From 1962: Spraying Set For City Land

The following article is from 50 years ago today, published in the Hartford Courant on March 18th, 1962. CANEL was the Connecticut Aircraft Nuclear Engine Lab, now Pratt and Whitney.
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Arrangements will be made soon for the spraying of some 3,600 acres of city-owned land in Maromas, and by the state and CANEL for its properties, Dr. M.L. Palmieri, healthy [sic] director, reported Saturday.

The spraying, being carried on for the third successive year in an effort to wipe out the gypsy moth, which eats all leaves on all trees, will complete the program, Dr. Palmieri said, as all other woodland in the city which had been infested previously has been sprayed and the results were satisfactory in all respects.

State to Spray Own
Dr. Palmier said he expects to meet soon with R.G. Coopoer, deputy state entomologist at the Windsor Station of the Connecticut Agriculture Department to discuss arrangements for the spraying. The state plans to take care of its own land, most of which is State Park and forest property in Maromas.

Dr. Palmieri also reported he had contacted officials at the CANEL plant and they are interested in learing [sic] what firm submits the low bid for spraying from the air. It was indicated that CANEL will pay for spraying its own forest acreage.

$4,350 Budgeted
The Health department budget carries an appropriation of $4,350 for pest control in the coming year and judging from past experience, this will be sufficient to meet the cost of the Gypsy moth spraying and leave some balance for the annual summer mosquito spray program which hwas [sic] been conducted with great success the past two summers.

Spraying for hte gypsy moth will start in early May, after bids of firms which handle that work are received and a contract awarded by the Health Department as well as CANEL.

Three years ago, land in the Mt. Higby area was sprayed and two years ago forest land in the south end of the city as far as the Durham town line was sprayed successfully. At that time it was noted that trees in Durham, just across the city line, were without foliage in the summer because they had not been sprayed.