mo 



iVEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 18, 1828. 



NEW ENGLAN D FARM ER. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1828. 



CANKER WORMS. 



We shall not attempt to give either a descrip- 

 tion or the natural history of the canker worm, 

 but reler to Professor Peck's Memoir on the sub- 

 ject; [which was originally published in the Mas- 

 sachusetts Agricultural Repository — and repub- 

 lished in the New England Farmer, Vol. v. page 

 393], and direct our attention, exclusively, to the 

 remedies, which have been used, or suggested to 

 preserve fruit trees from this formidable enemy. 



The female of this insect, comes out of the 

 ground late in the fall, early in the spring, or 

 sometimes, during a period of mild open weather, 

 in wmter. Tliose which rise in autumn or in 

 winter are less numerous than those which ascend 

 in spring ; but being very prolific, they do much 

 injury. One method of preventing the ravages of 



ved, or bent downwards, they might present ob- j The remedies proposed by Professor Peck, were 

 stacles, which the worms could not pass, even if list. Turning up the ground carefullv in October, 

 no tar was applied. We fear that this method as far as the branches of a tree extend — to half a 

 would prove too expensive for general adoption — spade's depth, or five inches, so as completely to 

 but would solicit further information on this sub- invert the surface. A great number of chrysolids 

 ject from those who have a practical knowledge would thus be e.-cposed to the air and sun, and of 

 of it^ application and results. course destroyed. 2d. Breaking the clods and 



Fourlh, Another method, proposed by Dr. Jere- ! smoothing the surface with a rake, aiid passing a 

 miah Spofibrd, of Bradford, Mass. is to spread \ heavy roller over it, so as to make it very hard 

 Mercural Ointment CL'^Hg!Kn/u)H //!/rfrari/gr?J upon I and without cracks. Ingress grounds the sods 

 strips of woollen cloth, or narrow lists. such as are, should be turned with the grass side down, and 

 cut from the edges of broadcloth, and apply them placed side by side so as to be rolled. The win- 

 closely round the trees, having first made the bark ter's frosts would heave and crack a smooth sur- 

 smooth, where it is not so, that none of the grubs, face, but it might be smoothed and hardened by 

 or females that deposit the eggs, from which the : the roller, or by other means in March, with much 

 worms are produced, may pass under the band or less trouble, time, and expense than rolling re- 

 strip, which contains the ointment. Dr. SpofTord quires. As lime, when slacked is roduced to an 

 ol»serves, "that the advantages of using the un- impalpable powder and is thus well adapted to 

 guentum over any mode in common use are ob- dose the opening in the surface, Mr P. was in- 

 vious. While tar requires to be renewed every clined to think its good eflfects are produced this 

 night, that it may catch and hold the grub, mere- ; way as well as by its caustic qualities, 

 ly by its tenacity, this mode requires preparing, John Kcnrick, Esq. of Newton, Mass. proposed, 



the worm is to bar the ascent of the females up 



the stem ol the tree. This has generally been at i but once a year, and will be growing stronger for between the time in June after the worms had 



tempted by tarring, of which there are several I a long time, by an increased oxydation of the mer- disappeared and the 2lHh of October to take the 



modifications. 



First, A strip of linen or canvass is put round 

 the body of the tree, before the females begin 



cury, when exposed to the air." j whole of the soil surrounding- the i rees, to the e.'£- 



The Massachusetts Agricultural Repos. Vol. iii. itent at least of four feet from the trunk, and to a 



No. 4, contains some remarks on the cankerworm, : suitable depth and cart it away to a distance from 

 their ascent, and well smeared with tar. The in- j by the Hon. John Lowell, president of the Mas- 1 any trees, which the canker worms are in the 

 sects, in attempting to pass this barrier, stick fast ! sachusetts Agricultural Society, from which the i habit of feeding on; and returning an equal 



quantity of compost or rich earth intermixed with 

 manure. 



A writer for the New England Farmer, Vol. iii. 

 page 327, states a case of an orchard having been 

 preserved from the canker worm, by means of a 

 large number of locust trees, equal to about dou- 



and perish. But this process, to complete the de- , following i? extracted : — 



sired effect, must be commenced about the first of; "I had the turf dug in around sixty apple trees, 



'November, and thp tarring continued, [when the and the earth laid smooth. I then took three 



weather is mild enough to permit the worms to hogsheads of e/Te/f, or air slacked lime, and strew- 



smergo from the ground,] till the latter end of ed it an inch thick round my trees, to the extent 



May, or till the time of their ascent is past. It is i of two or three feet from the roots, so that the 



necessary to fill the crevices in the bark with clay : whole diameter of the opening was four to six I fale the number of apple trees 



or mortar, before the strip of linen or canvass is j feet. I tarred these trees as well as the others, I Mr. Roland How ard, of Easton, Mass. observes, 



put on, that the insects may not pass under it. — .and although I had worms or grubs on most that.'that "a quantity of lime was collected from the 



Having put on the strip, which should be at least I were not limed, I did not catch a single grub sweepings of a lime store and s; read on the 



three inches wide, draw it close, fasten the ends ! where the tiees were limed. I ground around a certain apple tree, some time in 



together strongly, then tie a thumb rope of tow I "I do not speak with confidence. I am, however, ' the month of November, (the foliage of which had 



round the tree, close to the lower edge of the ' strongly encouraged to believe the remedy per- ; been destroyed by the canker worm the preceding 



strip. The design of this, is to prevent the tar feet. It was ascertained by Professor Peck, that i summer) the ground being in a pulverized state, 



from running down the' bark of the tree, which the insect seldom descended into the ground at a the lime was spread as far from the trunk of the 



would injure it. It should be renewed, in moder- 1 greater distance than three or four feet from the tree as the drippings from the branches extended, 



ate weather, once a day, without fail. The best [trunk, and to the depth of four inches, or that The effect was stated to be t: e entire disappear- 



time is soon after sun-set, because the insects are ' the greater part come within that distance. The ance of the worm and an increased vigor of the 



wont to pass up in the evening, and the tar will i lime is known to be destructive of all animal sub- tree." The same writer observes, that "moving 



not harden so much in the night as in the day. 



Second, Another mode of tarring, is to take two 

 wide pieces of board, plane them, make semi-cir- 

 cular notches in each, fitting them to the stem or 

 body of the tree ; and fasten them together at the 

 ends, so that the most violent storms may not dis- 

 place thein. The crevices betwixt the boards and 

 the tree may be easily stopped with rags or tow ; 

 then smear the underside of the boards with tar. 

 The tar being defended from the direct rays of 

 the sun, will hold its tenacity the longer — and 

 therefore need not be frequently renewed. The 

 trees, in this way, will be less liable to be injured 

 by the drippings of tar, by leaving a margin of 

 two or three inches, on those parts of the boards 

 which are next to the trees, to which no tar is 

 applied. 



Third, Another mode of blockading the paths 

 of the insects, in their ascent up tho frees, is to 

 inclose them with collars, or circular slips of tin. 

 Of this method, we huvo seen some notices, but 

 no description. We presume, however, that the 

 pieces of tin are shaped and fitted to the trees, 

 somewhat like the boards above mentioned ; and, 



perhaps, if the outer rims of the collars were cur- disappoints the farmer." 



stances ; and I have little doubt that it actually the earth with a plough or hoe late in November, 

 decomposes and destroys the insect in the chrys- or beginning of December, has been found very 

 alls state, at least I hope that this is the case. , efBcacious in destroying them." This last men- 



"There are many reasons, which should en- ] tioned remedy, if it always proves efficient, will 

 courage a repetition of this experiment. The ' probably be the cheapest and most expedient. — 

 digging round the trees is highly useful to them. But the worm must be capable of enduring a con- 

 while tarring is very injurious. The expense is siderable degree of cold,or unerring instinct would 

 not great — a man can dig round fifty trees in one not lead it from its dormitory in November, (as it 

 day. The lime is a most salutary manure to the frequently does) to brave the rigors of winter on 

 tree. After the spot has been once opened and the stem or branches of the tree. We are inclin- 

 limed the labor of keeping it open will not be i ed to believe, as well as to hope that the applica- 

 great. Three hogsheads of air slacked lime, or I tion of iime, as above stated, will prove effectual, 

 the sweepings of a lime store will suffice for fifty j and if so, it will propably be preferable to any 

 trees, and will cost three dollars. As it is done , mode of applying tar, or attacking the enemy 

 but once a year, 1 think it cannot be half so ex- [ above ground, 

 pensive as tarring. j When the insects have ascended, their numbers 



"I repeat it, that I mention my experiments ! may be lessened by jarring or shaking the body 

 with great diffidence, as being the first of my own 1 or limbs of tho tree causing them to suspend 

 knowledge. It may induce several persons to try | themselves by the threads, which they spin from 

 it in different places, and where trees are sur I their bodies, and striking them off with a stick. — 

 rounded with others, which are treated different- jit is said that those which thus fall to the earth. 

 ly. All I pray, is, that it may prove successful — do not rise again. Whether they would be able 

 and relieve us from this dreadful scourge, which i to resist the effects of a sprinkling with soap suds, 

 defaces our country, while it impoverishes and saline, or bitter infusions, &c. is more than wc 



I can say ; but wo wish their powers might be test- 



