ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 79 



Moth, uot forgetting your own troubles with the Gipsy Moth 

 which you are so heroically fighting, under so able a general as 

 Professor C. H. Fernald, and the great lesson you are learning of 

 the necessity of the same concerted action in this as would be 

 demanded in case of a terrible epidemic scourge. 



The Wood Leopard Moth was probably introduced here about 

 twelve or fifteen years ago, and since then it has grown in strength 

 of numbers though not in public favor. The glamour of rare 

 specimens of the moth in entomological collections, has passed its 

 incipient stage, and we are actually in the midst of a fearful 

 warfare. The enemy has already worsted us in many sections 

 around the city, and I am sorry I cannot say that we are able to 

 impede its progress, or that we have hope that it may be stamped 

 out. I cannot say how soon you also will have to take up arms 

 against this destructive foe, for I must confess to you that it is 

 marching on, despite the efforts we in New York City are putting 

 forth, and must eventually reach your vegetation also. It has 

 already spread into parts of New Jersey aud Long Island, and is 

 steadily marching northward. This moth has already appropriated 

 as congenial food, over one hundred species of trees aud shrubs, 

 and so far the evergreens or conifers seem to be the onlj' ones 

 exempt. The larva of this moth is able to amputate tree- trunks 

 that are six or seven inches in diameter, by cutting a burrow 

 around the trunk, which so weakens it that a strong wind is sure 

 to break it off. Our elms and maples seem to be their favorite 

 food, and thus far have suffered most. Our treatment for the 

 destruction of this insect is to collect all affected limbs and destroy 

 the larvae we find in them. All limbs that are broken are taken 

 down and destroyed by fire after we have removed and killed all 

 the larvae we can find. All the smaller trees of the parks are 

 examined carefully, and when a burrow is found bisulphuret of 

 carbon is injected into it and the burrow closed Avith putty or 

 soap. We often find as many as a dozen or more borers, in the 

 trunk and branches of a small elm or maple from four to six 

 inches in diameter, aud these are easily treated with the 

 bisulphuret of carbon, which is sure death to any living thing in 

 the burrow. I have also found it a most effectual remedy for the 

 Apple Tree Borer, aud all borers of fruit trees where the burrows 

 can be found ; they are often very prominently marked by the 

 frass these borers eject from their burrows. Take a common oil 



