150 GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



BANDING TREES. 



In addition to tin- ireneral use of burlap bands, there has 

 sprung up during the last two years a (juitc common practice 

 of banding trees with sticky materials to prevent the ascent 

 of gypsy and lii-o \vn-tail moth caterpillars. While tar, printer's 

 ink, lard, raupenleim and bodlime have all been used with vary- 

 ing degrees of success, the material most generally employed is 

 that sold under the name of Tanglefoot. This substance con- 

 sists principally of resin softened by the admixture of suitable 

 oils. It is quite similar to that used in the manufacture of 

 adhesive tly-papcr. seems to possess the merit of not injuring the 

 trunks of trees, and is very effective in checking the ascent of 

 caterpillars thereon. It has given the most satisfactory results 

 when used in woodlands where thinning o]>erations have liven 

 carried on, but where no effort was made to destroy thoroughly 

 the ir.vp-y moth egg clusters on the ground, rocks and stumps. 

 In thinninir badly infested Avood lands it is cheaper by far to 

 cut trees without reference to the number of egg dieters oc- 

 curring on them. When these trees have been put into cord- 

 wood, and the brush cut and burned, the ground is usually 

 thickly strewn with broken gypsy moth egg (dusters. If in the 

 following spring the remaining trees are banded with some 

 suitable adhesive siihstance, and projH-rly attended, the small 

 caterpillars will starve in large numbers for lack of food. A- an 

 additional means of destruction, the ground should be burned 

 over with a light fire as soon as possible after the eggs have 

 hatched. In such sections the sticky bands are most helpful. 

 Their use is also to be recommended <>u trees on private estates 

 where the egg clusters have not been thoroughly treated on 

 rocks, fences, etc. The inij)ortant thing in all cases is that in 

 the early part of the season, when (he caterpillars are small, 

 the <ticky bauds shall receive con-taut attention, the young in- 

 Sectfl collected beneath being crushed by the use of steel brushes. 



The experience of past, years fully confirms the value of the 

 burlap bands, particularly on street trees and those standing 

 in areas where thorough winter work has been done. Where 

 tli' burlaps are well attended, upward of !M) per cent, of the 

 caterpillars cominir from -(-altered eggs will be taken during 



