Evening times-Republican., 1913-09-03
URGES war UPON
FOREST INSECTS

Fruit and Forest Trees BY Vast Army
81 Pests, Which Has Been Greatly
Auomentsd This eummsr-Prseau.
tjons 70 Take Asainst Them.
The forest entomologist of the New
York state College Of Forestry at syra-
cuse u making thorough study OF
the forest insects Of that state. He
has found that many kinds Of insects
Injurious to trees are more numerous
and are doing greater damage this year
than usual. This IL especially true Of
such insects as the tent caterpillars,
aphids or plant lice and scale insects.
This serious damage BY insects to
both fruit and forest trees during the
last summer is due largely to the very
mild weather OF last winter, which al
lowed large number Of insects to
pass the cold season successfully, ana
the long rainless periods Of spring and
early summer. which enabled tho
young insects to get q good start In
their life work of destroying vegeta-
tion.
Much can be done in combating tho
insects 80 Injurious to our forests by
protecting our birds and by learning
of the life histories Of the insects. so
that 1t will be known when to destroy
them In the most effective way.
Destroying Tent Caterpillar.
rNt,n %nok M xayh{ch h0o honn
very destructive to certain fruit and
forest trees during the last summer.
has practically ceased its damaging
work for the present year. To combat
this destructive insect more effective
ly next year we should begin now to
examine the trees upon which they
have been working this summer. to
ind the cocoons or pupa cases and egg
masses. These cocoons and egg mass
es are found usually In sheltered places
near where tho caterpillars have been
numerous. 40 under loose bark or in
the rubbish and grass under the trees.
The cocoons are Of white spun silk and
often are found in masses Of dozen
or more. They should be collected and
destroyed. In case Of temperance
next year the tents should be burned
of with torch or piece Of waste
soaked In kerosene.
Many inquiries have come to the for
est entomologist regarding plant lice or
aphtds, which have been unusually
abundant this year. This interesting
insect has had an excellent opportu-
nifty to develop in large numbers, due
to the long dry summer. Many young
trees or branches Of trees and shrubs
have been deformed and in some in
stances killed outright BY these lice.
On the trees In home grounds and
parks one Of the best ways Of destroy
ing the aphid colonies Is by showering
the insects with the fu!! force of water
from a hose The insects are thus
washed of and only very small per-
centage of them succeed in getting
back on their food plant again. Chem
ical sprays may be used. but II these
are effective against the aphids they
are likely to be injurious to the plant
and must be used with caution.
Many hickory Trees Dying.
A number Of reports have come to
the entomologist Of the dying Of the
native hickory In different parts Of
the state. In most cases this Is due to
the hickory bark beetle. which is a
very small boring insect. living be-
tween the inner bark and the sap wood
Of the hickory. This beetle makes
burrow in which it lays its eggs and
from this burrow smaller burrows are
made in all directions by the young
larvae.
The hickory tree. from commercial
standpoint, Is doomed in New York
state, unless very active work is done
to prevent the spread Of the insect.
This can be done only by cutting the
infested tree down and disposing Of it
in way to kill an of the insects un-
der the bark. This may be done by
burning, by soaking the logs in water
or by barking the trunk and burning
the limbs and bark. The college Of
forestry at Syracuse will be glad to
have the work Of insects in forest trees
in any part Of the country reported to
them. and they are ready at all times
r,lvS