The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-08-30
HOW TO GET RID
OF TUSSOCK MOTH
ALFRED SEM, FORMER FEEDER
Al FORESTER DESCRIBES
DANGER FROM TREE PEST
AND GIVES CURE

Residents and property owners Of
Houghton and the entire copper
country have become interested of
late in the attack upon the trees OF
this section of a moth, variously de-
scribed by the local amateur entomo-
logists as "Tussock" and "coddling
moth. Whatever the name of the lit
tie pest may be. all who have seen IL
and the results of its operations
among the trees agree that 1t Is a
dangerous enemy TO the crowning
glory of nature. the shade tree, as
well as 10 the various fruit bearing
trees of which there are all too few
I'm this part of the state. Because of
the great prevalence of the moth at
this time and the general lack of
knowledge of the proper method of
procedure 70 get rid of the pest. an
article printed in the Sunday Free
Press of Milwaukee, which city has
also lately discovered the menace TO
the trees, will be of great interest.
The article is from the pen of AL
fred Sem, formerly connected with
the United States forestry service.
Mr.. Sem in the first paragraphs Of
his article describes the various ways
of going at the job of cleaning the
trees and, continuing, states as fol-
lows:
Brushing is even better than scrap
ping. while the best thing Of all is 10
pick them off by hand Those insects
that cannot be reached can be spong
ed with creosote oil Spraying may
be resorted 10 when the insect is in
the caterpillar stage, feeding then
on the under side of the leaves Bet
ter than kerosene emulsion or paris
green is acetate Of lead
How to Prepare Poison
THE value of this compound as an
insecticide has been brought out by
numerous experiments made in eX-
tensive work against the gypsy moth.
one advantage is that il can be APP
piled in large quantities without in
juring the foliage. The poison should
be prepared just before using, dissolv
lIlE NAtkGH punNtN VI dNtldAt VI ltAA
in four quarts of water in a wooden
pail and four ounces Of arsenate Of
soda in two quarts of water in an
other wooden pail. As the acetate of
lead dissolves rather slowly in cold
water, the process can be FASTENED
by using warm water. The resulting
solution should then be poured into
the spraying tank containing from
100 TO $50 gallons of water"
When / called the Tussock moth a
pest, / shared the views expressed in
a report written by DR.. f. p. Felt of
New York, who by virtue of scientific
knowledge, researches. practical eX-
periments, and experience, has be-
come an authority on economic en-
tomology. In speaking of the white
marked Tussock moth, the report
says:
How Trees Are Ravished
1.-THE destructiveness of this pest
has been so marked and wide spread
in cities and towns. and inquiries for
remedies so numerous, that in spite
of the fact it u.s. or should be- a WE'LL
known insect, it Is desirable 20 no.
tice Il at some length.
This insect has proven serious
pest in a number OF cities in the
state In Albany most of the horse
chestnuts would have been completely
defoilated, had il not been for spray
ing undertaken by municipal author
tiles. AS it was a large number were
seriously injured owing 10 a late APP
plication of the poison, or inability
20 throw the spray TO tops Of larger
trees. Leaves We're nearly stripped
from lindens. Numerous white egg
clusters give promise Of greater in
juries another year. unless protective
measures are adopted.
In parts of Troy. this insect has
been even more destructive than in
Albany. Reports of serious ravages
have been received from other local
tiles It's cocoons were reported by
Chester Young. nursery Inspector for
the state department of agriculture
rs abundant on all kinds Of trees at
woodside L. /. In Buffalo, IL has be-
come such a pest that authorities arc
stirred into action. circular has
been issued by the board of public
works calling upon citizens to col
lect and destroy egg clusters. and
giving directions for the same. and
for spring spraying. It is expected
that this call will be supplemented by
the city fghting the pest.
In earlier years, this was regarded
as a serious enemy to apple trees.
Though the insect occurs in the coun-
try and IS occasionally quite destruc-
tive 10 fruit and other trees. IL is IN
cities and towns that II fourishes and
proves most injurious. The cause for
this is found largely in protection af-