INJURIES IN THE OLD WORLD. 



281 



of oak, linden and beech in the province of Kazan, but sub- 

 sequently these trees put out a new set of leaves. 



The late V. E. Grafl' reported that the oak suffered greatly 

 in the province of Yekaterin. In 1856, the gypsy moth was 

 observed in great abundance in the province of Riazan. In 

 1857, the forests near the province of Tambov were visited 

 by vast masses of these caterpillars. The trunks of the wild 

 apple and cherry trees were wrapped about with a felt-like 

 substance formed by the covering of the eggs. During 1863, 

 these caterpillars were seen in vast numbers on the oak in 

 various forests in the province of Kazan. Here, as stated 

 by Tideman, the trees injured most were the oak, Knden, 

 maple, elm and birch, while the mountain-ash and hazel-nut 

 did not suffer so much. In 1867, the caterpillars were seen 

 in other districts, and in 1868, their numbers became fidght- 

 ful to contemplate throughout the whole province of Kazan. 

 In 1867 to 1869, the gypsy moth caterpillars were very de- 

 structive in the province of Samara, and Rudzky states that 

 they were very abundant at the same time in all parts of the 

 province of Penza. During June, 1867, all the trees on 

 many estates were entirely stripped of their leaves, and the 

 forests in many cases to the extent of several hundred des- 

 satines * appeared as they do in the winter. 'Xh.e catei-pillars 

 seemed to prefer the oak and linden, but after defoliating 

 these they attacked other trees and shrubs, and finally de- 

 stroyed the grass. In the forests near the city of Penza the 

 dead caterpillars formed such putrid masses that the police 

 were obliged to take measures to destroy the decaying heaps. 

 An incalculable quantity of eggs were laid on the trunks of 

 both deciduous and evergreen trees. In 1869 and 1871, the 

 gypsy moth caterpillars appeared in great quantities in the 

 Kupiansk district of the province of Kharkov. 



In more recent times, 1879-80, these caterpillars multiplied 

 in frightful numbers and spread ov^er an immense territory, 

 beginning in the province of Kiev and Poltava and extend- 

 ing through Kharkov, Voronezh, Tambov, Saratov, Sim- 

 beersk into Kazan, f Owing to defective reports concerning 



* One dessatine is equal to 2.86 acres. 



t A territory about equal to all our Atlantic States, and in nearly the same lati- 

 tude as Labrador. 



