l.;i (,VPSV AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



year. Of the total sum expended, $6,450 was devoted to the lands about 

 Simt Pond and $1,300 to those about the Weston reservoir. 



The work of suppressing the gypsy and brown-tail moths has been, 

 as in previous years, carried on under the supervision of Mr. Dexter 

 Bracket t. the chief engineer of the metropolitan water works. 



V.-ry truly yours, HENRY H. SPRAGUE, 



Chairman, Metropolitan Water Board. 



BOSTOX, Jan. 3, 1908. 



1'rot'. A. H. KIKKLAKD, Superintendent for Suppression of Gypsy and 

 Brown-tail Moths, 6 Beacon Street, Boston. 



DKAR SIR : - - In accordance with your request, I take pleasure in 

 sending you the following statement concerning the work against the 

 irypsy and brown-tail moths during the year 1907, under the direction 

 and at the expense of this Board : - 



The work during the year 1907 in the reservations and parkways in 

 the charge of (he Metropolitan Park Commission has been done by the 

 forces employed and directed by the superintendents regularly in charge 

 of the several divisions, except that in the Blue Hills, as in the previous 

 year. Mr. Minott of your staff has been employed by the Board to direct 

 the work. At the request of the Board, you have sent assistants from 

 time to time who ha\e very courteously and thoroughly inspected the 

 work after it was done. 



The result has been very favorable. No serious defoliation has oc- 

 curred at any point, and the number of new egg clusters is less than 

 it was a year auo. This success is gratifying, but causes some fear 

 that it may be misleading. The danger of renewal of the bad conditions 

 of the past few years remains in lessened form, and can be met only 

 by continued and unremitting work, especially in those districts where 

 lea-t effective work has been done on neighboring lands outside the res- 

 ervations. The Boarfl appreciates the thorough work done under your 

 direction in those outside lands where co-operation of the cities and 

 towns has been complete, and in some sections where even that co-opera- 

 tion was lacking. In the neighborhood of these lands the expense of 

 the work for the coming year will 1)0 materially diminished. 



Very truly yours, \\". B. DE LAS CASAS, 



Clniinnan, Metropolitan I'urk 



P.v chapter 1.V7, Acts of 1907, the Massachusetts 

 Highway Commission -was authorized to expend in connec- 

 tion with tin' suppression of the gyp^y and hrnwu-iui] moths 

 on trees bordering <>n the State highways a sum not exceeding 

 $10,ii(io. At the re<|iie>l of the commission this oilier has taken 

 full charge of this work during the year, made the necessary 



