The Green Forest tribune., 1912-11-22
ARKANSAS |S IN
 DANGER OF PEST
Two Destructive Moths Liable to Be Introduced Into State
 at Any Time.
LOSS WOULD BE ENORMOUS
Federal Government Would Quaran- tine State if Parasite Should
 Gain Foothold.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
 yetteville-George B. Becker, en- tomologist at the Agricultural Experi- ment Station, in connection with the University of Arkansas, has issued the following statement concerning the danger to Arkansas from the possi- bility of the introduction of the gypsy moth and the brown tail moth. At present, he says, the state has made no provision for protecting itself against these two dangerous pests. His statement follows:
 "On account of it's lax nursery in spection laws, Arkansas is facing the danger of importing two pests which, in the future, might cost the state mil lions. The caterpillars of these two moths are very ravenous feeders and on account of their omniverous habits would cause the destruction of many forest and orchard trees. It. is the gypsy moth in particular which feeds upon such wide variety of plants and should it become established in the state, it is not at all likely that cot ton will be immune to the attacks of the caterpillars. Aside from the dam age done through it's ravenous feeding, one of the pests, the brown tail moth, would be a menace to public health on account of the poisonous hairs of its caterpillars. Since these insects can only make their way into the state by being introduced on nursery or florists stock, it is entirely possible to keep them out by enacting property nursery inspection laws. Should the insect make it's appearance in Arkan- sas it will mean that the state will be put under quarantine by the federal Board of Horticulture.
 "The caterpillar of these pests (gyp- sy moth in particular) feed upon the foliage of all orchard, all shade and ornamental trees .r,l out-of=deor shrubs and all forest tfees By repeatedly liage they have caused the death of many trees in the New England states. In order to kill coniferous trees, (pines, etc.) it is only necessary for the caterpillars to strip the trees once.
 "The hairs of the caterpillar of this pest are poisonous and when they come in contact with the skin cause a rash to break out. Where the insect abounds the air frequently becomes leaden with the poisonous hairs of the caterpillars, caused by their moulted skins blowing about. The result of this may sometimes be serious, es- pecially where clothes are hung out to dry. Instances are on record where neighborhoods in New England were deserted on account of this menace. With it's vast tracts of timber lands, Arkansas would prove to be a verita- ble utopia for these pests. On ac- count of the extensive forests and be- cause of the fact that the insects would not be surrounded by their natural parasites, as they are in Flu rope these insects would multiply at an alarming rate. Probably no state in the Union would offer better breed ing grounds and no state would be in
 
 what this state could lose.
 "The New England states are spend ing annually about $1,200000 to keep these pests from spreading beyond the territory where they now occur The government is spending an additional S300,000 for the same purpose. The money lost in this respect does not begin to cover what is spent by the individuals, who are spending great sums in fighting the pests on their own premises. It does not cover the loss through damage done by the in- sect, nor does it take into account the menace to health caused by the brown tail moth. Inspectors in the states of New York and New Jersey have this fall discovered egg clusters of the gypsy moth on some aZaleas imported from Belgium 1 have, within the last two weeks, received notices of five differ ent shipments of azaleas from Bel gium which came into this state Yet on account of not being provided with funds to incur travelling expenses for the inspection, all of the shipments had to be delivered to the importers uninspected.
 Upon advising the federal Board of Horticulture that the state provid- cd no means for having foreign ship ments of stock inspected, received a letter from Dr. c. L. Mar1att, chairman b----~------->---->-~- --------~-----~---->->