THE CRANBERRY 8PAX-W0BM. 27 



cranberry twig, and their habit of clasping the twig with their anal legs 

 or claspers and stretching out from it perfectly straight and motionless, 

 they are very often overlooked, and it is not until they become very 

 numerous that they attract attention. Usually they are checked by 

 parasites, which prey upon them, but in some spot, almost every year, 

 they become numerous enough to be destructive. This year it was a 

 bog at Cotuit under the charge of Capt. S. Ames. On August 9, in his 

 company, I visited this bog. Xo sooner did we come in sight of it than 

 the space covered by the insects was seen. Elsewhere of a deep, rich 

 green, where they were working everything was of a bare, yellow brown- 

 Beaching the bog I found where these insects were working that abso- 

 lutely every green thing had been eaten up; not a leaf, not a bud re- 

 mained ; even the soft terminal shoots had been eaten off and only the 

 hard, dry twigs remained. At first I could see no larva?, but on closer 

 examination I found that what I had taken as bare twigs sticking out 

 were really larva^ ; a dozen of them were sometimes found on a single 

 spray, and not a spray escaped. Captain Ames says they started from 

 a place about a rod square, ate that all up, spread out a little, and then 

 started in a direct line across the bog. At this time they had nearly 

 completed their journey, and were about full-grown. Reaching what 

 might be called the head of the army, every spray was found loaded 

 with larvae; yet so deceptive whs their appearance that it was at first 

 impossible to realize their vast number. A small fire was built in that 

 portion of the bog just passed over, the wind carrying the smoke through 

 the advance guard of the host. In a moment everything was in motion ; 

 the very plants seemed alive from the host of larvae crawling amoug them. 

 The only thing at all comparable to it which I had witnessed is the 

 march of the army worm. Going back over the eaten portion, almost 

 everywhere I chose to dig, pupa 1 were found about an inch beneath the 

 surface. The number of moths that would be produced should these 

 pupae all transform would be frightful. Luckily, the larva seems sub- 

 ject to attacks of parasites, and while I did not myself succeed in raising 

 these parasites, a lot of larvae sent to the Department to be raised may 

 have done better. 



REMEDIES. 



Where these insects cover an entire bog nothing in the way of a crop 

 can be hoped for, and the best thing that can be done is to tiow the bog. 

 Where they cover but a part of the bog. or where it cannot be flowed, 

 Paris green should be used, preferably mixed with rye lour, and it should 

 be liberally applied. No danger can result, because no crop can be 

 picked off the portion attacked by them. It they are noticed when they 

 first begin to work, and cover but a small space, kerosene prepared and 

 used as suggested for the Anchylopeha is preferable. Being open feed- 

 ers there is no difficulty in reaching them, and the action will be rapid 

 ami certain. Instead of Paris green, pyrethrum may be used: it is 



