Extraordinary Photos From History Explained

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The Dexter Elm

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These men are inspecting this massive elm tree for a moth infestation in Malden, Massachusetts in 1896. Some experts, as well as residents of the area, at the time believed that it was impossible to clear the moths from that elm, as it had stood there for over 200 hundred years, and grew over the Dexter mansion, also pictured. In 1891, an attempt was made to clear the moths and a gang of four men went to work over the course of a few days. A second gang found another six hundred additional egg clusters after the first clearing operation. It was then sprayed thoroughly, using an extension ladder which was sixty five feet long. In two years, no caterpillars or moths made their nests in the tree, and it has been moth-free since 1893. The inspections since, including the one pictured, every inch of the tree is inspected, from its highest branches to the base of the trunk. Known as the Dexter elm for the family on whose property it sits, the tree has a base circumference of 29 feet, is 110 feet tall, and spans 104 feet at the time of picturing. Some of the branches were at least 3 feet in diameter. It was believed to be one of the largest, if not the largest tree in the State. We hope it is still there.