Report of the city of Somerville 1906, Part 30

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 552


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1906 > Part 30


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36 40


Wire netting .


168 00


Loam


11 00


Staples


2 45


Total debit .


$416 60


Sidewalks Construction Account.


CREDIT.


Appropriation


$12,000 00


Balance of appropriation of 1905 brought forward · Transfer from Highways Construction Ac- count


739 75


1,065 91


Materials furnished prior to January 1, 1906, the bills for which remained t11- collected that day . 4 72


Total credit


$13,810 38


15 50


358


ANNUAL REPORTS.


DEBIT.


Expenditures :-


For forty-six sidewalks con-


structed as per table C . $27,416 14


Less assessments 13,708 06 ·


$13,708 08


Constructing sidewalks as per table . 81 30


Books, printing, and stationery .


21 00


$13,810 38


Sidewalks Maintenance Account.


CREDIT.


Appropriation


$3,000 00


Transfer from Highways Maintenance Ac-


999 41


count


$3,999 41


DEBIT.


Expenditures :-


Bricks used in repairing sidewalks


$443 98


Crushed stone


66 49


Sand


102 38


Gravel


81 90


Cement .


1 74


Oil


·


15 00


Labor


2,948 42


City teams


339 50


$3,999 41


.


359


TABLE A. Streets Constructed in 1906.


STREET.


FROM


To


CONSTRUCTED


LENGTH IN FEET.


COST.


Calvin street


Washington street .


Beacon street ·


Wholly


·


.


681


986 72


Franklin avenue


Washington street .


Franklin street


Wholly


·


.


·


.


Gilman street .


Wholly


·


624


1,143 26


Lexington avenue


Hancock street


.


.


· ·


·


.


92


153 83


Seven Pines avenue


Cameron avenue


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


828


1,432 68


Wheatland street


Jaques street


Mystic avenne .


Wholly


.


.


Wholly


·


Length in feet and cost


5,385


$8,074 76


.


Packard avenue


Wholly


·


.


.


.


Dane street


Hanson street .


Wholly


306


220 62


Veazie street


Bradley street


Marshall street


.


.


.


Broadway .


.


Electric avenue


.


.


.


.


Northeasteily line


294


896 28


Yorktown street


Cambridge line


Malvern avenue


.


Wholly


410


1,000 25


Malvern avenue


Cameron avenue


Yorktown street


Cambridge line


Wholly


Skehan street


261


379 38


Westminster street


Wholly


376


429 32


STREET COMMISSIONER.


.


655


$ 725 12


Electric avenue .


Curtis street .


575


359 46


Jasper street .


Pearl street


283


347 84


Willow avenue


Wholly


.


.


.


Wholly


.


·


TABLE B Streets Repaired.


STREET.


FROM


To


DESCRIPTION OF WORK.


FEET.


COST.


Adams street


Broadway


Medford street


Re-surfaced


907


$96 22


Arlington street


.


.


Bartlett street


·


.


·


.


.


.


447


106 66


Boston street


Greenville street


.


.


.


·


·


965


1,072 79


Cutter street


Broadway


.


·


.


.


232


200 88


Essex street


Medford street


.


.


·


.


Macadamized .


700


375 29


Evergreen avenue


Marshall street


.


Tufts street .


.


Macadamized .


1,265


847 20


Glen Street


Pearl street


Walnut street


Macadamized .


1,430


1,553 24


Gilman street


Cross street


Boston street .


Re-surfaced


380


138 35


Greenville street


Medford street


.


.


Re-surfaced


717


295 93


Hathorn street


Broadway


Arlington street


Re·surfaced


339


70 52


Hudson street


Central street


Cedar street .


.


Macadamized


2,760


3,152 45


Lee street


Medford street


Richdale avenue


Re-surfaced


385


232 10


Liberty avenue


Powder House terrace


Hall avenue


Re-surfaced


864


145 98


Linwood street


·


Ames street


Vernon street


..


Macadamized .


244


50 68


Mystic avenue


Charlestown line


Medford line ·


Re-surfacing


1,743


2,669 97


Mt. Vernon street


Perkins street


Pearl street .


.


Macadamized .


473


182 35


Oakland avenue


Marshall street


School street .


.


Macadamized .


440


173 40


Perkins street .


Charlestown line


Franklin street


.


.


Macadamized .


1,336


1,078 77


Stickney avenue


Marshall street


School street .


.


.


Macadamized .


458


270 37


Somerville avenue


.


·


Lowell street .


Evergreen avenue


.


Re-surfaced


725


149 71


Sycamore street


.


.


Medford street


.


.


Richdale avenue


.


.


.


310


229 05


Thurston street


.


.


Medford street


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


Franklin street


.


.


.


.


Re-surfaced


.


.


452


85 06


Ames street


.


Length in feet and cost


.


.


.


·


.


21,776


$17,952 97


.


·


.


Macadamized .


·


·


.


Webster street


Macadamized .


730


574 18


Richdale avenue


Macadamized .


.


.


Summer street


.


.


.


.


.


Macadamized .


2,114


3,711 15


.


Somerville avenue


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


Craigie street .


.


Macadamized .


.


300


343 92


Tennyson street


·


.


Foster street .


.


·


Re-surfaced


480


46 80


Macadamized .


.


.


Lincoln street


Robinson street


Re-surfaced


580


99 95


Prospect Hill avenue


Re-surfaced


Cedar street


Elm street


Summer street


Dartmouth street


.


Beech street


Harvard street


.


Washington street .


·


Miner street


.


Northerly side


.


.


Pembroke street


.


360


ANNUAL REPORTS.


TABLE C. Sidewalks Constructed Where the Materials Were Furnished by the City and One-half the Cost Was Assessed Upon the Abutting Estates.


STREET.


SIDE.


FROM


To


FEET OF EDGESTONES.


YARDS OF BRICKS.


YARDS OF GRANOLITHIC


COST.


Belmont


·


·


.


James estate


Near Highland ave.


208.1


$227 50


* Boston avenue .


Northeasterly


.


.


.


.


....


....


424 48


Broadway .


Southerly


In front of estate of


·


.


.. .


.. .


37 60


*Campbell park .


Northerly


·


.


·


·


....


213 88


Calvin


Both


Washington street


Beacon street


1,285.2


....


223


380 90


Cedar .


.


·


.


Easterly


Broadway


Road leading to City . Buildings


243.2


202 20


Columbus avenue


Both


Washington street


Edgestone already laid


502.1


497 18


Conwell


Easterly


Highland avenue


.


.


.


....


159.5


179 68


College avenue and


Easterly


Warner street


.


.


Medford line


.


.


.


.


.


.


.


349


378 10


Dana .


Westerly .


Otis street .


Bonair street


....


133.9


342 27


Dell


Southwesterly


l'ufts street


Glen street .


299.3


294 56


Edmands


Both


.


·


.


Bradley street


Near Bonair street


....


501.3


746 94


Electric avenue


Both


Curtis street


Packard avenue .


1,386.4


·


·


1,334 55


Elliot .


.


Westerly


Park street .


Vine street .


197.3


171 73


Glen


Easterly


Flint street .


Oliver street


175


Gilman and . .


Northeasterly


Jasper street


Walnut street


·


288.4


272 80


Walnut


·


.


Grant


Easterly


Broadway .


Jaques street


...


·


357 00


Green ville


Both


Medford street


·


.


.


.


.


.


Belmont street


Lowell street


....


129.3


173 62


Highland avenue


Westerly


Hancock street


·


.


Willow avenue


. . .


·


. .


Carried forward .


6,000.9


3,183.0


724.3


$10,168 58


.


.


In front of estate of


N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co. .


39.7


....


1,104 30


Cameron avenue


Easterly .


Holland street


S'thw'ly line of est. No.24


....


....


.


.


.


.


.


.


Francis street


1,113.4


1,121 36


Warner


Northerly


Dana .


Easterly


Otis street


.


Bonair street


165.3


. ..


.


STREET COMMISSIONER.


...


58 84


S


Southwesterly


.


Norwood avenue


Magoun square


St. James Church


123.5


132 68


Bradley


Westerly . ·


Meacham road


.


Kingston street


204.9


.


.


.


.


.


167 College avenue


Otis street .


Pearl street


.


...


..


.


.


Gilman street


.


Pearl street


·


.


.


.


·


Boston street


780.2


..


788 22


Southerly .


.


.


.


585.3


570 49


361


*Where not already laid.


.


61.7


Broadway


Medford line


386.5


·


.


.


.


157 70


.


Easterly


.


366.7


.


.


·


.


.


Easterly


Westerly


TABLE C .- Concluded.


STREET.


SIDE.


FROM


To


FEET OF EDGESTONES.


YARDS OF BRICKS.


YARDS OF GRANOLITHIC


COST.


Brought forward


6,000.9


3,183.0


724.3


$10,168 58


Holland


·


Westerly


.


·


.


.


End Hodgkins sch'l lot


492.2


519 93


Hudson


·


.


·


Both


Pearl street .


Gilman street


546.


.


.


Southeasterly


Broadway


Frederick avenue


....


551.7


895 01


Knapp


Northeasterly


School street . .


Granite street


....


.. . .


590 60


Knowlton . .


Both


·


·


Tufts & Washington sts.


End of edgestone


... .


...


·


.


.


Frederick avenue


Boston avenue


...


1,533.


1


Otis


Both


Dana street .


.


.


Wigglesworth street


563.3


· ·


. .


.


5


Both


Dane street . .


Hanson street


595.2


....


551 56


Skehan


.


.


Northerly


Cameron avenue


Cambridge line


132.1


....


.. .


438 03


Veazie


Both


.


Bradley street ·


Marshall street


495.7


....


. . .


48 48


Warner


Southerly


In front of estate of


Imogene C. Stanton


47.8


.. .


.. . .


1,469 73


Washington


·


·


Electric avenue


370.7


....


378 93


Westminster


Northwesterly


.


Jaques street


·


. .


690.8


... .


789 20


Wheatland .


.


.


.


Jaques street


.


.


1679.4


...


.. .


1,755 43


Willow avenue ·


Both ·


·


.


Highland avenue


Morrison avenue .


551.9


... .


...


516 50


Windom .


·


.


.


Summer street .


.


Elm street .


·


·


* Where not already laid.


362


ANNUAL REPORTS.


)


12,655.3


10,355.4


2,712.3


$27,416 14


.


·


.


Willow avenue .


Hancock street .


1,098.8


Medford


Both


·· Washington street


Somerville avenue


.


1,689.4


494.


807 51


*Rogers avenue .


Southerly


.


Cross street


.


.


Dana street .


Dane street .


.


·


Both


Southerly ·


.


.


.


. .


...


389.4


641 81


Brown schoolhouse


Morrison avenue .


·


573.5


....


. .


.


Simpson avenue .


.


End Hodgkins sch'l lot )


....


489.


. . .


450 51


Paulina


.Easterly ·


Holland street


.


Sidewalk already laid .


Cedar street


570 53


Jasper


552.9


896 25


Josephine avenue


North westerly


271 90


598.8


... .


1,026 50


Lexington avenue


Both


1,721 11


.


.


.


115 95


Seven Pines avenue


.


·


.


Northerly


. . Fitchburg R. R. bridge Broadway . . Broadway


700 98


Both


.


·


·


.


Northerly


Simpson avenue .


Holland street


Paulina street


.


.


.


259.8


2,091 11


1,419.4


Mystic avenue


·


Southerly ·


363


STREET COMMISSIONER.


TABLE D. Sidewalks Constructed Where the Bricks and Edgestones Were Furnished by the Abutters.


For


Street.


Feet of Edgestones.


Yards of Bricks.


Cost to City.


Martha R. Hunt · Somerville Automobile Co.


Thurston street Boston avenue .


·


...


164.9


$62 10 19 20


51


....


Total


.


51


164.9


$81 30


-


TABLE E. Gutters Paved in Connection with Setting Edgestones.


STREET.


Side.


From


To


Square Yards.


Cost.


Boston avenue


·


·


.


.


.


.


.


·


·


Easterly .


Broadway


City buildings


.


·


428.4


651 45


Calvin street ·


Both


Washington street


.


Edgestone already laid


167.4


313 86


Columbus avenue


.


Both


.


No. 167 inclusive


·


.


Warner street


399.2


670 09


1 Warner street


.


Northerly


College avenue


.


.


Bonair street .


·


.


Easterly .


Otis street


.


.


Packard avenue


·


.


.


Both


.


.


.


Walnut street


·


96.1


161 76


Walnut street


.


Easterly .


Gilman street


.


Pearl street


.


260.1


545 64


Glen street


·


.


Both


Pearl street


.


.


.


Both


Willow avenue


Hancock street


366.3


593 38


Lexington street


.


Both


Dana street .


Wigglesworth street


187.8


310 62


Otis street


.


Northerly


Cameron avenue


Cambridge line


44.


84 71


Skehan street .


.


.


Both


Bradley street


.


.


Electric avenue


.


.


123.6


210 90


Wheatland street


·


·


.


·


.


.


·


214.8


485 70


Willow avenue


.


.


Both


.


Highland avenue ·


Morrison avenue


·


.


191.2


381 97


Windom street


.


Both


Summer street


.


Elm street


.


Total


.


·


.


4,278.5


$7,507 34


.


.


Medford line .


·


·


37.6


$63 32


Roadway leading to


.


81.1


141 45


Beacon street


.


.


.


.


Washington street


.


§ College avenue


Easterly .


.


.


Jasper street .


.


.


.


Westerly


Both


Medford street


Boston street .


·


.


.


Easterly


Flint street


·


.


Oliver street .


.


58.3


109 61


Gilman street


182.


319 50


Seven Pines avenue


Both


Dane street .


Hanson street


198.4


421 70


Marshall street


.


165.2


283 35


Veazie street .


.


.


Westminster street .


North westerly


·


.


Both


Jaques street .


Mystic avenue


.


559.8


960 82


·


.


.


.


Curtis street .


Medford line .


55.1


111 39


Dana street


462.1


686 12


Electric avenue


Northeasterly


Broadway


·


.


.


.


.


.


.


Broadway ·


ANNUAL REPORTS.


364


Cedar street


§ Gilman street


Greenville street


Jasper street


365


STREET COMMISSIONER.


TABLE F. Driveways Constructed at Expense of Abutters.


FOR.


LOCATION.


Boston & Maine Railroad James W. Colgan


94 Dover street


Davenport Brown Co.


Hawkins street


Harry Gavel .


23 Partridge avenue


James A. Kiley


5-7 Linwood street


H. Osgood Lacount


124 College avenue . 19 Craigie street


Patrick McCrossan


441 Norfolk street Somerville avenue (2) Columbia street . 79 Walnut street


H. J. Robinson


. 8 Ames street


Charles H. Smith


B. F. Smith and Bro.


George W. Whiting


John M. Woods . J. Stearns Wyman


52 Sydney street 72 Jaques street 61 Mt. Vernon street Somerville avenue 66 Glenwood road 140 Holland street


Anthony Viano


TABLE G. Driveways Discontinued at Expense of Abutters.


FOR.


LOCATION.


Walter W. Calkin


Walnut street Edmands street


Arvine Hager


Charles H. Ramsdell


Medford street


·


TABLE H. Driveways Re=located at Expense of Abutters.


FOR.


LOCATION.


American Tube Works Frederick C. Alexander


Somerville avenue Somerville avenue


Carter, Russell & Co. .


. Washington street


Robert B. McKim


National Casket Co.


James P. O'Neill .


Charles E. Parkhurst


Medford street at Winter Hill station


366


ANNUAL REPORTS.


TABLE I. Streets Accepted in 1906.


STREET.


WARD.


FROM


To


WIDTH, FEET.


LENGTH, FEET.


Ash avenue .


.


* Widening.


TABLE J. Streets Discontinued in 1906.


STREET.


WARD.


FROM.


To.


WIDTH, FEET.


LENGTH, FEET.


Edmands st.


4


Bonair st.


Northerly


40


86


Frost ave.


2


Somerville ave.


Dane st. .


35


550


Sherman st. .


2


Somerville ave.


Frost ave.


35


270


Length in feet


·


·


906


.


E. Albion st.


40


554


Calvin street


2


Washington st.


Beacon st.


30


655


Cleveland street .


6


Central st.


Harvard st. .


40


459


Franklin avenue


1


Washington st.


Franklin st. .


20


575


Giles park


3


Walnut st. .


Northwesterly .


32.71


167


Heath street


5


Mt. Vernon ave.


Moreland st.


40


364


Hinckley street


5


Broadway


Richardson st. .


30 to 35


579


Jasper street


4


Pearl st. .


Gilman st.


40


283


Loring street


3


Somerville ave.


Osgood st.


40


413


Moreland street


5


Meacham st. .


Mystic ave.


40


780


*Mossland street .


6


S'th'ly side, cor.


Somerville ave.


-


Pearson road


7


Warner st.


Broadway


40


564


Length in feet


5,393


5


Meacham st.


.


N'th'ly side, cor.


Elm st.


367


STREET COMMISSIONER.


TABLE K. Street Crossings Laid. BRICK.


Broadway, across same, between Irving street and Wallace street. Broadway, across same, from easterly side of Pearson road. Broadway, across same, from westerly side of Westminster street.


Glen street, across same, from westerly side of Oliver street.


Grant street, across same, from southerly side of Sewall street.


Highland avenue, across same, from southeasterly corner of Conwell street.


Highland avenue, across same, from easterly side of Cedar street. Highland avenue, southwesterly side, across Conwell street. Main street, northeasterly side, across Mt. Vernon avenue.


Wheatland street, across same, at Broadway.


William street, across same, from northwesterly side of Billingham street.


GRANITE FLAGGING.


Broadway, across same, extension from crossing previously laid from Arthur street.


Length of Accepted Streets in Each Ward.


Miles.


Ward 1


9.291


2


.


7.952


3


7.370


.


66 4


9.147


5


11.056


66


6


11.591


7


14.822


Total length of accepted streets in the city . 71.229


Respectfully submitted,


ASA B. PRICHARD, Street Commissioner.


REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF TREES.


OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR OF TREES, CITY HALL, January 1, 1907.


To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-


Gentlemen,-I most respectfully submit the following re- port, containing a brief summary of the principal work per- formed by this department during the year 1906, toward sup- pressing the gypsy and brown-tail moths in our city :-


Protecting Property Owners.


On October 1, 1906, there was a notice issued, with the ap- proval of his honor, the mayor, from this office, a copy of which was left at each door in the city by the day police officer on the route, and in case of a vacant lot where trees existed, these trees were properly posted, in accordance with the law. On the lower part of this notice there was a request that work done by contractors should be inspected and approved by the inspector of trees before payment for the same is made.


Many owners of property took advantage of this offer and in this way were positively relieved of a second payment for the one job, and in case some nests were overlooked by the private parties, the person who made the inspection would see them, and the original party would be called back to complete the work.


Many cases of poor individual moth work have been dis- covered, and in many cases the person paid for the work was found and sent back to make good his agreement.


The Gypsy Moth.


The gypsy moth, a well-known European insect pest, was brought to America about 1868 by Professor Leopold Trouvelot for use in his experiments on silk-producing insects. Acci- dentally escaping, it spread gradually in the woodland near Pro- fessor Trouvelot's home in Medford, Mass., and becoming ac- climated soon developed into a first-class enemy of fruit and shade trees. By 1888 the plague of the gypsy moth caterpillars had become notorious, and in 1890 the state commenced its work against the insect. This work, at first carried on by a commis- sion, but principally by the State Board of Agriculture, resulted in bringing the pest under control, and by 1899 so few moths could be found and so little damage was caused by the insect that the legislature of 1900, probably not realizing the necessity of continuing control measures, stopped the work. The few moths left in 1900 have now multiplied to such an extent that


369


INSPECTOR OF TREES.


the caterpillar plagues of 1888-90 are duplicated each summer over a much larger area in eastern Massachusetts. Since these insects kill trees and shrubs by repeated defoliations, not to mention the annoyance caused by the invasion of houses by the swarming caterpillars, it is important that property owners should familiarize themselves with the appearance and habits of the moth and the best means for destroying it in its various stages of development.


Life History.


In July and August, the female moths lay their yellow, hair- covered egg masses on tree trunks, fences, walls, etc. Each egg cluster is about one and one-half inches in length, by half an inch in width, and contains about five hundred eggs. Hatch- ing takes place in April or May. The young caterpillars first at- tack the buds, and later the blossoms and foliage. Spinning down on silken threads, they are blown about by the wind, or falling on teams are often transported long distances. As they grow, the effects of their feeding become more apparent, and badly infested fruit trees, shade trees, and woodland are soon as bare of foliage as in mid-winter. By July, the caterpillars change to pupae, from which the moths emerge in the course of two weeks to lay eggs for the next year's brood.


Distribution.


Teams, automobiles, electric cars, etc., are the principal means of spreading the moth. The female moths do not fly, and the caterpillars seldom crawl over 200 feet. But each in- fested spot, early in the spring, yields a swarm of tiny cater- pillars, which by the agencies mentioned spread locally, or even to considerable distances, the main spread being, of course, along the principal lines of travel.


Food Plants.


The gypsy moth caterpillar is remarkable in that it attacks nearly all our common fruit and shade trees. The apple, oak, and willow would seem to be slightly preferred, while the white ash and rock maple are attacked to a less extent. Garden vegetables, flowers, and shrubs are consumed as readily as the foliage of fruit trees. Pines and other coniferous trees die as a result of one defoliation, while deciduous trees seldom survive stripping three years in succession.


Remedies.


Egg-destruction .- This is best accomplished by searching out the egg clusters in the fall, winter, or spring, and soaking them with creosote mixture. This preparation may be found in the hardware stores, and retails at seventy-five cents per gallon. In applying it a small paint brush is used, it being important to thoroughly soak the nests.


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Burlapping .- When a loose band of burlap or other cloth is tied about an infested tree trunk, the caterpillars will gather under it in the early morning, and may then be destroyed by hand. The burlaps should be examined daily.


. Spraying .- Spraying with arsenate of lead at the rate of ten pounds to one hundred gallons of water is very effective when the caterpillars are small. Any of the common hand outfits will suffice for the spraying of shrubs or flowering plants. For use on trees, a barrel pump is desirable. The poison should be thoroughly mixed in water, and applied if possible on a clear dry day.


Cutting and Burning .- In woodland infested by the moth, it is usually desirable to thin out the trees and cut the underbrush. The brush so obtained should be burned early in May after the caterpillars have hatched. If this work is followed by spraying and burlapping, the moth can be brought under control.


In parts of the city there are many worthless or scrub apple trees and other trees (especially the wild cherry tree, a regular moth breeder) which are neglected by their owners, and merely serve as breeding places for the moth pests; also worthless brush along fences and walls, principally in the West Somerville section, and property owners are urged to cut and burn such neglected trees and brush, thus doing away with the breeding places of the moths.


Natural Enemies.


While the gypsy moth is a serious enemy of trees, it has its own foes in the shape of predaceous insects, parasites, and birds. Several ground beetles prey on the caterpillars, while true parasitic insects attack both larvae and pupae. Several species of birds, notably vireos and cuckoos, consume large numbers of the caterpillars, while others, like the chewink, chickadee, blue jay, and crow, do their part in reducing the numbers of the pest. The services of these natural tree protectors is worthy of high praise, but in attempting to control the moth, the main reliance must be placed on human efforts-on the timely and thorough application of the remedial measures outlined above.


The state ceased its work in 1900, as previously stated, and in 1901 the city undertook the burden, and has since handled it.


There are nests to be found in all sections of Somerville, but this is caused by the work in the surrounding towns and cities lying idle from 1900 to 1905, when a law was enacted compell- ing these localities to take up the work where the state left off.


All colonies of this moth in this city have been broken up, and what now appear are scattering, and it is hoped soon to have them practically wiped out.


It is gratifying to think that we continued to destroy these fellows, while the surrounding cities lay idle, the results now showing the wisdom of our expenditures, which are about one- third of theirs.


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The motto in our city has been changed from "Moth Con- trol" to "Complete Extermination of the Gypsy Moth Within the City Limits." The residential section is entirely free from this moth, and our fight now is along the boundary lines of Cam- bridge and Medford.


The Brown-Tail Moth.


The history of the brown-tail moth is as old as the history of economic entomology. When the early scientists began to re- cord the habits of insects injurious to fruit trees, this pest was one of the first to be described. It found its way to Somerville, Mass., in the late nineties, probably on rose bushes imported from Holland, and has now spread throughout eastern Massa- chusetts, southern New Hampshire, and southwestern Maine.


The first outbreak of the brown-tail moth covered only a few square miles in Somerville and Cambridge. It was sufficient. however, to yield a swarm of moths which flew, or were drifted by a high wind over a wide territory. As the female moth is a strong flyer, its spread has been rapid. In addition to the effect of the wind, the insects are also strongly attracted to light. It results, therefore, that a swarm of moths arising from any in- fested spot and being drifted by the wind out of their immediate environment fly to the nearest mass of lights. Thus the centres of cities and towns become first infested, and here are established the colonies from which a more general infestation takes place. Electric cars, railroad trains, and even steamboats serve to trans- port the moths. The rapid spreading of the insect indicates that within a few years it will be well distributed throughout New England.


Life History.


The brown-tail moth lays from two hundred to four hundred small globular eggs, thickly covered with a mass of brown hairs from the tip of the abdomen of the moth. The typical egg mass is about two-thirds of an inch long and about one-quarter of an inch wide. While the eggs are occasionally deposited on branches or trunks of trees, or even on lamp posts òr house walls, a very large majority are laid on the under surfaces of the leaves of fruit and shade trees. The moths show a strong liking for pear trees, and will apparently seek out trees of this species in preference to any others. At the same time the apple, elm, wild cherry, and white oak are very commonly infested by the insect, while other trees suffer to some extent.


The eggs, laid in July, hatch the following month, and the young caterpillars, feeding in a mass, soon commence their work of spinning their winter webs. In making this web, a number of leaves in the vicinity of the egg clusters are drawn together and are carefully spun in with a tenacious silken web. With the approach of cold weather the caterpillars enter the web and close the exit holes. We then have the strange phenomenon of a


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caterpillar wintering over when only one-quarter grown and emerging the following spring to complete its life history. Whatever extremes of cold we have in Massachusetts do not seem to affect these insects adversely. They emerge early in the spring, eat first the buds, then the blossoms, and attack the foliage of fruit trees as soon as it develops. The full-grown caterpillar is light brown, with a white stripe on either side, and about two inches in length. Stripping the foliage of one tree, they march to another, and so continue until full grown, when the cocoons are spun within the leaves at the ends of the branches, or sometimes on the tree trunks. The pupation usu- ally takes place the latter part of June, and the moths emerge from the first to the twentieth of July. The snow-white female moth is conspicuously marked with an enlarged tuft of brown hair, which gives to the insect its common name.




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