128 THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OP 



ARTIFICIAL REMEDIES. 



From the time they are born till after the third moult these worms 

 will drop and suspend themselves mid air, if the branch upon which 

 they are feeding be suddenly jarred. Therefore when they have been 

 allowed to multiply in an orchard this habit will suggest various 

 modes of destroying them. Again, as already stated, they can often 

 be slaughtered en masse when collected on the trunks during the last 

 moulting period. They will more generally be found on the leeward 

 side of the tree if the wind has been blowing in the same direction for 

 a few days. The cocoons may also be searched for, and many of the 

 moths caught by attracting them towards the light. But pre-eminently 

 the most effective artificial mode of preventing this insect's injuries 

 is to search for and destroy the egg-masses in the winter time when 

 the trees are leafless. Not only is this course the more efficient be- 

 cause it is more easily pursued, and nips the evil in the bud, but for 

 the reason that, in destroying the eggs only, we in a great measure 

 evade killing, and consequently co-operate with, the natural parasites 

 presently to be mentioned, which infest the worms themselves. A 

 pair of pruning shears attached to the end of a pole, and operated by 

 a cord, will be found very useful in clipping off the eggs ; or, as recom- 

 mended by Mr. Ferris, a more simple instrument may be made by 

 fastening a piece of an old scythe to a pole. If the scythe is kept 

 sharp, the twigs may very handily be clipped with this instrument. 

 Tarred bandages, or any of the many remedies used to prevent the 

 female Canker worm from ascending trees, can only be useful with 

 the Forest Tent-caterpillar when it is intended to temporarily protect 

 an uninfested tree from the straggling worms which may travel from 

 surrounding trees. 



NATURAL REMEDIES. 



It is always wise to cooperate, whenever we can, with our little 

 friends among the Bugs, and it is consequently very necessary to be 

 acquainted with them. It happens, fortunately, that we have several 

 which aid us in keeping the Tent-caterpillar of the Forest in check, 

 and in the natural forest we must trust entirely to these auxiliaries, 

 as the mechanical means that can profitably be employed in a moder- 

 ate sized orchard are impracticable in broad extents of timber. In- 

 deed, these cannibals and parasites do their work so effectually that 

 this caterpillar is seldom exceedingly numerous for more than two 

 successive years in one locality, It prevails suddenly in great num- 

 bers, and again is scarcely noticed for years, very much as is the case 

 with the true Army-worm. Thus, after attracting such general at- 

 tention in lSGTin many parts of the East, it has scarcely been noticed 

 since. This is its history everywhere, and we may reasonably hope 

 that in those parts of the West where it has been cutting such a figure 



