The caterpillar of the Gipsy moth strips the trees of their leaves as completely as if they had been swept by fire. Almost every variety of tree, as well as of farm or garden crop, is attacked by these worms, and the farmers in Eastern Massachusetts are terror-stricken over the army of them which yearly attacks their crops.
The history of the introduction of the Gipsy moth into this country is a somewhat curious one.
The moth is not a native of this country, but of Germany and Austria, where vast sums of money have also been spent by the governments in a vain endeavor to get rid of it.
In 1869 a French naturalist came over to this country and settled in Medford, Mass.
He had brought some Gipsy moth eggs with him from Europe, and intended making some experiments with them.
He had the eggs out on his table one morning when he was called away from his work. He went out of the room, leaving the eggs lying near the window.
When he returned he found that a puff of wind had blown the whole paper of eggs out of the window.
He ran down into the garden and searched everywhere for the lost eggs, but in their flight through the air they had become scattered, and he was unable to find them.
He well knew the dangerous character of the worm which hatches out of these eggs, and he went all round the village, explaining to every one, warning every one, and imploring every one to be on the look-out for the caterpillars when they should appear.
The inhabitants of Medford thought he was a crazy Frenchman, and took no notice of his warning.