378 



NEW ENGLAM) FARMER, 



June 18, 1830. 



pertinacity, that only yicl.U to .lirect v,ol..-nce or 

 tl.c caustic influence of a mineral or vegutablc 

 alkali,— to wliite wasli, or a solution of potash. II 

 there 18 a crack or otli-M- crevice in ll.c hranch, 

 produced l.y a cut, or wound, in any manner, I 

 ihat is chosen as a safe place of deposit ; but it is 

 rare that such exist. 



We are taught an adv.iiiiage in the use oil' tr- 

 syth's wash, and the s..lu.,on of potash, as recom- 

 mended by Mr Wheeler and the Messrs Winship, 

 other than cleansing the bark of the trees,— the 

 removal of the rcc-pwclcs for the eggs of the Can- 

 ker Worm. From a communicalioinn the .New 

 England Farmer, of the Ith inst, it appears that Mr 

 Wheeler has preserved his trees from those all-des- 

 troying insects, by the use of a solution of potash ; 

 but he did not state how the effect was produced, 

 which is now apparent ; it kept the bark clean and 

 smooth an.l the grubs found no proper place to de- 

 posit their eggs, and consequently none will be 

 laid on trees so managed, save by the autumnal 



colony. , 



The Canker Worms began to hatch out on the 

 trees, the 30lh of April ; and it is remarkable that 

 ihey came forth from the autumnal eggs and those 

 . laid" this spring, at the same time, which was as 

 soon as the leaves appoared. Tliey contume.l their 

 voracious career until the .5th of June, when they 

 commenced descending by their delicate threads, 

 perpendicularly from the leaf, where they ceased 

 to eat, and entered the earth. This they do in 

 the night, and if the evening is calm these 

 threads^nay be seen the next morning glistening i 

 in the sun, in infinite numbers, stretched m parallel 

 linei', from many points of eacli skeleton leaf, to 

 tlic earth. . ci 



Most of the worms left the trees during the &tli, 

 Olh, and 7th insts, an it was difficult to find ajiy on 

 the 8th 1 have -dug under several trees and 

 found great numbers, from an inch to three inches 

 below the surface. They had diminished in size, 

 but on exposure to the air, were active, and retain- 

 ed their peculiar spanlike mode of progress^ion. 

 From day to day, I have continued to dig them 

 up, to ascertain how soon they change into the 

 chrysalis Slate, but none have yet assumed this hy- 



bernal robe.* , . « u i 



When the insects began to ascend in March, 1 

 examined the grouii.l, under several trees, and took 

 out many in the chrysalis' state. They were about 

 the si/..' of a kernel of rye, and, in general, not 

 more than from two to three inches beneath the 

 surface. These I put into a wine-glass, with some 

 oirth, and the perfect insects came forth m a few 



days. • i„ 



It now remains to discover, some cheap, simple 

 and effectual mode of exterminating this scourge 

 of our gardens, orchards and groves. To accom- 

 plish thi.s, it is first necessary to determine in 

 what stage ami period of their many formed ex- 

 istcnce, it is to be best done. Is it that ol tlie 

 egg, the larvi.', the chrysalis, or the perfect insect. 

 "1 . From the manner in which the eggs arc deposi- 

 ted on the trees, they can only be removed by scrap- 

 ing the trunks, and every twig. This would not 

 only bc! laborious and expensive, but unccrlam, tor 

 Ihe eggs would be scattered on the ground by the 

 process and many would, no doubt, produce worms, 

 which might ascend into the trees. Much may 

 be done towanls preventing a deposit of eggs, by 

 a previous removal of the moss, in the manner l)C- 



"ThiTlarvii! had' all changed into the chry«ili» utaio 

 before the 14th iuiit. 



fore stated ; still when the trees arc numerous and 

 large the labor must be very great. 



2. The larvie, ivkite on tlu trees, it is difficult to 

 assail ; possibly they might be destroyed, by show- 

 eriug the trees with an alkaline solulioii, or .some 

 other. 1 have tried a fmiiigalion of tobacco and 

 sulphur, without the least beneficial effect ; and 

 have been (luile as unsuccessful in the applica- 

 tion of powdered lime and dry ashes, sifted over 



the trees. The fii.st de, if effectual, would not 



be adopted, as it would bc too expensive and re- 

 quire too much lime. I selected a plum tree, 

 standing issolate<l in cultivate<l ground, an.l by 

 shaking" and with a small stick cleared it of the 

 worms, and several liuii<lred fell up.m the earth 

 This I did, to ascertain, whether they would 

 again resume their stations, among the leaves, by 

 passing up the trunk of the tree, which it was al- 

 ledged they could not do, nfler thdr threads of sus- 

 pension were broken. lu less than an hour I re- 

 turned to the tree ; more than half had gained 

 the leaves, an.l the others were passing up the 

 trunk or approaching it ;— those on the gronnd 

 even at the greatest distance, were .lirecting their 

 course to the tree, each following a route, as on a 

 radius to a common centre of the circle, which 

 was as extensive as the longest limbs. To clear 

 the trees of the worms, in this manner, would be 

 .lifficult, and require many days, while it woul.l 

 be necessary to tar each tree, to prevent iheir 

 reascent. 



3. The larva-, when they first descend and enter 



Ike ground, might be killed by a plenliful iniga- 



I lion of scalding hot water ; or possibly, by cover- 



I ing the earth with a large quantity of lime or 



I ashes. This might be done to preserve young and 



small trees, but when they are large and the 



branches overshadow nearly all the ground, of the 



orchard, it appears forbidding. 



4. In the chrysalis state, the last named modes 

 might be effectual, but they are obviously objec- 

 tionable, for Ihe reasons which have been assigned. 



5. During all the changes from the egg to the 

 perfect insect, there is only one moment of time 

 when they can bc met at a single point, as in a d<^- 

 filc, and that is when they reach the trauk of the 

 tree, as perfect insects. 



The jierfect state of the insects is, then, the only 

 one ill which they can bc assailed with the most 

 certain prospect of succes.s, the least trouble and 

 expense. The plan of operations is evi.lent, but 

 the most efficient arms, and mode of application 

 are yet to be discovered. 



As larva; and in the chrysahs state they are scatter- 

 ed under the surface of the earth, and the iierfect 

 insect, the eggs and larva; are also dispersed over 

 the branch.'s of the trees ; but the in.iment they 

 assume the perfect state, th.y roiigrcffn/f at one 

 point ; there and then, are they to be checked an.l 

 destroyed. Whoever can devise a cheap, simple 

 an.l effectual mode of staying their progress at that 

 place an.l tim.-, will have merited the graliiu.le of 

 his country, for having .l.nie a service, at l.n.st as 

 useful and oriumm.lable as the conipieror of ur- 

 mics, if not as glorious. 



Hitherto I have seen nothing ci\\m\ to ihe belt 

 if tar, lor this purpose ; but that is not iMitir.-ly 

 .■iVcclual, bcsi.h'S r.ipiiring much labor nii.l that 

 to.), at tin; most changi'abl.; an.l iinpli;asaiii si'ason 

 of the year. It must be renewed every night, ami 

 even then, if the ilay has been very warm, or the 

 night ol.l or riiiiiy, the siirfaco becomes glazed 

 and affords a eufe jiassago to the enemy ; or if the 



weather is mil.l, a bridge is formed by the Iwdies 

 of the iToiit ranks, and the inaiQ column moves 

 on uninterruptedly. 



I used a barrel of tar and several gallons of 

 fish oil, which was nii.ved, most advaiiiageously 

 wilh the tar, to keep it fluid ; and for at least forty 

 du)», during la.st autumn, and tliis^ spring, one 

 man was employed, half of the time, to keep the 

 trees constantly tarred. No pains were spared, no 

 weather opposed the labor, but still, without per- i 

 feet success. • 



If a vessel could be forme.l, of some cheap ma- 

 terial, such as Danvers pottery ware, or sheet lead, 

 ill two part.s, in the form of semicircular troughs, 

 pla.;ed on the ground, and filleil with a liquid, i 

 which would not become hard and be impassible, ! 

 in all kinds of weather, it would answer the desired 

 purpose. Three or liiur sizes could be made, and 

 the space between the two siniicircular troughs 

 filled with lime, ashes or clay mortar, to prevent 

 the insects that might come out of the ground 

 within that area, from ascending, but it would be 

 so small as to aft'ord but a few if any,— especially, 

 if the earth was first removed, to the depth of three 

 or four inches. 



The two semicircular troughs could bc readily 

 forme.l on a mould, and made lo fit exactly, and 

 then be lute.l, with a cement, after they were 

 1 phice.l, so as to include the titiuk of the tree. 



A sheet lead vessel, or one of some other n»a- 

 terial, which could be secured to the trunk of tha> 

 tree, a few feet from the ground, and fille.l with a 

 liquid of the above named character, would b« 

 effectual ; but can either or any mode be rendered 

 sufficiently cheap, to warrant the hope of its gen- 

 eral adoption ? Our people are ingenious, and 

 famous for inventions, and it is confidently believ- 

 ed th^y will discover a contrivance that shall im ci 

 the ditliculties now encountered. Tar and i>il 

 oil, oil and spirits of turpentine, or spirits, iiiigli^ 

 answer to fill the troughs. The great desideralmi 

 is, to find out such a defence, that when adopted 

 nothing inor.' will be re.piired to be done for tli. 

 season, and thus prevent that daily labor and at 

 tention, now indispensibly necessary ; but to (K-r 

 feet this miniature species of engineering, seem 

 to demand a genius, as prolific in resources, to re 

 sist ihe desperate assaults of these insect armi' 

 as that of a Vauban, to protect the citadels of a 

 empire, against the chivalry of Europe. 



I have understood, that several experiments h;n 

 been ma.le this season, in Lynn, and some oiln 

 neighboring towns, to ascertain the effect of var 

 ous means, other than simph: tarring. It is ilf 

 sirable that tli.- gentlemen who have been tin 

 engaged sh.mld iiublish the results. 



It is possible that some obslrbclion, other tlia 

 li.piidsj may be aflixed to the tr<^es, which «i 

 answer the piirp.>se, but in the mean lime, an 

 until a beller melliod hiLS been invented, it is n 

 commended that the oUl fashionc.l pr.M-e.ss of/: 

 nag- be univei-sally ndhere.l to ; ami it is ll 

 bouiidin duty of every person, whose trees «i 

 infeste.l, to zealously apply this remedy, ami sm- 

 of the others, as are praclicalih- ; f.-r il avails h 

 little, f.irafrw lo a.l.>l>l them, when iheir in • 

 are surrounded by those ..f lli.ir neighbors, win 

 are left lo the umlislurbed ravages of the faiil- 

 Woniis. 



Ill i.i.l .if all .>thcr ni.ans to check the in.-n-a 

 of fanker W..rii.,s, as well as the ..ihir iimume 

 able tribes .d" insecl.-, the siiinll buds slioul.l I 

 protocte.l and eiicourageil, for nciirly their wh« 



