HORTICULTURAL BULLETINS. 



321 



similar substance known as "Dendrolene," compounded by Prof. F. L. Nason of 

 New Brunswick, N. J., is said to obviate this difficulty. Tlie former costs 13 cents 

 and the latter 6 cents per pound in 25-pound cans. Neither of these materials, 

 however, are so cheap or so quickly applied as either of the following bands. 



The cotton band was tested very thoroughly by Mr. Rood the first year, who 

 says of it, "So long as the cotton was kept dry, it stopped their upward climbing, 

 and there would_be a great mass of moving worms just beneath the cotton. After 

 it rained on the cotton, they walked right over it and got in a good night's work. 

 Next day, as I had no more cotton, I put a daub of tar on top of the band. That 

 worked like a charm for awhile, but as soon as the tar got too cold and lost its 

 smell they trotted over it and I had to put on another coat."* 



,_ The next year there was no rain for the 



1-^ '"(VV 



"'.'i:iK^.,Mi'i'i 



>^»iiK 









Fig. 8.— Illastrating the wool aad cotton bands- 



two weeks in which the cutworms were 

 the worst, and the cotton bands protected 

 as well as anything tried. After being 

 wet it was hoped that the edges of the 

 cotton band could be somewhat pulled 

 to pieces and again made to protect, but 

 in this we failed. The use of cotton bat- 

 ting for a band is therefore quite uncer- 

 tain and undesirable, as the weather is 

 usually rainy at the time of year when 

 the climbing cutworms are the worst, and 

 they would do much harm before the 

 bands could be replaced, if a large 

 orchard is to be protected in this way. 

 A roll of cotton will make bands for a 

 great many trees, and is the cheapest of 

 all bands at the start, but may not be in 

 the end. For this reason fruitgrowers 

 will find that the wool band is the cheap- 

 est and the best of all. It always protects, 

 whatever the weather may be, as rain or 

 cold make little or no difference with it. 

 The band need not be over an inch and a 

 half wide, and should be tightly bound 

 by common wrapping-twine wrapped once or twice about it in the middle. In 

 practice it will be found essential to have the bands this narrow of either wool or 

 icotton, as the birds appreciate this material for a downy nest, and if it is not 

 securely held by a cord, large chunlvS will be pulled out, leaving holes through 

 which the cutworms can easily climb. If the wool is properly cared for, the same 

 material may be used for bands for several years in succession, thus reducing the 

 expense to a minimum. 



If to prevent the cutworms from reaching the tree tops were sufficient, the keeping 

 of a wool band on the trunk would be enough; but every fruitgrower should try 

 to rid his fields of them. He should not only keep them from his trees, but should 

 keep them from developing on other plants when they can not get into the tree 

 tops. He must at least protect the trunks of his trees below the band or they may 

 be girdled. The following methods will be found helpful: 



Crushing by hand was the method adopted by Mr. Rood, who found it a sure 

 one, though rather laborious, as it kept one or more men at work all night. He 

 would start out about ten o'clock with a lantern in one hand and a leather mitten on 

 the other that crushed the cutworms without mercy. Usually each tree was visited 

 about twice each night. 



Around the base of each tree were placed three of four old boards or shingles, 

 and a large share of the cutworms that escaped the crushing would hide under 

 these traps for the day. Often hundreds would be found attached in a bunch to the 

 under side of a single board, but it was either a rotten one or a rough one, for a 

 smooth board for some reason was always avoided by the masses. Another thing 

 worthy of note was that the white cutworm (Carncades scandens) was never taken 

 under the traps. This species always came to the trees much later at night than the 



* Perhaps the statement should be made here that coal tar, if used at all on trees, should never be 

 permitted to touch the bark, as a very small amount will leave a brown dead spot beneath. Young 

 tiees are very susceptible to injury by it. 



41 



