Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-23

the pest, according to the annual report
Of Edward j. Cady Of Portland. special
field agent in charge Of the gypsy moth
work, which was made public here
Wednesday. Mr.. Cady says in his report:
An incident not to be forgotten was
when the whole world stood aghast at the
threatened destruction of the entire black
forest Of Germany. which was saved only
by diligent and combined efforts of the
citizens and soldiery of the nation.
Our intelligence should cast no doubt
on any record noted by eminent writer's,
but should teach us and instill in US a
dread lest they burst the bounds of sup
preston and create the havoc and de-
struction, not only in this State, but in
this whole country. The gypsy moths
are the most feared and most formidable
pest in the universe.
Yet, many In our State are prone to
look upon it as a not too serious pest,
while in reality the slightest infestation
is SO serious as to prove calamity if
not stamped out in it's incipiency. When
we consider the insect world to be 400
times greater than any other. We are
considering a magnitude unbelievable:
nevertheless such is the fact. Individ-
ually, an insect is an insignificant crea-
ture and receives but scant notice from
man, and. if unmolested, will soon assume
proportions approaching crisis that man
must act and use every endeavor at his
command to control and preserve the
remnant it has not destroyed.
THE past season was devoted to check
ing the spread of the moth-a task salts
factorily accomplished While trained
scouts were kept in border towns, pre-
venting the dispersion of the moth, other
crews were engaged preventing the
increase and reducing the badly infested
colonies in southern Maine.
1.-THE whole field force, under the su-
pervision of able and efficient inspectors,
are proud Of the work accomplished in
their respective territories; they are
unanimous in deploring the fact that they
were obliged to work with 5000 less APP
preparation than in preceding years. The
5000 deficit would have enabled us to
stamp out the few isolated colonies, as l
planned; but I realized the futility Of an
attempt in those places without proper
means of support. In such colonies we
could only content ourselves by prevent
ing further increase.
Parasitism Misunderstood.
II wish to call attention to the large
number of persons who enormously think
they are preserving the parasite; they
cut the brown-tail webs during the win
ter months, and early in the spring place
them in a barrel. Then they smear the
inside chimes of the barrel. or other re-
ceptacle, with tangle-foot, or other sticky
substance thereby combining the cater
pillar, until it energies from the web, at
the same time liberating. as they have
been taught to believe, the parasites.
This is all wrong. The parasite is safely
ensconced within and feeding on the vi
tails Of the caterpillar.
1.-THE minute fly. so often found in the
brown-tail webs, known as the Monodon-
tomerus, is parasite Of so little import
ance that those who have taken this
method to preserve the parasite have i'm
posed a needless and fruitless task upon
themselves. If, instead of destroying,
they fed the caterpillar in that barrel,
until the time the beneficial parasite
| (Apanteles Lacteicolor) emerged from the
carcass of the caterpillar and completed
it's cycle of life, they would be rewarded
for their efforts, by preserving the para
site. which. it is hoped, will eventually
control and stamp out the brown-tail
pest.
| Then there are another class of peo-
pie who are so blind to their own in
terests they absolutely refuse to do any
thing whatever to help themselves, their
neighbors or the State; their selfish, in
dolence invites daily the justified scorn
and contempt of the community. There
should be a law carrying a penalty and
such people should be amenable to that
law.
The people of this State must realize
that they are fighting the most serious
pest known to science; they must also
realize that the annual damage done to
crops in the United States is over $400, 00o,
600 by lesser insects than the gypsy moth.
1t behooves US to prevent further inroads
in the progress Of this ravaging pest-a
task that cannot be accomplished for less
than $4,000 annually. The people who
suffer from the destruction caused by
the gypsy moth are the people who should
appear before the legislative committee
and demand money sufficient to comba,
this pest effectively. and less than ZOO
| is not sufficient.
THE gypsy moth work, the past year,
began on the first day Of April and con-
tinued until August 16, when the men
were laid off until the first of October. at
which time we renewed operations with a
few crews of picked men.
after carefully considering the worl,
done in the past, and drawing conclusion.
therefrom, I formed plans for the past
year and I had the men strictly follow
those plans. with the result that our sue
cess was greater than our anticipations.
Totals.
The following shows the total of the
gypsy moths which were destroyed dur
ing the past year: Egg clusters, 49,, 224
larvae, 2.17o,0oo: pupae, 1852; image, 49,
40: burlaps, 1900 yards; trees sprayed
1871
Border Scouting.
Border scouting was performed in the