7ht RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1147 
An Outbreak of BSgworrtis 
Our troos aro infested with a worm 
that wraps itself in a leaf and eats every¬ 
thing off the trees and hushes that is 
green. It is a small black worm with a 
round head and yellow eyes. I think you 
call it a basket-worm. 1 tried to burn it 
off. but was not successful. MRS. A. m. 
West Brighton, N. Y. 
It is a matter of great interest to 
watch insects through a series of years, 
and note their ups and downs, and to 
determine if possible what the conditions 
are that keep them within bounds one 
season and put no curb at all on their 
increase and consequent ravages the nexi 
season. The common evergreen hag worm 
is prevalent in this country from South¬ 
eastern New York and Northern New 
Jersey south to the (Julf and west to 
Texas. In the more northern limits of 
its range, for example, on Staten Island, 
it is not apt to he a serious post, and 
generally it prefers evergreens, especially 
cedar and arbor vinca. It would appear, 
however, that this year for some reason 
it is running riot in some localities, at 
least, on Staten Island, and that it is at¬ 
tacking many trees and bushes and de¬ 
vouring all of the green parts of the host 
plants. One can only wonder why they 
are so abundant Ibis year. 
The bagworms are curious creatures, 
and have very interesting habits. The 
young caterpillars, as soon as they hatch 
from the eggs in the Spring, fashion a 
bag or ease out of bits of green bark and 
leaves, and for the rest of their lives each 
one lives within this bag and carries it 
wherever it goes. The manner in which 
the young caterpillar lays the founda¬ 
tion of its bag. gets inside of it. and con¬ 
tinues to build the case around itself, as 
it were, is interesting aud really marvel¬ 
ous. These youngsters do not need to be 
taught how to build their houses. Their 
instincts come into action at once and 
each tiny caterpillar works automatically. 
I suppose, but with all the dexterity with 
which the accumulated instinct aud prac¬ 
tice of multitudes of ancestors have en¬ 
dowed it. The practical question, how¬ 
ever, is how snail we get rid of this 
pesky bagworm. 
We shall have to call on our prosaic 
but cver-roady friend, arsenate of lead. 
Bagworms can be controlled very easily 
and effectively by spraying the infested 
plants with paste arsenate of lead. 2^6 
lbs. to 50 gallons of water (about 1 ox. to 
a gallon), or with the powdered form. 1 
lb. to 50 gallons of water. If desired, the 
powdered arsenate of lead may be ap¬ 
plied in the form of a dust. If the plants 
are dusted, if should be done in the early 
morning, while the (lew is on and the 
wind is still. In any ease the work 
should be done thoroughly, and all parts 
of the plant should be covered. 
c.i.kx \' w. imilUl K. 
Carpenter Ant Destroying House 
Timbers 
Could you tell me what to do to stop 
large black ants from eating the inside 
of a timber in a building? II. W. 
(iallatinville, N. Y. 
It will probably be difficult to get at 
the ants in the timber referred to. If 
the beam is accessible it may lx* possible 
eventually to destroy the ants and stop 
their working by squirting kerosene oil 
into the openings, and soaking the piece 
of timber with oil where the ants are 
seen to be present. 
I ant not sure whether this carpenter 
ant will eat a poison mixture or not. If 
it will, then 1 would suggest a mixture 
of tartar emetic one part and strained 
honey 20 parts. These materials should 
be thoroughly mixed together and a little 
of the mixture put in shallow saucers and 
set where the ants can g<*r it. If they 
take it aud carry it back to the nest to 
feed the young ants the whole colony 
will eventually be destroyed. Cse care 
about children and domestic animals, be¬ 
cause the mixture is poisonous. 
If both of these suggestions fail to be 
of value, then there will probably be 
nothing to do but to remove the timber 
and put in a new one. If the new timber 
could be creosoted before it is put in place 
the ants would probably never attack it 
again. uusxx w. iikrkick. 
Fill in this Coupon for 
your Free Copy of this 
Catalogue 
To MONTGOMERY WARD & CO. 
Dept. 64-H 
Chicago, Kansas City, Saint Paul, Fort Worth, 
Portland, Ore. 
(Mail this coupon to the house nearest you.) 
Please mai 1 me my free copy of Montgomery 
Ward’s Golden Jubilee Catalogue. 
Name 
Address 
Don’t You Miss 
this Money Saving 
Opportunity 
This Catalogue is Yours FREE 
Buy from this 
Book 
This Golden Jubilee Cata¬ 
logue is saving millions of 
dollars for the American 
people. 
Is it saving Money for 
You and for your family? 
Are you taking full advan¬ 
tage of your opportunity? 
Buy from this Book. Fill 
all your needs from this 
Book. Consult it daily to 
find the right price, the low - 
est price for dependable, 
reliable goods of standard 
quality. 
If you have not a copy of 
this Catalogue—Fill in the 
coupon above and receive 
your copy FREE. 
To write today for your free copy of this big Golden Jubilee 
Catalogue will mean a saving of many dollars to YOU this Fall. 
It answers every question about price, establishes for you the 
right price to pay for everything you buy. 
Fifty years’ experience in manufacturing—in right buying— 
has gone into this book. Fifty years’ experience in low price mak¬ 
ing is here at your service. 
Write for this Catalogue. Know the right price to pay for every¬ 
thing you. buy. Take advantage of the many big bargains it offers 
—the many, many things offered at less than market prices. 
TO THE WOMAN: This free ample of our Golden Jubilee 
Catalogue offers you the new- Bargains. Everything a man 
est styles, selected in New York needs, to wear or to use, is of- 
by our own Fashion Experts, fered at prices that mean many 
And all the usual extra “style dollars saved, 
profit” has been eliminated FOR THE FARM: For fifty 
from our prices. years the American Farmer and 
It offers you everything for the Montgomery Ward & Co. have 
home at a big saving: Rugs, helped each other. This book 
Carpets, Curtains, Furniture, outdoes all our past achieve- 
Home Furnishings of all kinds ment in making low prices for 
of standard quality at money you. 
saving prices. Fencing, roofing, tools, paint, 
TO THE MAN: Think of an hardware — everything the 
all wool—virgin wool suit for farmer needs is offered at a 
less than $15.00. This is an ex- saving. 
The Oldest Mailorder House is Today the Mo st Progressive 
Montgomery Ward 8 (ft 
Chicago Kansas City Saint Paul Fort Worth Portland, Ore* 
