THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH. 63 



Banding. 



In using tar or printer's ink, it is best to first apply a 

 small band of cotton waste or wool, then tack over it a ])and 

 of tarred paper, to which the ink or tar is applied directly. 

 These bands should be repainted at intervals of a few days, 

 until the caterpillar season has passed. The bands of lime 

 (either raupenleim or bodlime) are applied directly upon 

 the bark. The bands should be from two to three inches 

 wide, one-half inch thick at the bottom, tapering upward to 

 the bark, in order \f> shed rain. The bottom of the band 

 should be shaped to form a sharp shoulder. It is the ten- 

 dency of insect lime to yield up a small quantity of oil under 

 the influence of the sun, thus keeping the lower edge of the 

 band always moist and sticky, and presenting an insur- 

 mountable barrier to the insects. 



When the insects have pupated, the cocoons may be 

 gathered and destroyed, although this work is usually 

 attended with a severe nettling of the skin, described in 

 another place. Cocoons and pupje thus gathered should be 

 placed in a barrel covered with mosciuito bar, so that the 

 parasites contained in them \\m.y escape, while the moth.- 

 will be unable to pass through the netting. In the case 

 of the brown-tail moth this precaution is an excellent one, 

 as this insect is extensively parasitized in the pupal stage. 



s 



Second Jiruod. 



It often occurs in badh'^ infested localities that tiie small 

 caterpillars hatching from the eggs occur in suflicient num- 

 bers to partially or entirely defoliate the infested trees. 

 This damasre does not occur on trees which have been 

 thoroughly sprayed with arsenate of lead the juvceding 

 sununer. Where the insects are numerous, a fall spraying 

 with arsenate of lead is recommended, except in the case 

 of trees in fruit, since, where the fruit is within a few weeks 

 of ripening, it is not advisable to use the very adhesive as 

 well as very poisonous spray. (Plate 11.) 



