Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-06-04
Seventeen-Year Locusts.

| mucn OF the northern and central states
lying between the Hudson and Mississippi
rivers, extending along the Appalachian
elevated plateau into northern Georgia and
South Carolina. Its appearance in Mary
land will be in the counties of Carroll
Cecil, Montgomery. Prince Georges and
Washington. This particular brood made
its last appearance in this territory in
1898.
The seventeen-year locust covers in its
range nearly all of the United States from
the Mississippi Valley eastward. The curl
GUS feature of its periodical appearances
and its long subterranean life give it per-
haps the greatest popular interest which
attaches to any insect on this continent,
and lead to many inquiries with every re-
appearance Of any important brood. There
are two races of this insect (D The sew
enteen-year race, which occurred in II
different broods over the northern and
central United States, and (2) the thirteen
year race which occurs in different broods
throughout the Southern States from Texas
eastward. When any Of these broods are
characterized bv large swarms they natur-
ally cause fears for the safety Of the trees
The actual damage. however, is slight and
is accomplished by the female cicada when
she cuts the bark of the tree in the depo-
sition of her eggs.
While the expected brood is not an i'm
portant one it covers much wider terri
tory than any Of the other seventeen-year
broods. According to the records, the
number of locusts to be expected over
most Of this territory is not great, except
in the Northwest and in the Southeast.
A careful canvass of the whole cicada
area was made by the Bureau Of Ento-
molOgy with the assistance of the State
entomologists in 1898. These reports. if
they may be relied upon. extend the range
of the periodical cicada in Wisconsin and
Michigan much farther north than any Of
the old records. The localities assigned to
this brood in North Carolina, South Caro-
lima and Georgia. and in eastern Kentucky
and Tennessee. are. in the main. In coun-
ties in the elevated mountainous district,
and the correctness of the reference to
this brood is established by earlier records
as well as indicated by the elevation.
Ordinary repellent substances, such as
kerosene emulsion or carbolic-acid solu-
tons, seem to have very little effect in
preventing the ovipositiOn of these insects
Some recent experience. indicates that
trees thoroughly sprayed with Bordeaux
mixture or lime wash are apt to be
avoided by the cicada, especially II there
are other trees or woods in the neighbor-
hood on which they can oviposit The
most reliable means Of protecting nurseries
and young orchards is by collecting the
insects in bags or umbrellas from the trees
In early morning or late evening, when
they are somewhat torpid. Such collec-
tons should be undertaken at the first
appearance of the cicada and repeated
each day.
Vigorous young trees often recover in
three or four years from the effects of a
loss of, or injury to, considerable per-
centage Of their branches. However, 1t Is
difficult to overcome the unsymmetrlcal
appearance which will commonly result
from the indiscriminate pruning often
necessary as a result Of the female in
sects' work.
The worst affected branches should be
removed The less injured limbs may be
coated on the wounded parts with grating
wax or moderately hard soap. These pro-
tective coverings should be renewed at
least once year. preferably in the spring.
until the wounds are entirely healed over
1t may be expedient. in'the case of a badly
wounded recently budded or grated tree.
to cut 1t back nearly to the bud or graft,
so that an entirely new top may be made.
In the case Of older trees. the main OBJ
ject of treatment Is to secure the rapid
healing of the wounds and prevent their
being used as points Of secondary infection
by other insects. The worst injured limbs
in such trees should also be cut out, so
that all the vigOr of the plant may be d.
rected to the remaining wood. The healing
process may be accelerated by thorough
cultivation and the use Of fertilizers on
the land about the trees attacked.
The scientists of the Bureau of Ento-
mology are keeping close watch Of the ter
rtory where the locusts are due to appear,
with view to minimizing the damage.
The Bureau will be glad to receive reports
Of any occurrences of this brood Reports
should be made about June 10, because
shortly after that date the common annual
cicadas will begin to make their appear
ances and there will be likelihood of con-
fusing the latter with the periodical species
Whenever the observer Is in doubt II would
be well to send specimens for determine
ton. The report should be filed out with
the name Of the locality. including State.
county and town, and the name of the OBJ
server. The information given should in
clude the date Of first appearance or
emerRence Of the cicada the date of its
BChCto hiouppOhhdhSC' uiiu tiC huiiDCIb-
in other words. whether very numerous or
scattering. The periodical ccadas may be
expected to emerge from the middle to the
end Of May and scattering individuals may
be found up to the middle Of June.
A small brood Of the thirteen-year race
Of the periodical cicada was reported in
May. 1902. by Mr.. George II. Kent, Of Suf
folk. Franklin county. Miss. This brood is
again reported by Mr.. Kent as having re-
appeared this year. This isolated record
is the only one we have Of the thirteen
year brood Of this year
Rich Automobiles In Penitentiary.
James Walsh. president Of the Colonial
Motor Company. clubman and heir Of an