46 AGRICUI.TURE OF MAINE. 



It is Nature's way of pruning but it does not always work to 

 the best advantage. Whenever this injury is noted the canes 

 should be cut off just below the row of punctures made by the 

 insect and destroyed by burning. 



The Saddled Prominent, Heterocampa guttivitta, so abundant 

 for the past three years, doing extensive damage to orchard, 

 shade and fruit trees, has practically disappeared owing to the 

 presence of the predaceous beetle^, parasites and fungous dis- 

 eases. This was predicted last year, when the presence of 

 these many enemies was recognized. 



The maple worm, Anisota ruhiciinda, also dropped out and 

 not a single maple was reported defoliated by this caterpillar. 



The bud moths and leaf rollers were common in orchards 

 that were not sprayed; so also were the codling moths. In 

 neglected orchards the railroad worm ran express, local and 

 accommodation trains v^ithout let or hindrance. Leaf-feeding 

 caterpillars like the tent caterpillar, yellow-neck, red-hump, etc., 

 were rarely found, but the fall web worm was never so abundant 

 and destructive, especially to young orchards. The following 

 food plants of this insect were recorded : apple, pear, plum, 

 cherry, all wild cherries, maple, oak, ash, mountain ash, elm, 

 poplar, willow, beech, thorn, dogwood, hornbeam, mulberry, 

 corn, raspberry, etc. 



They were reported from all over the State in great numbers. 

 The first egg cluster sent in was on June 26th; the first cater- 

 pillar, June 28th, and from that date until into September, the 

 complaints poured in from all classes of people — orchardists, 

 lumbermen, village, city and cemetery care-takers, farmers and 

 summer visitors. The first moths appeared about the middle of 

 June and the last ones noticed were flying as late as the middle 

 of August. This extended period of the adult stage is quite 

 unusflal and can only be accounted for by the weather con- 

 ditions from March to June. In fact, many of our insect and 

 fungous troubles must of necessity be laid at the door of this 

 usual "Month of Roses." 



The early spring season was unprecedented in recent years. 

 March came in warm and hastened the development of many- 

 species of insect life, especially the pupae of the moths that 

 produce the leaf-feeding caterpillars. This was true, in a 

 marked degree, of the fall web worm, and I have no doubt that 



