104 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE APPLE. 



specimens they are tinged with purplish red, and in some the 

 dots are faint or entirely wanting. They rest with their long, 

 narrow wings folded together and laid fiat upon their backs. 



Remedies. — Showering the trees with whale-oil soap and 

 water has been recommended, but the use of Paris-green and 

 water, as directed for No. 35, would prove more effectual ; the 

 water would dislodge many of the larvae, and the remainder 

 would be destroyed by eating the poisoned leaves. 



In the year 1791 the orchards and forests of New England 

 were overrun with this larva, and many of the trees perished. 

 It was at that time that the insect received the popular name 

 of Palmer-worm, which it has ever since retained. Another 

 remarkable visitation occurred in 1853, which extended all 

 over the Eastern States, and also over the eastern part of the 

 State of New York. It was first observed about the middle 

 of June, and so rapid was the destruction it occasioned that 

 in a few days it was everywhere the leading topic of conver- 

 sation and was generally regarded as a new and unknown 

 insect. The trees attacked assumed a brown and withered 

 appearance, looking as though they had been scorched by 

 fire. Apple-trees and oaks suffered most, but nearly all other 

 trees and shrubs were more or less injured. The weather was 

 dry and hot previous to and during this period, but on the 

 20th of June copious rains fell, when the worms suddenly 

 disappeared, the rain doubtless dislodging them, and perhaps 

 drowning a large number of them. The fruit-crop in those 

 sections that year was almost destroyed, from the trees losing 

 their leaves by this insect. The following year they were 

 quite scarce, and since then they have not appeared in such 

 alarming numbers. 



There are two other insects found on the apple-leaves re- 

 sembling the Palmer-worm, and having similar habits, which 

 are described by Dr. Asa Fitch as distinct, but which are 

 probably varieties only of the common Palmer- worm. One 

 of these is described as "the comrade Palmer-worm, Choeto- 

 chilus contubernalellusJ' The larva of this is found in com- 



