94 CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS. 



ground probably produce moths as readily as those remaining in 

 cocoons, on account of the peculiar climatic conditions that prevail 

 and the almost total absence of moisture in the soil. 



REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



A series of questions addressed to a number of the prominent resi- 

 dents and ranch owners living in the infested territory was sent out 

 in the form of a circular letter during the summer of 1909. An effort 

 was made in this way to ascertain, if possible, the year when the 

 range caterpillar was first observed, the amount and extent of injury 

 resulting from its outbreak, and the remedies, if any, that had sug- 

 gested themselves to those most interested in destroying the pest. 

 The replies to the first two queries were so contradictory and vague 

 that little was learned. Regarding remedies, the majority of the 

 writers had nothing to propose. A few thought it possible that some 

 insect might be introduced that could control or do away with the 

 pest, but the remedy that appealed to most of those who had studied 

 conditions was that of burning. 



BURNING THE RANGE. 



At the beginning of the outbreak, especially if the insect origi- 

 nated from one common center — a fact that may be open to serious 

 question — concerted action in the matter of burning over the in- 

 fested area might have succeeded in banishing the pest from the 

 region. At the present time, however, burning the range would be 

 only a temporary and local expedient. It must be borne in mind 

 that where the infestation is the most severe there is usually insuffi- 

 cient grass remaining to support a running fire. The small value of 

 the range per acre for pasturage would hardly warrant, except in 

 the direst necessity, the expenditure of funds sufficient to make 

 sure of reaching every part by fire. 



An experiment in this line was tried in the spring of 1909 and a 

 large area in a wild pasture near Koehler was burned over. Within 

 this burned area, later in the season, the number of caterpillars 

 equaled those on the surrounding unburned parts of. the same pas- 

 ture. Either multitudes of the eggs escaped the heat of the fire or 

 the caterpillars spread over the burned district from the unburned 

 portions nearest at hand. A hailstorm that swept over part of this 

 same pasture in June, 1909, failed to kill more than a few of the 

 millions of worms that were feeding in its path. 



In view of the fact that the infested territory at present extends 

 over 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 acres or more, it will be seen that fire 

 as an agent of destruction could be only local and palliative, for the 



