l62 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1904. 



provisional care that can be done to guard the State against these 

 twin pests should be neglected. 



"The gradual spread of the gypsy moth up to the caterpillar 

 plague of 1888-89 i s a matter of record. Equally well known is 

 the work of the gypsy moth committee of the Massachusetts 

 Board of Agriculture, which finally succeeded in reducing the 

 numbers of the insect to a minimum and thoroughly controlling 

 the pest. Since the abandonment of the state work in the early 

 part of the year 1900, the moth has had ample opportunity to 

 increase to a point where it is to-day more numerous, and 

 occupying a larger area in this state, than ever before. 



"Both the gypsy and brown-tail moths can be controlled by a 

 thorough campaign over the infested municipalities. The work 

 of the former gypsy moth committee has shown that the damage 

 and annoyance from these pests can be practically eliminated by 

 the application of thorough remedial measures over the entire 

 infested districts. It is greatly to be hoped that some effort to 

 systematically control the spread of these pests may be insti- 

 tuted to the end that property owners may be spared the annual 

 visitation of the caterpillar scourge." * 



Orchard Caterpillars in Wild Cherry. 

 In March, 1904, a wild cherry growth, just outside the district 

 infested by the brown-tail moth, presented such strong evidence 

 of being a common caterpillar breeding place that during the 

 summer a few observations were made to ascertain something 

 of the orchard pests there and whether the brown-tail moths 

 would let another season go by without being enticed by this 

 attractive caterpillar commonwealth. Among the insects found 

 there, only those of importance are mentioned ; and, as most of 

 these are fully described in Apple Insects of Maine, f the general 

 discussion is not here repeated. 



orchard tent caterpillar and forest tent caterpillar. 



Clisiocampa americana and Clisiocampa disstria. 



Both these caterpillars are present. In wild growths they are 

 commonly held in check by birds, parasites and disease. Some- 

 times their ravages are serious for a season or two, and a watch 



* Mass. Crop Report, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 32 and 40. 

 f Me. Agr. Exp. Sta., Bui. No. 56. 



