NinV SHAD12 TREE PEST. 207 



There is no better land for apple growing to be found anywhere than 

 in eastern Nebraska. This is especially true of those counties bordering 

 the Missouri river from Burt to the extreme southeast corner of the state, 

 including Nemaha and Johnson counties. Considering the cheapness of 

 some of this bluff land, one wonders why so many investors from this 

 state, who are anxious to go into the fruit business are rushing to the 

 western states where the raw land alone is costing them three to five 

 hundred dollars per acre. Orchards on our Missouri river bluff lands, if 

 given the same good care that characterizes western methods, will pro- 

 duce fruit equal in quality to any fruit growing region in America. Where 

 western competitors have to pay approximately 50 cents per bushel to 

 get their product to the markets, we have our own markets here at our 

 door. 



No better evidence could be cited that eastern Nebraska possesses 

 real merit as an apple producing section, than the fact that some of the 

 best growers in the state and of the state horticultural society are leasing 

 every available orchard in this region. 



NEW SHADE TREE PEST HERE. 



Within the past year a new pest of shade trees has appeared commonly 

 in Lincoln which until about two years ago was entirely unknown in the 

 city. This pest is known as the bagworm, because of the characteristic 

 habit of the caterpillar of enclosing itself in a baglike case, within which 

 it makes its growth and transformations. In the fall the fully grown cater- 

 pillars attach these bags to the twigs of trees and after the leaves have 

 fallen they may be found rather easily upon close scrutiny of the trees. 



This pest increased in numbers last year to such an extent that, con- 

 sidering its reputation as a shade-tree defoliator in eastern and southern 

 cities, fear is expressed of possible ill effect on Lincoln trees, especially 

 valued evergreens. Although last year the bagworm was found attack- 

 ing only deciduous trees in Lincoln, at least as far as information is avail- 

 able, wherever it becomes established and evergreen trees are available 

 it greatly prefers to feed upon these, and since evergreens are usually 

 greatly injured with only one defoliation, there is need of watching these 

 very closely. In Lincoln it w-as found mostly on boxelder and maple last 

 year, but also on elm, sycamore and plum; and poplar, willow, oak, 

 catalpa, locust, linden, apple, pear, cherry and apricot are known to be 

 commonly injured trees in other cities. Among the evergreens it prefers 

 arbor vitae and red cedar but practically all are attacked. 



"There is but one generation of the bagworm in a year," said Pro- 

 fessor Swenk of the state university. "The insect passes the winter in 

 the egg state in these bags hanging in the trees. Late in the spring, in 

 May or early June, these eggs hatch and the tiny caterpillars desert the 

 bags and scatter over the adjacent leaves, upon which they feed. These 

 caterpillars are very soft bodied and soon each one begins the construc- 

 tion of a protecting case or bag composed of silk with bits of leaves inter- 

 woven to give additional strength, and this bag is continually enlarged as 



