the cotton occasionally.
Another simple plan is TO fasten n
strip OF paper close against the trunk
so that no caterpillar can get between
the paper and the bark and on this
paper spread n broad band of tar.
This should be done before the cater
pillars get up among the leaves or it
VIII be too late unless you can far
those already up In the tree down and
prevent others from climbing up with
your tar.
or course the trees may be sprayed
with any OF the good poisons on the
market, and as the caterpillars eat the
leaves they get the poison. and II kills
them. but for the ordinary tree owner
spraying always seems 10 be TOO serl-
Gus an undertaking. especially when
the trees are large and on the street.
The method OF prevention is ensily
within reach. and II would seem al
most n crime for any one TO neglect
his duty in this respect Time should
now be donated 90 gathering and de
stroying these egg masses about the
homes. not only that the trees may be
protected, but that communities may
not suffer through careless neglect.
A few years OF the terrible devasta-
tion that was realized this year will
mean the destruction OF the trees. for
they cannot withstand year after year
such merciless defoliation. These In
sect pests will destroy IN q few years
trees that have been ten 10 fifty years
In reaching their present magni6cence.