=>-!> GYPSY AND BKOWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



without saying that results from these natural checks will of necessity 

 be slow in demonstrating their effectiveness. Where the caterpillars 

 count by millions and the parasites by thousands merely, even the most 

 favorable results will require a year or two to become perceptible even 

 to the specialist, while they can hardly become obvious to general 

 observation in less than five years. Until that time the work now in 

 progress must be continued, unless the advantage thus far gained is to 

 be again abandoned. 



REPORT OF PROF. M. V. SLINGERLAND, 



ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENTOMOLOGY, CORNELL UNIVERSITY. 



ITHACA, X. Y., Aug. 13, 1907. 



To A. H. KIRKLAXD, Superintendent for Suppressing the Gypsy and Brown- 

 tail Motlis, Boston, Mass. 



SIR : - - Your invitation of May 29, 1907, " to inspect the work of 

 importing parasites of the gypsy and brown-tail moths," was accepted 

 with much pleasure, for it gave me an opportunity to see what progress 

 had been made against these serious pests since last year, when I at- 

 tended your field day in June. The invitation surprised me, for from 

 what I saw last year of your methods of work, it seemed hardly possible 

 that sufficient opposition could have developed to cause the Legislature 

 to make an appropriation "for the purpose of securing opinions and 

 information from expert advisers relative to matters in connection with 

 parasites " of the gypsy and brown-tail moths. 



Arriving in Boston July 2, 1907, I spent five days in carefully and 

 critically investigating and studying the methods employed in connection 

 with the introduction and colonizing of the natural enemies of the 

 gypsy and brown-tail moths, and also in looking over the so-called 

 " handwork " being done against these insects under federal and State 

 supervision in the infested territory in eastern Massachusetts. Fur- 

 thermore, I consulted with some of those who through their criticisms 

 of the methods and work with natural enemies against these pests finally 

 brought about the enactment of the law providing for this investigation 

 and report. 



Any one familiar with the ravages of the gypsy and brown-tail moths 

 during the past few years must be impressed with the different condi- 

 lii-ns now prevailing, in the residential districts especially. I rode many 

 miles through the suburban (owns about I'.oslou, and was much im- 

 pressed l>y the thoroughness with which the State la\\ and regulations 

 were bein.tr earned out. Most of the trees a Ion-- the streets and main 

 highways had been banded and were being watched for caterpillars. 

 Only a few year-, a-o many of these trees were being defoliated; non- 

 one can see scarcely any signs of infestation in riding along hundreds 

 of miles of shaded streets. The.-e -ratifying conditions in the resi- 

 dential districts have been brought about largely by the application of 

 so-called " hand methods/' and necessarily at much expense. 



