381 



been the steam and electric exhauster, the invention of a Socialist, an 

 illustration of which was shown. It consists of a 28-inch iron pipe, car- 

 ried up between four trees above their tops, carrying a horizontally re- 

 volving funnel 52 inches diameter, in the center of which au electric 

 lamp with reflector is placed for the purpose of attracting the moths. 

 At the bottom of the pipe a locomobile creates a draft to suck down the 

 insects. Since one of these machines costs about ^8,000 aud the work- 

 ing of one sample machine $1,500, and the result being unsatisfactory, 

 it is not likely to become useful. Zinc lights, costing 40 cents and burn- 

 ing one-quarter hour, were found too expensive. With 24 lights in two 

 hours from 10,000 to 15,000 moths were gathered at each shield, and 

 such a light in not too dense forest is effective for about 1,000 feet cir- 

 cumference. In the beginning of the flight the eftect even of common 

 fires was satisfactory ; many fires, of course, being superior in effect 

 to one strong source of light. The following record of one night may 

 be of interest : 



Remarks. 



Lighting of fires. Light west breeze. No flight observed. 



Light rain. A few moths. 



Flight more numerous, especially females. 



Increased flight, like snowstorm. Very many females. Wind changing 



to south. .,, 



Flight suddenly increased from east and northeast; more males, yet still 



many females. 

 Increase ot males. ■ • i 



Most of the moths come against the wind through the smoke ; only single 



ones with the wind and more from above. 

 Very great increase from northeast ; 40 per cent, ftmales. 



Almost entirely stopped. Suddenly a new flock, like snow, from north- 

 east ; almost all male. 

 Flight increasing, although fire low ; almost all males. 

 Sudden squall of rain ; fire out. 



The only really effective remedy so far found against this, as well as 

 a number of other insects, like Ocneria dispar, ChcimatoMa hrumata^ 

 etc., is the " insect lime," and in this particular case the " lime band." 

 For Ocneria dispar, the Gypsy moth, the use of the " lime " applied to 

 the egg patches has been found of great effect. The " banding" con- 

 sists in smoothing the bark breast high around the trunk, if necessary, 

 and spreading over the smooth surface a baud of specially pre- 

 pared glue, about 2 inches broad and one- fourth of an inch thick. 

 This work is done from May to June, and the period of its utility is 

 passed by middle of July. At the same time all underbrush which may 

 serve as food to the descending caterpillar is removed, and the result is 

 starvation of the larvae. The object of the lime band is not to catch the 

 larva, as is currently believed, but to prevent its ascent. While the use 

 of tar dates back to the beginning of this century, or earlier, and was 

 practiced in the forest against the " :N^un" {Liparis monacha) in 1834, 

 and is now regularly employed agaiust Gastropacha pini, its advan- 

 tages against the former insect are only now fully recognized, and the 



