seemed to hold on; for, after destroying a few orchards, it seems to succumb to natural enemies, or unpropitious circumstances, and ceases to cause even anxiety. That it will be but a temporary evil among us is perhaps asserting too much, yet I think it a plausible supposition; and it is certainly earnestly to be hoped. Our New England friends have had to fight this insect for many years, and it seems no less a pest to-day than ever before, except as a better knowledge of its habits makes it easier to ward off its injuries.

NATURAL HISTORY.

FIG. 28.

The wingless female moth (Fig. 28,6), and the trim male (Fig. 28, a), with his ample wings, both gray or ash color, the female being a little the darker, come forth from the ground early in the spring: I have often seen the males during warm winter days. The female crawls up the trunks of the apple-trees, and after meeting the male, lays her cluster of eggs (Fig. 29, b), often to the number of one hun

dred. If the female fails for any reason to gain acces to the tree, she fastens

FIG. 29.

a

these egg clusters to any convenient object. I have often seen them in Cambridge, Massachusetts, fastened to the pickets or boards of fences. After egglaying these insects soon die. Just as the leaves begin to burst forth, the larvæ (Fig. 29, a) begin to come forth. The larvæ (Fig. 29, a) vary very much in color. At first they are very dark, with faint yellowish stripes. When full-grown they are striped with ash color, black, and yellow, and are about one inch in length. These larvæ belong to the loopers, or measuring worms, both names referring to their peculiar method of locomotion. They do not have the usual number of legs for caterpillars (16), but must be content with only ten. Hence their looping gait. They are also called drop worms, because of the habit of swinging from the tree by a thread when disturbed, or when they desire to go to the ground to pupate. As they are often seen thus suspended, it has been supposed that they frequently swing just for the pleasure of the thing. It may be that some disturbing wind or bird induced this strange manœuvre.

About the middle of June the larvæ are full fed, the tree fully denuded of its foliage, and that, too, at the worst possible time, the growing season, when the "worms" make for the ground, some creeping down the trunk, others dropping down by a silken thread spun for the purpose. Upon reaching the ground they burrow to the depth of four or five inches, and in an earthen cocoon change to pupa. The chrysalis is of a light brown color, and smaller for male than for female.

This destructive insect is not content to injure the apple-tree alone, but is equally ready to attack the elm, and not infrequently attacks cherry, plum, and other fruit and forest trees.

REMEDIES.

As prevention is better than cure, we ought, of course, whenever possible, to keep injurious insects from even gaining a foothold; and the wingless condition of this female moth permits us to accomplish this, as she must ascend the tree in order to work injury. Any substance which prevents this will pre

vent the defoliation. The old method so long practiced in New England is to closely surround the tree with paper bands, say eight inches wide, and besmear the bands with tar or printer's ink. This gives the trees a forbidding appearance, and necessitates renewed application of the adhesive substance so frequently as to be sure that we entrap the moth as she attempts to pass up the tree. Dr. Le Baron suggests a neater and, he says, an effectual remedy. He would place an inch rope closely around the tree, letting it lap a little so as to be sure to entirely surround the tree. Then tack the rope to the tree at each end. Now take a strip of tin, say five inches wide, place it around over the rope so that the rope shall be just in the middle of the tin; lap this a little and tack to the rope. It is said that the female moths, coming up to the rope and being unable to crawl through under the tin, will crawl around and get on to the tin, but that they will never get from the tin to the tree again. Upon reaching the top of the tin they pass round and round, not knowing that they can pass down and thus gain their desired end. Like turkeys entrapped in a pen whose only exit is through a hole beneath the earth's level, they are balked through sheer stupidity. In this case the moths will doubtless lay eggs around and below the tins. These can be destroyed by using kerosene oil. This, turned upon the eggs, destroys them. Eggs laid in close proximity to the trees or wherever seen, can be destroyed in the same way.

If the moths once gain access to the tree, and the larvæ commence their work of despoliation, we can take advantage of their dropping propensity and destroy them. Place a little straw under the tree, not sufficient to injure it when burned. Then jar the tree, and as the larvæ swing down by their threads bring them upon the straw by sweeping the threads with a pole, then set fire to the straw, and we are rid of the pests. The only trouble will be to be sure to make them drop. To be complete, this will need cautious pains. During the past year syringing the trees with a mixture of Paris green and water was tried with marked success in Illinois, and is highly recommended by those who tried it.

Though the neighbors of people with affected orchards may take satisfaction in the prospect of a speedy leave-taking of this terrible scourge, still those who have orchards attacked will find that persistent effort in the line marked out above will be the price of their orchards, as two or three years at most will utterly ruin the trees. But this price is not very exorbitant, as the labor is not very great, does not last very long, and is most effectual when applied in the least busy season of all the year.

TENT CATERPILLAR.

Clisiocampa Americana, Harr. Family, Bombycide. Sub-Order, Lepidoptera. These familiar insects, so sure to fix their silken tents within our trees, come just at the right time to do the greatest harm, and should never be left to their miserable work of despoilation.

NATURAL HISTORY.

These pretty moths (Fig. 30), brown in color, the female a little lighter and larger than the male, with two light bands running obliquely across the fore wings, appear in June and July. For the past four years I have taken the first of these during the first week of July, and those reared in confinement came forth at the same time. These moths, unlike the codling moth, are attracted by lights, and very frequently fly into our rooms during our warm July eve

nings. After pairing, the female moths lay their eggs (c, Fig. 30) in a compact cluster about the small twigs, covering them with a glistening glue, so that they are impervious to water. These eggs,-300 or 400 in a cluster,-hatch just as the leaves of the apple and cherry are putting forth, on both of which trees they are wont to engage in their ruinous work, seeming rather to prefer the wild cherry. They immediately weave their tents, and become conspicuous objects in the orchard. They remain huddled in these tents except when going forth to feed. They are quite regular in taking their meals, and usually all go forth at once. These larvæ or caterpillars (a Fig. 30), variously striped with white, yellow, black, and blue, are very handsome, feed voraciously, so that by the middle of June they are not only matured in size,-being now two inches in length,--but have managed to strip the trees pretty thoroughly of their leaves. They then disperse, seeking in all directions for some crevice in which they may form their closely woven cocoons undisturbed and unseen. They

pupate almost immediately. In about two weeks they come forth as moths. And thus, the cycle of growth and change completed, the moth sallies forth to again prepare for future evil.

REMEDIES.

Let no one think, because these pests have been neglected in the past and their trees still live, that such neglect is in the least wise; and if such lose their orchards because of the severe cold of the past winter, let them blame only themselves. No tree can receive such shocks without materially lessening their vitality, and though they may not die outright, the seeds of premature death are sown, and the power to survive severe winters or continuous drouths is materially weakened.

It is often recommended to examine the trees on sunshiny days of winter

and spring, when the glistening egg clusters will catch the eye, and may be gathered and destroyed. Yet I doubt if this will prove best. It takes too long to find them, even on bright days, and even then many will be missed. Besides, much time will be spent in seeking in trees where no clusters exist.

I think the best method is to destroy the young larvæ so soon as the tents appear in the trees, and before any harm is done. At this time they are easily found, and none need be missed. If this is done when the larvæ are not feeding, they will all be compactly clustered in the tent, and can be quickly dispatched. There are various methods by which to accomplish the slaughter. I think the safest and perhaps the best is to crush them with the hand. This may not be exactly to the taste, but with an old pair of gloves, the delicacy, I think, will be but transient. Another method is to put a light charge of powder into a gun, and, holding the muzzle immediately against the tent, discharge the piece. This requires much caution or the tree will be injured. Another method is to burn them with a torch fastened to a long pole; and still another to kill them by an application of strong soapsuds, or a weak solution of petroleum, applied with a swab, on a long pole. The objection to all these last is the danger of not being thorough, and of injuring the trees.

A year or two since I gave before the State Pomological Society Dr. Fitch's suggestion, to set wild cherry trees around the orchard. These would attract the insects, and, all being in a few trees, could be more easily destroyed. The idea was generally denounced by those present, but close attention since that time has confirmed me in the opinion that the idea is a good one. The insects will attack something, and preferring the cherry leaves, will take those in preference. Thus they are drawn from the orchard, and in case of neglect will leave our more valuable trees uninjured; and if killed, as they should be, it can be done in the more confined space far more quickly.

Last summer I observed a large orchard where, in the surrounding fence corners, were about a dozen cherry trees. These were full of tents, while the orchard was almost entirely free. Other orchards within a mile were great

sufferers.

FALL WEB-WORM.

Hyphantria textor, Harr. Family, Bombycida. Sub-Order, Lepidoptera.

The habits of these insects are in some respects like those of the preceding, and it is doubtless this fact that has led some able fruit men to believe what is entirely erroneous, that the tent caterpillar is double-brooded. These fall web worms, though unsightly, are far from being as destructive as the tent caterpillar. The

FIG. 31.

leaves, at the time of their arrival, have so far performed their mission, that for the tree to be robbed of them is not generally fatal, though of course the condition of the tree is enfeebled.

These insects differ farther from the tent caterpillar in being indiscriminate feeders. Nearly every variety of tree has to contribute to their support.

NATURAL HISTORY.

The beautiful white moths (Fig. 31, c) lay their eggs in clusters upon the leaves..

These hatch in July and August, when the larvæ (Fig. 31, a) immediately spintheir web and feed in companies, though instead of eating the entire leaf they only

*

feed on the upper skin and pulp. They thus continue, spreading their unsightly webs, eating the leaves, till full grown, when they are an inch in length. These little "worms" are very beautiful, being striped with yellow and black, and dotted with orange. In September and October they descend from the tree, and in the ground or some crevice spin very thin cocoons in which the pupa (Fig. 31, b) soon appears. It remains thus till the next June, when the beautiful white, immaculate moth, expanding a little over an inch, appears.

REMEDIES.

These must needs be destroyed in the larvæ state, and the same methods may be employed as those given for conquering the tent caterpillar. As they always feed in their webs, sometimes we may safely and wisely cut the limb off on which they have spread their web. Of course we should commence operations as soon as the insects do, as shown by the newly formed webs.

PLANT LICE.

Aphides. Family, Aphidœ. Sub-Order, Hemiptera.

As plant lice, some species of which attack nearly every kind of plant, are so preyed upon by natural enemies that they are of little importance as enemies to out-door plants, I shall not discuss them in detail, only remarking that tobacco water, whale oil soap solution, or a weak solution of petroleum, will destroy them. Care is requisite in using the last, or the plants will be destroyed. Ants in trees are almost certain evidence of the presence of the lice, the ants being present to sip the sweets which exude from the lice.

PLUM CURCULIO.

Conotrachelus nenuphar, Herbst. Family, Curculionida. Sub-Order, Coleoptera. This little beetle, though so small, certainly ranks very high as an orchard pest. It is he that has almost banished plum culture in our State. It is he that ruins our cherries, often by wholesale. It is he that has a tooth for the luscious peach; and unless prevented, materially lessens the profits. And even our king of fruits, the apple, is frequently made to contribute to the support of the little Turk. His presence in wind-fall apples has misled some good observers into thinking that the codling-moth larvæ had worked slightly on the apple and then left it. If this report could induce the restoration of plum culture in our State, by showing how easily we can secure our crops, it would pay its cost a million times over.

HABITS.

d

FIG. 32.

The curculio (Fig. 32, c) hibernates during the winter in the mature state. In early spring, and even later, he lies concealed by day under boards, clods, etc. This weevil is nocturnal, being active at night. So soon as our plums, peaches, and cherries set, the curculio, a little brown beetle, commences operations, imprinting the familiar crescent (Fig. 32, d) and placing an egg inside. This egg-laying continues even to July. As the weather becomes warmer the insect forsakes its habit of going down to the ground by day to hide, but remains in the tree. These beetles are not solely engaged in pairing and egg-laying, for they are good feeders and gouge out many a hole in our fruits to satisfy