272 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 



inches and three eighths or more. Sometimes, though rarely, 

 male moths occur with the fore wings ash-colored or dusky. 

 Professor Peck called this moth pseuderminea, that is, false 

 ermine, and this name was adopted by me in my communica- 

 tion to the " Agricultural Society." Professor Peck's name, 

 however, cannot be retained, inasmuch as the insect had been 

 previously named and described. Drury, the first describer of 

 the moth, called the male Caprotina, and the female Acrea* 

 supposing them to be different species; but the latter name 

 alone has been retained for this species by most naturalists. 



In order to lessen the ravages of the salt-marsh caterpillars, 

 and to secure a fair crop of hay when these insects abound, 

 the marshes should be mowed early in July, at which time the 

 caterpillars are small and feeble, and being unable to wander 

 far, will die before the crop is gathered in. In defence of early 

 mowing, it may be said that it is the only way by which the 

 grass may be saved in those meadows where the caterpillars 

 have multiplied to any extent; and, if the practice is followed 

 generally, and continued during several years in succession, it 

 will do much towards exterminating these destructive insects. 

 By the practice of late mowing, where the caterpillars abound, 

 a great loss in the crop will be sustained, immense numbers of 

 caterpillars and grasshoppers will be left to grow to maturity 

 and disperse upon the uplands, by which means the evil will 

 go on increasing from year to year; or they will be brought in 

 with the hay to perish in our barns and stacks, where their 

 dead bodies will prove offensive to the cattle, and occasion a 

 waste of fodder. To get rid of "the old fog" or stubble, which 

 becomes much thicker and longer in consequence of early 

 mowing, the marshes should be burnt over in March. The 

 roots of the grass will not be injured by burning the stubble, 

 on the contrary they will be fertilized by the ashes; while 

 great numbers of young grasshoppers, cocoons of caterpillars, 

 and various kinds of destructive insects, with their eggs, con- 

 cealed in the stubble, will be destroyed by the fire. In the 

 Province of New Brunswick, the benefit arising from burning 



* The proper orthography is Acreea. 



