The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-07-27
BROWN TAIL MOTHS
IN NORTHWEST

''The worst devastating insects in
the world are said to be gaining foot
hold in Oregon. The damage that they
accomplish runs into many millions of
dollars. These are the gypsy and
brown tail moths. These, with white
butterflies and pine beetlesswould soon
destroy the large forests in the
state. The destruction by fire in our
forests would be less, in dollars and
cents, than the destruction that can
be wroughtkin short time by an at
tack of thesgipsy moths.
This statement by William l.. Finley
President of the Oregon Audubon So
ciety. is based upon two newspaper
reports, one from Tacoma and one
from Portland. The former states
that the brown tail moth has infested
the Rainier Valley, near Seattle, and
that the state commissioner of horti-
culture has ordered the district af-
fected under quarantine. The latter is
in the form OF communicationEstating
tnat what appears to be the gypsy
moth has made fits appearance in
Southeast Portland.
When it is realized that entire foG
ests are stripped of, their foliage and
left as barren as telegraph poles
within few days, that vast areas of
timber country are actually destroyed
by the attacks of the gypsy and brown
tail moths, it is time that a thorough
investigation were made to ascertain
whether there be any truth in these
rumors.
The gypsy moth was imported into
this country for scientific purposes in
1868. While they were carefully kept
in captivity for some time, they finally
broke away and within 20 years, New
England was attacked by them in such
large numbers that entire forests were
stripped in a short time. The legisla-
ture of Massachusetts appropriated $50,
600 for their determination, but to
little avail Within ten years, over
81, 600, 900 was spent in the work,
followed by an appropriation of $500, 0OC
in one year, yet the gypsy moth was
unconquered. The state finally gave
up the work and one property owner
spent over $75, 900 on his own estate in
an effort to stem the fearful slaughter
of the trees.
at will not take long for the Oregon
farmer. fruit grower or timber owner
to appreciate the enormity of this
fearful destruction, after investigating
the failure of the State of Massachu.
sets" says Mr.. Finley. what would
happen to those magnificent Oregon
forests, should the gypsy moth once
gain foothold? No one can tell, fol
the financial loss would be greater
than could ever result from fire.
1t is the experience of the Biological
Survey of the Department of Agricul'
ture that once these frightfu enemies
of the tree invade timber country,
they cannot be destroyed 1t is urged
that the best that can be done is tC
check them. If Is per cent of the
total is destroyed, a good work has
been done. The scientific checking Of
this pest is outlined in several bulletins
that have been issued by the Bureal
of Biological Survey and great empha
sis is laid upon the natural check pro
vided by bird life.
The chickadee, nuthatch, bushtit
warbler, sparrow and woodpecker, O.
the Oregon birds, are known to be thu
worst enemies to the gypsy moths tina
we have. Many sections of the countr!
have been watched by scientists witt
the idea of ascertaining to what ex
tent these birds actually feed upol