Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-07-12
moth TREE PEST CONTROL
Modern Methods Proving Salts.
factory in This Work.
Use Of Solid-Stream spraylng with Poi
son Solutions Increasing in New
England-some Other
Control Measures.

The use OF high power spraying out.
fits for applying solid streams Of liq.
uid poisins is becoming more general
in New England in the work of com.
batting the gypsy and brown tail moths
according to entomologists of the Uni
ted states Department of Agriculture
BY the use Of such apparatus, wood
land, park. and street trees 90 feet and
even more in height can be covered
satisfactorily with poison solutions
from the ground. When the usual
mist-spraying outfits are used, the
operators must climb the trees-a much
slower and more expensive proceeding.
The spraying Of trees in New England
whether with mist or solid stream
sprays has been effective in combating
the foliage-eating insect pests of the
region. Arsenate of lead in the paste
form Is the poison generally used. So
lutions Of from 10 to 12M pounds Of tho
| chemical to sach 100 gallons of water
are employed.
SOLID STREAM SPRAYING.
Spraying woodland by using this meth
cd requires about GOO gallons of spray
solution per acre, and with a high
grade machine, properly equipped, an
average of from ~ to Is acres can DO
sprayed in a day. With the same out
shade trees per day and, as a rule,
400 gallons will cover about IS trees.
The cost Of this treatment depends on
local prices for supplies and labor.
EARLY SPRAYING BEST.
The spraying of shade trees with ar.
senate of lead. say the entomologists
of the Department. should be accom-
plished at as early a date as possible
after the foliage has sufficiently de.
veloped. Early spraying is not only
beneficial against the gypsy moth, but
will poison many brown-tail caterpil-
lars. as they are much earlier feeders
than the gypsy moth. In the case Of
the elm-leaf beetle much Is accom-
plished in poisoning the adult beetles,
which do a small amount of feeding
after coming out of Information before
mating and laying eggs. as they are
very easily poisoned at that time.
Owners and operators of spraying
outfits are warned by the Departments
specialists that failure to take proper
care of their machines Is responsible
for most of the difficulties and delays
that result during the spraying season.
This is particularly true in regard to
the precautions that should be taken
when the spraying season is over and
the machine is laid up for the winter.
If the infestation of the gypsy moth
is severe and the aim is to exterminate
the pest rather than merely to hold 1t
In check. egg clusters should be treated
with creosote before spraying is begun.
II infestation is in pasture land, proper
precautions should be exercised SO that
livestock will not be poisoned Poinson no.
tices should be placed in conspicuous
places in all cases where spraying is
done.
From 800 to 1000 tons of arsenate of
lead and about 500 high-power solid
stream machines are now used each year
In the New England States in fighting
the gypsy moth. Thousands of acres of
orchard and woodland park trees, in ad.
dition to approximately 10000 miles of
street trees. are being sprayed When
spraying is properly done to control the
gypsy moth. very little trouble is expert
enced with other leaf-eating insects.