L'-S THE GYPSY MOTH. 



THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE INFESTED REGION. 



To give an absolutely accurate report of the condition of 

 the infested territory is impossible, unless the whole region 

 has been gone over within the year. The report given below 

 indicates mainly the condition of the known colonies. For 

 the following reasons the clearing of the moth from any new 

 towns cannot this year be reported : 



1. Because of insufficient means, the greater part of the 

 work had to be confined to the central tow r ns (more especially 

 within the Middlesex Fells and the Saugus woods), where it 

 was of the first importance to prevent, by a general destruc- 

 tion of the moths, their conveyance from these central colo- 

 nies back into territory wholly or nearly cleared. 



2. There has been during the year no thorough inspec- 

 tion of all the territory of the outer infested towns. 



Arlington. 



The condition of Arlington appears better than at any 

 time since the work was begun in 1891. Only a few cater- 

 pillars were found in 1897, in the most easterly part of the 

 town. The wooded section in the northern portion, in which 

 some of the worst infested colonies have been found since 

 1891, was burlapped during the^ summer and inspected. 

 Although the number of men which could be spared for the 

 work was inadequate, the condition of this woodland is now 

 greatly improved. Comparatively few egg-clusters have been 

 found there. Only one of the woodland colonies appeared 

 to be much infested in 1897, and but few caterpillars have 

 been found elsewhere in the Arlington woods this year.* 

 Many of the estates formerly infested have produced no moths 

 this year, and only here and there along the roads have 

 occasional moths been found. A few orchards are still con- 

 siderably infested. Little except burlapping and other nec- 

 essary summer work in known infested localities has been 

 done in Arlington for the past three years. It is some time 

 since the entire town was thoroughly inspected. In 1897, 

 however, most of the town was covered either during the 

 burlapping season or afterward. 



* The phrase " this year," as used in this report, refers exclusively to 1897. 



