Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-14

through the woods from branch to
branch. But when the hardwoods were
cut out, and the pines alone left, the
bands of tanglefoot were found to afford
complete protection This was simple
and economical treatment for a valuable
stand of pine, and it became the general
practice to cultivate pure stands of conf
fers.
Next it turned out that there were a
good many of the hardwoods that were
themselves more or less resistant and
that in the absence of a comparatively
few favorite food plants the young cater
pillars could not develop at all. In short.
the life of a gypsy moth caterpillar is
far from happy unless he can have oaks,
apples, birches. willows or beech to feed
upon, and he seems to prefer them about
in the order named. Black birch is a
possible exception to the list It seemed
reasonable, therefore, to think that il
these favorite food trees could be elirnin-
ated perhaps the caterpllars would peter
out
Cutting Out the Moths Favorite
Foods.
To test this theory, somewhat, two ex-
periments We're undertaken the past sea-
son by the United States Bureau of En-
tomoiogy One experiment was on
seven-acre chestnut lot In which were
some white pines. oaks and birches The
trees were badly infested with egg clus-
ters, but nothing was done to the lot ex-
cept to cut out all the oaks. birches and
underbrush and to band a few chestnuts
along highway with tanglefoot. To the
joy of everyone concerned the trick
worked to turn. The foliage remained
in practically perfect condition through
out the summer the eating that the
tcaterpillars did being negligible.
The second experiment was on a larg-
err tract, % acres in extent and carry
ing varied growth consisting Of some
groups of pines and hemlocks, with
naples on the low ground. oaks and
birehes being mixed throughout The
trees here were also badly infested with
egg masses. but nothing was done be-
You'd removing the oaks and birches, and
the banding with tanglefoot of belt
next to another tract which was also in
tested Some slight eating was appar-
ent on this tract during the season, but
nothing noticeable to one not looking
for trouble, whereas had the property
been left uneared for, the trees would
doubtless have been badly stripped. In
iiiiH idst experiment the trees removed
yielded S1l00, considerably more than the
cost of the simple protective measure.
This principle is being followed by the
state Forester whenever he is asked to
provide a working plan for a woodlot.
and it is now the general opinion of the
authorities on the subject that forestry
is entirely safe in New England in spite
of gypsy moths, provided that We con-
fine ourselves to the growing of these
resistant species. And as the tastes of
the browntail moth are much the same
as the gypsy in matters of food it is
comparatively simple matter for an
owner to control the situation in his
woods If he is not so unfortunate as to
possess solid stand of oak or birch In
such case it would probably be good
policy on the part of the owner, on dis
covering the presence of the moths on
his trees. to harvest his crop while it is
yet living, and to use the proceeds to re-
stock the ground with resistant trees.
Pine, hickory ash and maple are the
most valuable commercial woods which
may safely be used in restocking Chest
nut is also safe so far as the moths are
concerned, but he who substitutes chest
nut for oak today only jumps from the
frying pan into the fire, for the chestnut
bark disease, more ungovernable than
the moths ever We're, is fairly upon us
and spreading like wildfre over the
State q