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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