| AUGUST 31, 2011 -- Join me as we jump into the archives of the Naugatuck Daily News and find some unusual stories. We all remember making construction paper cherry trees in kindergarten or at least celebrating the cherry tree as part of our Washington’s Birthday celebration. This writer from a state committee on conservation writes to the editor in February of 1915 with a different idea, all because of a few pesky caterpillars.
To the Editor of the News:
Sir: May we use your paper to urge the public to celebrate Washington's birthday by cutting down and burning wild cherry trees. If these were destroyed hundreds of dollars would be saved to the state, and the roadsides would be rid of the loathsome tent caterpillars.
Last year the state, the Grange, and other organizations and private individuals gave large sums to the school children for destroying the caterpillar egg masses. This year let us begin at the beginning, and have a state day to destroy them by cutting down and burning the roadside bushes and shrubs on which these eggs are already laid by the thousands only waiting the warm days of spring to hatch. Why can't we have a concerted action on Washington's birthday, and every land owner spend part of the holiday in clearing the roadsides of these breeding places of the pests, with the boys and girls to help gather and burn the bushes?
Let the newspapers of the state call to action on that day, the Granges, town organizations and all societies of whatever sort, use their influence to have a grand "clean-up day" next Monday.
May this be so general all through our state that when asked ''Who cut down the cherry tree" there shall rise from every farm and roadside a great shout "I did."
CORNELIA BUXTON SMITH
State Chairman Committee on Conservation
Litchfield, Conn., Feb. 16, 1915 |
