n 



canker-worm when left to themselves, but, fortunately for mankind, more easily headed 



Cutworms, as most of our readers are., no doubt, well aware, are those dirty, 

 greasy -looking caterpillars that are such a plague to gardeners in spring and early sum- 

 mer, from their habit of cutting off at night close to the surface of the ground, the young 

 cauliflower, cabbage and tomato plants, early peas, many flowers, such as stocks, bal- 

 sams, etc., and, in fact, almost any tender young plant. There are a large number of 

 species of these insects, all pretty much alike in their larval or caterpillar state. They 

 turn into those common, dull brown and greyish moths that are so numerous in summer 

 evenings about one's lamp or candle, and which may often be found hiding in the morning 

 about the shutters or in the crevices of the windows. The plan recommended above, in 

 Mr. Cochran's observations, is probably the simplest and most efficacious for keeping 

 them off our apple and other fruit trees ; much might be done also by jarring off and 

 destroying the worms at night. Any one desiring full particulars, with descriptions, of 

 these insects and the moths into which they turn, will find an elaborate account in 

 Mr. Riley's First Report on the Noxious Insects of Missouri. 



10 and 11. Tent Caterpillars. — (Clisiocampa Americana, Harris, and C. Sylvatica, 

 Harris.) Though we are enumerating a large number of insects injurious to the apple-tree 

 in their respective ways, there are four kinds that stand out above all the rest in the extent 

 of their ravages and in the wideness of their distribution. These are the two borers in the 

 trunk ; the bark lice on the branches \ the tent caterpillars, which we have now come to, 

 on the leaves ; and the codling- worms in the fruit. Of these four kinds of insects, the 

 Tent- caterpillars are the most conspicuous in their work of destruction, and probably the 

 best known to people in general. They belong to two different species, called the Amer- 

 ican and the Forest Tent- caterpillars ; the former especially attacks the apple, though 

 occasionally it is found upon plum, cherry and pear tree3, and more frequently upon the 

 wild cherry ; the latter, as its name implies, is more addicted to the foliage of forest trees., 

 but of late years it has proved very injurious to that of the apple as well. 



The accompanying illustrations will enable the reader to distinguish between these, 

 two caterpillars whenever he meets with them. 



off. 



Fig. 18. 



Fig. 18 represents the American 35% 19 - 

 Tent-caterpiilar, (a) side view, (b) 



Colors— (a and b) black, white, blue and rufous, 

 (c) yellowish gray, (d) yellow. 



u same degree of warmth that causes the apple 

 ' buds to swell and open out, hatches the little 

 larvse in the eggs ; and they are thus enabled 

 at once to find a supply of soft food suited to 

 their tender powers of mastication and diges- 



