STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 19 



aid in the work of destniction. 2. Search the trees carefully 

 during the season when they are bare, for the clusters of eggs, 

 and when found cut them off and burn them. Do not be satisfied 

 with anything short of burning. 3. As soon as any tents are 

 observed in the orchard they should be destroyed, which may be 

 readily and effectually done by ascending the trees, and with the 

 band protected by a mitten or glove seize the tent and crush it 

 with its entire contents. This may seem rather undesirable work, 

 and it must be acknowledged that one feels better after it is done 

 than while doing it, yet this is an effectual mode. It should be 

 observed, however, that since the caterpillars are quite regular in 

 taking their meals in the middle of the forenoon and afternoon, 

 their tents should be destroyed only in the morning or evening, or 

 possibly in the middle of the day, when the caterpillars are all in 

 the tent, though if my experiments upon them in confinement are 

 to be trusted, I cannot recommend the middle of the day as there 

 may be many stragglers away from the tent if the weather is warm 

 and clear. Every tent, wherever found, whether on orchard or 

 forest trees, should be destroyed. It should be remembered that 

 this insect is a native American, and before the general introduc- 

 tion of the apple it probably fed, as it frequently does now, upon 

 the wild black cherry {Primus Serotina, Ehr.^, which it is said to 

 prefer, also on the wild red cherry ( Prunus Pennsylvanica, L.), the 

 choke-cherry (Prunus Virginiana, h.), the shadbush ( Amelanchier 

 Canadensis, T. and G.), and doubtless upon other species of the 

 same family, but I have observed them upon the above named, 

 species in the forest. 



The next insect to which I call your attention is the Forest tent 

 caterpillar ( Clisiocampa sylvaiica, Harris^. This insect which has 

 been so destructive in some parts of the State, not only to fruit 

 trees, but al«o to many trees of the forest during the past two 

 years, is very closely related to the common tent caterpillar which. 

 I have just described, differing from it only in species. Yonr 

 President sent me specimens of this caterpillar last summer, 

 which fed awhile in confinement, and finally spun their cocoons 

 and went into the pupa state, some of them during the last days 

 in June and the first of July, the last of the lot on the 4th of 

 July ; and as I have raised these insects each year ior several 

 years, and they have invariably gone into the pupa state at about 

 that time, we may conclude without much doubt that in this State 

 they stop feeding and go into the pupa state during the last of 



