AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 



H3 



last, generally result in much greater damage. The life-history 

 of both species is quite similar, the chief difference being that 

 the eggs of the forest caterpillars have no protective covering, 

 and that for most of their lives these make no protecting tent, 

 feeding in colonies, however, and crowding together when not 

 eating. Spraying witii Paris green when the caterpillars are 

 young is, perhaps, the best general remedy, although, of 

 course, this is impracticable in many cases on forest lands. 



There is generally a noticeable difference between the co- 

 coons of the forest tent caterpillars and the common species, 

 the first named having a great deal of loose silk around the out- 

 side of the cocoon when it is not spun within the shelter of a 

 leaf. It seems, how- 

 ever, that a leaf is 

 generally used as the 

 outer covering when 

 the insects are nu- 

 merous on forest 

 trees. A m a p 1 e 

 grove of several 



acres at Jt^fferSOn, Fig. 6. Cocoon of Forest Tent Caterpillar. Natural 

 New Hampshire, Size. (Original.) 



was stripped of its foliage by these caterpillars, the cocoons be- 

 ing made by sewing the leaves together as represented in Fig. 6. 

 The specimen from which the drawing was made was sent me 

 through the courtesy of Mr. Samuel D. Davis. This forest 

 tent caterpillar has seldom been destructive in New Hampshire 

 heretofore. We are trying to learn its full life-histor}'' and 

 hope to issue a bulletin concerning it next season. 



The Canker Worm, which was discussed at some length in 

 Bulletin 44, issued by this station last April, has continued to 

 do damage to orchards in certain localities, but in regions 

 where the pests were destroyed by spraying in 1895 or 1896 

 the outbreak appears to have been satisfactorily checked. 

 Specimens of the fall canker worm moth^ were sent to me from 

 Hanover, November 3, 1S97, with the statement that they had 

 " been very common for the last few days, flying into the halls 

 in the evening, apparently attracted by the electric lights." 



* Anisopteryx pometaria. 



