172 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Remedies. The simplest and most satisfactory remedy is found in 

 gathering and destroying the egg masses. As the eggs are in a compact 

 mass which is readily torn from the supporting cocoon, either by hand 

 or some form of a scraper, the task is easily and quickly performed. Dr 

 Howard has recommended the use of creosote oil for the destruction of 

 the eggs, since each mass has only to be moistened with the substance. 

 In winter it is necessary to add some turpentine in order to keep the 

 creosote liquid. On account of the female being wingless, a tree once 

 thoroughly cleaned will not become reinfested very soon if larvae are 

 not abundant nearby, and even then a band of loose cotton bound 

 tightly around the trunk will prevent their ascending and a consequent 

 reinfestation. It should be kept in mind that only the eggs must be 

 collected or destroyed, on account of the beneficial parasites which may 

 occur in cocoons not bearing egg masses. This is specially true in the 

 autumn and applies to a certain extent in the spring, since it has been 

 shown that some parasites hibernate as larvae within the cocoons of the 

 host, and if these are collected and destroyed, it means the death of 

 many beneficial forms. The egg masses are more readily seen after the 

 leaves have fallen and in localities like Albany, where one annual gen- 

 eration is the rule, the gathering of the eggs may well be deferred till 

 autumn. In the case of Boston, New York city and more southern 

 localities, it may be necessary to collect in midsummer those laid by the 

 first brood of moths. 



In case it is impracticable to collect the eggs, dependence must be 

 placed upon spraying with some arsenical compound. This is satisfac- 

 tory if properly done early in the season under favorable conditions. 

 In many instances there will be more or less delay and in practice it is 

 very difficult to have the spraying properly done, and then there may be 

 hindrances incident to several days or a week of rain at the time the 

 poison should be applied. 



Not a few wait till the trees show signs of serious injury and then 

 ask for some means of stopping the ravages. Resort may be had to 

 spraying with a larger proportion of poison in order to kill the larvae 

 quickly or they may be shaken from the limbs, provided the tree is not 

 too hirge. The latter means will give a certain amount of relief where 

 practicable and may be made more efiective by the use of cotton bands 

 to prevent the ascent of those shaken from the tree. 



