Report of the State Geologist. 679 



different colors of paper, and find white or blue paper best 

 adapted to the purpose. Other colors seem to give a paler 

 green or sickly appearance to the plants. Newspapers are 

 easily obtained, and are just as good as clear white paper. 

 It will be seen, also, that this is a protection against late 

 frost, and I believe that every person that tries this method 

 of protection !will ever use it with entire satisfaction. 



The Tent Caterpillar. 

 Cllsiocamjpa Americana, Harris. 



This caterpillar is well known to all, yet all do not under- 

 6ta,nd its habits. The eggs are laid by a night flying moth, 

 in August, or in the southern part of the State, doubtless, 

 in the last part of July, in oval rings, round the smaller 

 twigs. These q^^ rings contain some three hundred eggs 

 each, and are covered over with a mucilaginous coating 

 which answers the double purpose of keeping out the water, 

 and food for the young when they hatch, to give them suf- 

 ficient strength to crawl down the limb to the first fork, 

 where, by crawling back and forth, they weave from a spin- 

 neret in their mouth, the tent in which they live. From this 

 tent they sally forth twice a day for food, eating vora- 

 ciously. On an average, eacJi caterpillar will eat two apple 

 leaves a day, and no tree can long live under such a vital 

 drain. As the weather gets warm, when they return from 

 a meal, instead of going into their tent, they will go to rest 

 upon the outside. Those coming in later and findiflig no 

 room, will crawl over the sleepers, spinning all the time 

 until they are covered, and another story is added to their 

 tent. Thus from time to time it is increased with their 



