Graham guardian., 1914-10-09
PROTECT OUR TREES
Destroy the Cocoons Of the
Caterpillar during the
Winter Season

Beauty of landscape is the most
valuable asset of the Gila valley.
Visit the adjoining mesa lands and
view the enhancing panorama spread
before you. Such a wealth of foliage
casting a grateful shelter over the
homes of the people and proclalm,ng
to the stranger the great riches
stored in Mother Earth" for him
who uses his head with his hands in
the great game Of earning living.
While the spell of this beauty is
upon You, let US suppose that a giant
hand denuded those wonderful trees
of their freshness and living foliage,
left great ug y patches of dirty web
and the ruins that follow the advent
Of this despoiler of beauty, the cat
erpillar-can you not imagine the
shock to your sensiIb bites and deep
growing anger against people who
would allow such condition to exist
and grow to the extent that it has
in Stafford? Would you not feel
like trying to awaken those people
to full sense of what was going on
about them and plead with them to
love and care for their trees as
vital part of their homes?
DO any of you awaken in the
morning and gaze with quiet con
tent and sense of enjoyment at
beautiful bit of living landscape,
framed by your door or window and
is not the most vital part of that
picture tree or trees?
What constitutes an ideal drive?
A shady lane where the trees frame
a beautiful landscape. What are
the most important features of your
picnic grounds? Groups Of tower
ing trees in whose shelter you de-
light to bask and eat of the fruits
of the earth. Can you imagine a
park or other pleasure grounds
without our friends, the trees? Dol
you not call to mind many pictures
framed in song or story whose chief
charm lay in the setting of the trees
the avenues of palms in Florida,
Rio de Janeiro, Cairo, Egypt, the
boulevards of Paris and the best
drives everywhere.
Why go futher to show the value
of these natives of the forest? The
question is how can we best care for
and protect them from the ravages
of this pest, the caterpillar.
Our State Entomoiogist. Prof. A.
W. Morrill,, writes as follows upon
the subject:
! There are three ways of control
hing the insect: The first is to destroy
the insects in their alternating
Quarters during the winter season.
This work consists in the destruction
OF weeds and a thorough cleaning
UP of debris wherever there are
Cottonwood trees. Cocoons must be
searched for in cracks of fences,
Under boards and in and about build |
lnEs, and their contents must be
destroyed. Or, better, they should |
be blaced in a tin box and covered !
with wire netting, about 16 mesh. !
In The Spring these boxes should be
watched carefully and flies or other
insects which may appear should be
liberated while the moths which |
mature should be destroyed.
The flies and wasp.like insects
are parasites which are very useful
in holding the pests in check.
The second method of destroying
the pests consists in spraying the
trees. This is rather expensive and /
requires good spray outfit, since
many of the trees are high and re-
quire good pressure in order to
reach the tops with the spray. A
power pump is best adapted to this
work, and a suitable one for doing
work for the town of Stafford would |
cost, fully equipped. a little over
$500 laid down in Stafford. The cost
of spraying each cottonwood would
probably amount to very nearly 81
per tree. The poison recommended
for use is arSenate of lead, the same
as is used for spraying apple ana
pear trees for the codling moth.
There is no publication dealing
particularly with the tent caterpillar,
which is so troublesome in this sec
ton. believe that a small pamphlet,
dealing with spraying shade trees,
can be obtained by applying to the
Division of Publications, Department
Of Agriculture, Washington, D. G..
1t is hardly worth while attempt
ing to do anything toward controlling
these insects in Stafford unless the
city or citizens purchase a pump
suitable for doing satisfactory work,
and providing the funds necessary
for carrying the work through sue
If at any time such ac
ton is taken we will be very glad
to cooperate and render such assist
ance as we can.