THAT TENT IN THE TREE 



DOUBTLESS a tree is as odd a place as one would 

 choose to pitch a tent, but the birds are not the only 

 ones that select trees for a summer home ; the cater- 

 pillar uses them as a summer resort and from now on is 

 the time to keep a sharp lookout for the pests. True, the 

 caterpillar does not pick out the same localities every year, 

 for he seems as particular as people when it comes to find- 



THE DESTRUCTIVE CATERPILLAR 



Having an appetite that is seemingly never satisfied, the apple-tree tent cater- 

 pillars should be destroyed wherever he is found. 



ing a new place to spend the siurtmer. His appearance, 

 however, is always an event; so much so in fact that the 

 caterpillar's visits have been known as caterpillar years. 

 The first of these recorded in this country was in 1646, 

 when the historian of the Bay State Colony mentions the 

 pests. Again in 1649 the new settlers suffered heavy 

 losses from this fruit pest. 



Wild cherry leaves are the favorite dish of the cater- 

 pillar and he also likes an apple or a plum leaf, although 

 he does not confine his diet to these. The caterpillar will 

 find his way, in the absence of his favorites, to the peach, 

 pear, or rose and even to the beech, elm, and maple. He 

 does this, too, at a time when the trees most need their 

 foliage, and when he gets through, the tree is usualh- bare 

 of leaves. 



With the approach of spring an organized campaign 

 can be inaugurated against the pest. Such organizations 

 as the Boy Scouts could divide a town into sections and 

 thus systematically examine every tree and fence corner. 

 Recently the Boy Scouts of Canton, Ohio, campaigned 



against the Tussock Moth with such results that they 

 were highly praised by Mayor Stolberg. 



A. L. Quaintance, in charge of the insidious fruit in- 

 sect investigations for the Department of Agriculture, 

 tells, in an article on this subject, how school children can 

 help in saving the fruit. According to a report sent in by 

 Myron A. Cobb, of the Central State Normal School at 

 Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, the tent caterpillar had decided 

 to spend the summer in that locality. Circulars were 

 issued to rural schools and a "tent caterpillar week" 



NEST OP THE TEXT CATERPILLAR 



The nest of this destructive insect is found in neglected orchards and in trees 

 along roadsides. If these nests are low they may be destroyed by hand, but if 

 out of reach they may be destroyed by some form of torch on a pole. 



designated. The Elk Rapids Business Men's Associa- 

 tion offered prizes for the greatest number of egg masses 

 destroyed. The results were surprising. 



Dr. M. R. Peck, of Cornwall, New York, organized the 

 children of his neighborhood. The yoimgsters were in- 

 structed in destroj'ing the "tents" and rewards were 

 offered for the greatest ntmiber of egg clusters. The col- 

 lection more than filled a bushel basket. What these 

 places have done can be done anjTvhere if some person or 

 the towns' newspapers take up the campaign and interest 



171 



