Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-07-03
The Gypsy Moth In Main.

/ OyPoy mOtu Id MAINE.
'Sy H. Il. Philbrook, Field Agent, Gypsy Mot
Work.
The gypsy moth was first discovered
In Maine In August of the year 1905, o,
the trees Of Mr.. John Thaxter, In th,
town OF Kittery. In the fall of that yea
crew of expert scouts we're sent Il
Maine by the United States Department
of Agriculture, who found that the
towns of Kittery, Eliot. York, Soutt
Berwick, Berwick, Wells, Kenuebunh
and Biddeford, were infested with thu
gypsy moth.
AT the suggestion of the Governmen,
Agents, the legislature of 1907 made ar
appropriation of $50, 900 for each of the
years 1907 and 1908 and the work was
placed in charge of the Commissioner OF
Agriculture and he appointed q Special
Field Agent who Immediately started
the work In the field.
In the first stages of the states battle
with the moths, the idea Of the contest
was determination. All efforts were di.
rected to that end, and because of that
fact parasites were not employed.
With few differences, the work, a.
carried on then, was the same a. that
being done now. The egg clusters OF
the insects were to be found in the fall,
winter and early spring and men, we're
kept at work painting them with creo-
sote. Fences, buildings, stone walls,
etc., were carefully inspected and every
egg cluster found was painted with the
creosote, which penetrated the mass and
destroyed the life within the tiny egg.
The stones in walls about farms and
woodlands were turned over In this hunt
for egg clusters and thousands were
found and destroyed.
1t was while the crew in Kittery was
engaged in scouting an old stone wall,
near farmhouse, that . woman came
up to one of the men aud said: "What
are you doing?" "Looking for gypsy
moths" was bis answer. "Do you find
many of themP" EYES," answered the
man, as he exposed q number Of egg
clusters beneath q stone he had just
overturned, and showed them to the
woman. 30, N.Y." she exclaimed. "It is
fine work you men are doing. Them
must be terrible lice that will eat the
stones"
In the woodlands where the trees we're
badly infested 1t was necessary to cut
out many of the worst infested ones, and
In that way many acres were cut over,
much to the satisfaction OF the owners.
When spring came and the eggs had
hatched, the underbrush was burned
over with cyclone burners and the trees
were sprayed with arsenate of lead.
When the caterpillars crawled down the
trees to rest, during the day, after their
nights feeding period, they we're crush.
ed about the base of the tree. The
trunks were banded with burlap, a. that
was found to provide shelter which the
insects sought and they could then be
crushed beneath the burlap.
Another method employed was the
banding of the tree trunk with tangle
foot which formed sticky barrier the
insects could not pass over. By this
means, trees once having been cleaned
were kept free from the csterpillars.
All of these methods and hard work
told at length and, as time went on, the
insects became more and more scarce.
Two or three more years OF such work
would undoubtedly have held the situa-
ton in check.
The Legislature of 1911 cut the appro-
priation to such small amount that 1t
was impossible to do the work neces-
sary to hold the insects in check and, In
consequence, the infested territory was
greatly increased during the years 1911
and 1912.
Had the state continued its appropri-
at;ons as recommended by those In
charge OF the work, 1t might have been
possible to exterminate the pests in this
state. Now, all hope of exterminatiop
has passed, and the best that can De
done will be to suppress them. and, with
the foreign parasites and the work In the
field, as outlined, to hold them in SUBJ
mission, Just as they are 10 their native
homes in Europe.
The appropriation by the legislature
of 1917, coming 80 late In the season,
made 1t impossible to do more than get
a start In the work this spring and very
little scouting for egg clusters was done.
The spraying work is now under way
and, II the weather remains favorable, at
least seven tons of arsenate of lead will
be used In worst infested places; trees
have been burlapped and tanglefoot has
been placed to good advantage. Many
town authorities and property owners
are doing great deal to help the work
along by spraying the trees In their To-
calities.
The state laboratory at Portland has
this wear been discontinued and all para
sites are being reared at the government
laboratory at Melrose Highlands, the
state and government WORKING IN con
junction. Thousands of colonies OF the
Ausstatus Bifasciatus have been estao'
lishsd In the western part OF the state,
and later In the year, colonies OF the She
dius Kuvanae and the Calosoma Syco'
phanta will be established.-Maine De-
partment of Agriculture, John A. Rob-
arts GOmmiesioner.