USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1907 > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
30
472
December 27, 1907
Granite street Highland road
6
Morrison ave. .
Boston ave.
30
1,499
November 15, 1907
Howard street
7
Thorndike st. .
Gorham st.
40
431
May 10, 1907
Lexington avenue
6
Cedar st. .
Hancock st.
Varying from 40 to 45
725
July 26, 1907
Liberty avenue
·
7
Hall ave. .
Appleton st.
40
98
January 3, 1908
Lowden avenue ·
7
Broadway
Fosket st.
40
1,247
September 13, 1907
Mystic street
1 1
Mystic ave.
Benedict st.
40
336
December 27, 1907
Vine street
2
Beacon st.
Hanson st.
30
662
October 25, 1907
Length in feet
.
.
.
.
.
9,109
·
·
·
3
Somerville ave.
Osgood st.
40
411
June 14, 1907
·
·
.
STREET COMMISSIONER.
1
-
ANNUAL REPORTS. i
394 1
TABLE K. Street Crossings Laid. BRICKS.
Belmont street, across same, from playground to Spring Hill Baptist church.
Broadway, across same, from easterly side of Franklin street, between car tracks.
Highland avenue, across same, from easterly side of Cutter avenue. Rogers avenue, across same, easterly and westerly at Boston avenue.
GRANITE FLAGGING.
Beacon street, across same, from westerly side of Dickinson street. Broadway, across same, from northerly side, near Dexter street, to and including car tracks.
Dickinson street, across same, from westerly side of Springfield street. Elm street, across same, from westerly side of Cedar street.
Main street, across same, from easterly side of Moreland street.
Main street, across same, from westerly side of Fremont street.
Medford street, across same, from northerly side of Warren street. Mt. Vernon street, across same, from both sides of Perkins street. Perkins street, across same, from both sides of Mt. Vernon street. Perry street, across same, from Lincoln Parkway and Wyatt street. Somerville avenue, across same, from easterly side of Rossmore street. Vernon street, across same, at Central street.
Wyatt street, across same, from southerly side of Marion street.
Length of Accepted Streets in Each Ward.
Miles.
Ward 1
.
..
2
.
66
3
7.448
60
4
9.225
5
11.182
66
6
12.163
66
7
15.415
Total length of accepted streets in the city
72.954
Respectfully submitted, ASA B. PRICHARD, Street Commissioner.
9.354
8.167
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF TREES.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR OF TREES, City Hall, January 1, 1908.
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 1907, toward sup- pressing the gypsy and brown-tail moths in our city :-
Protecting Property Owners.
On October 1, 1907, a notice was issued, with the approval of his honor, the mayor, from this office, a copy of which was left at each door in the city by an inspector of this department, 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 multiplied to such an extent that in 1906 the caterpillar plagues of 1888-90 were duplicated over a much larger area in eastern Massachusetts. Since these insects kill trees and shrubs by repeated defoliations, not to mention the
396
ANNUAL REPORTS.
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.
During 1907 much work has been done by the state and cities nearby, and another year it is hoped the moth will be brought under control.
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.
397
INSPECTOR OF TREES.
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 burlap 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.
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-
398
ANNUAL REPORTS.
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 transport the moths. The rapid spreading of the insect indi- cates that within a few years it will be well distributed through- out 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 or 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 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
399
INSPECTOR OF TREES.
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.
Nettling by the Caterpillars.
The damage by the caterpillars to the fruit trees is only a part of the story. Whenever these insects come in contact with human flesh they produce a most severe and painful nettling. This is apparently not due to any poisonous material in the hairs, but rather to the finely-barbed and brittle hairs themselves. So severe is this affection that in many cases people have been made seriously ill by it. The best remedy for it is the liberal use of cooling lotions, or, what is more satisfactory, even if less pleas- ant, the free use of common vaseline.
Remedies.
The habit of the caterpillar in wintering over in webs at the tips of the branches gives a key to the simplest and cheapest remedy, which is merely to cut off and burn the webs during the fall, winter, or spring. This preventative means is most effec- tive, and gives such excellent results that in Germany, France, and Belgium there is a law making it obligatory on property owners to destroy the webs during the winter season. Where citizens neglect to carry out this work it is done for them by local authorities, and the sum thus expended added to their tax levy.
Winter Work .- The work of removing the webs is best done by the use of a long-handled tree pruner or similar device. Par- ticular care should be given to gathering the webs and burning them, as any left on the ground will yield caterpillars and con- tinue the infestation locally.
Spraying .- Spraying is very effective against these insects ; in fact, they are much less resistant to the action of poison than is the gypsy moth or elm leaf beetle. To secure best results, spraying should be done as soon as the foliage develops in the spring. Five pounds of the arsenate of lead paste to one hun- dred gallons of water is sufficient.
Where the caterpillars swarm from trees along fences or on house walls, the use of kerosene emulsion or strong soap suds is advisable. Fall spraying with arsenate of lead is also effective, but the feeding of the caterpillars at that time of the year is usu- ally of minor importance.
Little good can be done in the way of collecting the eggs or trapping the moths by light, although many of the mature insects are destroyed by arc lamps. There is no method of combatting the brown-tail moths that will give better results for the outlay than the destruction of the webs in the winter season. Cases will arise where the caterpillars swarm from adjoining estates,
400
ANNUAL REPORTS.
and where this occurs banding the trees with some sticky mate- rial, as heretofore described, will protect the foliage from harm.
Natural Enemies.
Like the gypsy moth, the brown-tail moth is attacked by numerous parasites and by certain birds, but the latter do not appear to take to it as readily as to the former insect. Of the birds, the cuckoos, vireos, and orioles are most helpful, while English sparrows eat many of the winged moths. The garden toad also does its part in feeding first on the migrating cater- pillars, and later on the moths as they fall injured from the street lights.
The city moth crew clean the trees on the streets first, which takes until the first of March; they then inspect all the yards in the city, and in case the nests are still on the trees, they are re- moved, and the time consumed is charged to the owner, and is added to his tax bill as a separate item for moth suppression.
The city took hold of the problem in 1901 and dealt it a very severe blow, not stopping up to the present time. We can safely say the pest is under control, but we cannot wholly stamp it out while the surrounding cities and towns are really fighting for control, not to mention real suppression.
The brown-tail moth does not wait to be carried (as does her sister, the gypsy moth), but, being a powerful flyer, makes good use of her wings. Thus, no matter how perfect our work is done in this city, we shall continue to have brown-tails until the surrounding cities and towns are clear of them.
Our winter work relieves our citizens from being poisoned by this caterpillar. As we do not have the full-grown worm, we have only the moth, eggs, small caterpillar in September, and then the winter webs on the trees, which are cut down in cold weather by the moth men. The citizens are also relieved of their trees being eaten during the summer months. We also remove in the winter the nests made by the moths from other cities and towns.
Incinerating Apparatus for Brown=Tails' Nests.
At the city stables, in the highway department yard, is in- stalled an apparatus for burning to ashes paper or rubbish of any kind, which the street commissioner kindly allows this de- partment to use to burn brown-tail nests.
These winter webs of the brown-tail moth caterpillars (sometimes called nests) are clipped from the trees, gathered in buckets by the men, and later emptied into burlap bags of three- bushel capacity. These are carried every night to the incin- erator which destroys them. By this manner of destruction, it seems almost impossible for any to escape.
The egg-clusters of the gypsy moth are painted with creosote oil on the objects on which they are laid, which totally destroys them. In case they are deposited on a house wall or
401
INSPECTOR OF TREES.
newly-painted fence, judgment is used, and generally they are scraped off into the pail of oil.
The Parasite Problem.
The state parasite station, formally in Saugus, has been moved to Melrose Highlands.
At present the hatchery has many kinds of live parasites, and a large quantity in the egg form.
Many thousand parasites have been liberated, and much good work is expected in the near future.
The Japanese Bug Found in Dorchester.
Cuidocampa flacescaus, the Japanese moth found in Dor- chester, seems to be confined at present to a section around Blue Hill avenue, it being learned from investigation that the motit was brought to this country from Japan several years ago by a party of Japanese who came to the Japanese hospital on Blue Hill avenue. It is known that the moths are to be found also in China and Korea.
The species has been found nowhere else in the country.
The authorities during the past summer have taken active steps, spraying all infested trees in the hope of exterminating this pest.
Upon a careful investigation, we are very thankful to find our city free from this pest.
Information on Imported Elm Leaf Beetle.
Owing to the prevalence of this insect in the Winter-hill district of our city this year, and the numerous inquiries which were made concerning its habits, the following information may be found useful :-
The mature beetle hibernates in large numbers under shingles and clapboards of buildings and under the rough bark of trees. and elsewhere. In May the beetles emerge from their winter quarters and feed for some weeks on the foliage of the elm, making round holes through the leaves. A badly-infested tree at that time of year appears as if charges of fine shot had been fired through the foliage. The eggs, similar in appearance to those of the potato beetle, are laid in clusters on the under side of the leaves. Hatching takes place late in May or early in June.
The slugs feed on the lower epidermis of the leaf, and by July 1 often cause the trees to turn as brown as if scorched by fire. When full grown, the slugs are about one-half an inch long, yellowish, with a conspicuous black stripe on either side, and black dots down the centre of the back. About the middle of July they descend to the trunk of the tree or to the ground, and pupate in large masses. The pupae are orange yellow in color, and from them the beetles emerge by August 1.
402
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Remedy.
Spraying with arsenate of lead during the first two weeks of June will destroy the slugs and prevent injury to the trees. Care must be taken to thoroughly spray the under surface of the leaves. Later in the season the slugs and pupae may be de- stroyed in the bark or at the base of the trees by the use of strong soap suds, kerosene emulsion, or even hot water.
The above remedies were both used very effectively where the beetles appeared.
The English elm trees were generally favored as the food for this insect.
Miscellaneous.
The total expenditure for moth suppression since the state ceased its work in 1900 is $31,272.99. The city crew removed the moth nests on 1,499 private estates in 1907. One thousand sixteen poles owned by The New England Telephone & Tele- graph Company, and about 4,000 owned by The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston have been inspected, and the egg clusters destroyed when found, at the expense of the own- ers of said poles.
Removing the moth nests from the trees in the city's gravel pit in Waltham cost $96.
Two hundred and fifty-seven notices were posted on trees on vacant lots throughout the city. Over 12,000 notices were delivered at houses by the inspectors of this department during October.
From ten to sixteen pounds of arsenate of lead to the 100 gallons of water was the mixture used in spraying the trees against the brown-tail and gypsy moth, together with the elm leaf beetle.
Properties of the Department.
1 100-gallon Ware hand spraying machine, with hose.
1 50-gallon barrel hand pump, with hose.
2 cyclone burning machines, with hose and nozzles.
2 dozen telegraph pruners, with 18-foot poles.
1/2 dozen Waters tree pruners.
1 double-edge pruning saw.
2 hand saws.
2 cross-cut saws.
1 cross-cut bull saw.
5 axes.
1 brush scythe.
2 18-foot ladders.
2 21-foot ladders.
4 36-foot extension ladders.
1 45-foot extension ladder.
Recommendations.
I would most respectfully recommend that a gasolene spray- ing machine be purchased the coming spring. The two machines now used are of hand power, and are insufficient to
INSPECTOR OF TREES.
403
perform the work expected of the department at the present time. We are called upon to do all the tree spraying throughout the city, both on street trees and on private property.
Four lines of hose are used when spraying the large elms. This requires both machines to operate them, which takes a man on either pump, while with a power sprayer we can operate as many lines of hose as can be properly used with the one man handling the machine. Time and money could be saved by the purchase of such a machine.
I wish to extend my sincere thanks to his honor, the mayor, the board of aldermen, heads of departments, and all city officials with whom I am associated, and the general public, for their help and hearty co-operation with this department in its hazardous undertakings, and I would express my appreciation of the effi- cient services of the foreman, inspectors, and all others employed in the department.
Suppression of Gypsy and Brown=Tail Moths.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$4,000 00
Receipts :-
Assessments and contributions from sundry persons
2,131 11
Total credit
$6,131 11
Expenditures :-
Inspector
$463 75
Labor, removing brown-tail and gypsy
moths from trees
4,526 82
Tools
186 56
Repairing tools
12 70
Creosote, lead, and oil
221 54
Tar and cement
5 20
Burlap and twine
116 24
Use of city teams
326 20
Clerical service
79 01
Books, printing, stationery, and postage
146 05
Incidentals
47 75
Total expenditure
6,131 82
Amount overdrawn
$0 71
1
CHARLES I. BUCKNAM,
Inspector of Trees.
DEBIT.
-
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, - City Hall, Somerville, January 1, 1908.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen,-I have the honor, as commissioner of public buildings, to submit the following as the report of the department of public buildings and the department of inspection of buildings for the year 1907. In submitting this report I desire to express my appreciation of the valuable counsel and assistance received from his honor, the mayor, and from the members of the honor- able, the board of aldermen.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.