The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-12-01

with a good.sized collection alive
and healthy and having bred in
captivity enough of them to be
certain that the newcomers will
| survive being turned loose to at
tack the pest. Sometimes these
newcomers, like the English spar
roy, thrive so remarkably in their
new surroundings that in time
they themselves become pest
I of no mean order, but that is an.
other story.
Oriental Moth.
This year peach growers in GER
tain sections Of the country, notably
Southern New Jersey, are faced
with disaster because OF a new in
sect pest--the Oriental moth, which
began to make its presence felt last
summer. 1t is about twice the size
of fly, and lays its eggs at the
tips of young tree shoots. When
the worm matches it in turn bores
into the pith of the shoot for an
inch or two. After il strikes the
| tougher bark this worm crawIs to
another twig or bores into green,
partially grown fruit.
The Oriental moth, also, has an
instructive aversion for poison SPRAYS
ana powders, Horticultural experts
nave found that it spits out the
1lrst bite 1t takes Of either twig
or peach and eats only beneath the
surface where poisons that would
XIII 1t cannot penetrate. With
these habits the Oriental moth is
certainly a foe worthy of combat
with the most skilled. Early this
summer Isaac Fl, Weatherby, owner
OF one, OF the largest peach orchards
m southern New Jersey, recolIect.
ing the candle flame that singes the
moths wings, decided to substitute
electric lighting for candlelight and
pans OF kerosene beneath the light
Tor the destroying flame. He tried
IL and 1t worked. The moths flew.
hypnotized, toward the electric lamp
ana fell into the kerosene below.
rms Kills any kind of moth the
minute the oil touches it.
Now as a result the Weatherhv
Iarm near Swedesboro, NJ. j.. boasTs
the only electrically lighted orchard
IN the country, being Illuminated AT
night with I25 electric lamps. and
at little distance looks like a
pleasure park. The lights are hung
about four feet from the ground.
Fhus they shed a very bright Hgbt
over a limited area, lighting ~ the
adjacent trees end foliage and Iur.
ing the moths from Mr.. Weather.
bys peach trees into the deadly
heiosene pans beneath the hgats.
Had to Do Something,
Il realized last year that / would
nave to do something to stop the
moths or they would finish me. ::
explained MIR. Weatherby, who has
Deen growing peaches for more than
thirty years and who declares that
the Oriental has caused more
havoc than any other peach
orchard pest with the possible ex.
ceptlon OF the borer which Is now
under control
This electric light system was MIR
IN early this summer" continued
MT Weatherby. 1T has cost me
quite little money but until the
natural enemies of the Oriental
moth have caught up with it, nobody
can buy my orchard lighting outfit
at any price. Also, I've learned
quite bit about moths since / first
turned on the electric lights. For
instance, there isn't much use of
turning on the electric lights on
bright Moonlight nights. There are
very few moths in the traps the
next morning.
Even on dark nights have found
that the moths and other bugs are
thicker at some hours than at
others. Eleven o'clock seems to be
the witching hour for moths. Earlier
and later, they are not so numerous.
When I've visited the lights at
eleven l have found the moths
swarming about the lights, While at
two in the morning there is hardly
bug fluttering about"