24 



two species of moths had destroyed pine forests belonging to the State and vahied at 

 several millions, and a larger calamity was imminent, when suddenly all caterpillars 

 died from the same fungus. 



Similar observations have been made in other places in Europe and h'^re. Mr, 

 Trouvelot formerly began in Medford, Mass., the raising of the Polyphemus moth for 

 eilk, and was successful enough to get a prize in the Paris Ex])ibition of 18G7. Unfor- 

 tunately he brought home from Paris eggs of another species from China, and purported 

 to be saperior for silk-raising in the open air. Those eggs proved to be infested by 

 fungus, and the caterpillars hatched from them died, but not those alone. All caterpil- 

 lars of the Polyphemus moth became infested, and even most of the other indigenous 

 species living on the twelve acres of shrub land which Mr. Trouvt lot utilized for this 

 purpose, died rapidly. After two years of a similar calamity, Mr. Trouvelot was 

 obliged to stop his experiments, which might have developed, perhaps, a new source of 

 wealth for this country. A similar pest of an indigenous species of moth stopped only 

 last year the interesting observations of Mr. Siewers in Newport, Kentucky. 



The common silkworm in Europe has been in recent times extensively affected by 

 a sickness called muscardine, which is also the consequence of a fungus. Similar fatal 

 epizootics have been observed on the honey bee, and in Brazil several years ago nearly 

 all the bees died from this cause. In Entomological journals are reported fatal 

 epizootics of leaf lice, of grasshoppers, of the cabbage butterfly and of the currant 

 worm, both imported here only a tew years ago, and both very obnoxious. 



Considering those facts, which are doubtless true, and considering the easy way in 

 which the poisonous fungus can always and everywhere be procured and adhibited, I 

 believe that I should be justified in proposing to make a trial of it against insect calami- 

 ties. Nature uses always to attain its purposes the most simple and the most effectual 

 ways ; therefore it is always the safest way to follow nature. 



Beer mash or diluted yeast should be applied either with a syringe or with a 

 sprinkler ; and the fact that infested insects poison others with which they come in con- 

 tact will be a great help. Of course it will be impossible to destroy all insects, but a 

 certain limit to calamities conld be attained, aud I think that is all that could reasonably 

 be expected. In greenhouses the result would probably justify very well a trial, and on 

 curraut worms aud potato bugs the experiment would not be a difficult one, as the larvae 

 of both insects live upon the leaves, which can easily be sprinkled. But it seems to me 

 more important to make the trial with the Colorado grasshopper. I should I'ecommend 

 to infest the newly-hatched brood, which live always together in great numbers, and I 

 should recommend also to bring the poison, if possible, in contact with the eggs in the 

 egg-holes, to arrive at the same results, which were so fatal to Mr. Trouvelot's silk-rais- 

 ing. After all, the remedy proposed is very cheap, is everywhere to be had or easily to 

 be prepared, has the great advantage of not being obnoxious to man or domestic animals, 

 and if successful would be really a benefit to mankind. Nevertheless, I should not be 

 astonished at all if the first trial with this remedy would not be very successful, even a 

 failure. The quantity to be applied and the manner of the application can only he known 

 by experiment, but I am sure that it will not be difficult to find out the right method. I 

 myself have more confidence in the proposed remedy, since it is neither an hypothesis 

 nor a guess-work, but simply the application of true and well-observed facts. I hear the 

 questiou^ — When all this has been known for so long a time, why was it not used long 

 ago ? But is that not true for many, not to say for all, discoveries ? Most of them are 

 like the famous Columbus egg. 



A SUCCESSFUL MOTH-TRAP. 



BY O. 



Many attempts have been made to devise something by means of which to capture 

 the Noctuidae, but the results have been usually so meagre that the contrivances have 

 been abandoned in disgust. I have been using a contrivance this season which will 



