20 GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



miles. In the time which had elapsed between the cessation 

 of the work of the State Board of Agriculture and the be- 

 ginning of the work under the present superintendent, 8 

 additional infested municipalities were reported from various 

 sources, namely, Billerica, East Bridgewater, Framingham, 

 Gloucester, North Andover, North Reading, Scituate and 

 Weston. This added to the known infested district an area 

 of 191 square miles, making a total of 550 square miles. 



It was well known to the superintendent that a large 

 spreading of the moth had occurred from the badly infested 

 sections lying immediately to the north of Boston. The 

 spreading of the caterpillars through the agencies of traffic 

 is a well-established fact. It was impossible to ride through 

 Medford, Maiden, Saugus or Arlington during May or June 

 of 1904 and 1905 without becoming covered with gypsy 

 moth caterpillars, and it was evident that a large spreading 

 of the insect had taken place. To determine just how far 

 the moth pest had spread, and to ascertain the size of the 

 problem on hand, a corps of about 10 trained men was 

 organized and sent out into the regions suspected but not 

 known to be infested, to the north, south and west of the 

 moth-area of 1899. These men had had the benefit of sev- 

 eral years' experience in gypsy moth work for the Board of 

 Agriculture, were thoroughly familiar with the moth and 

 its habits, and were known to the superintendent to be 

 reliable and trustworthy. After the territory was divided 

 among these inspectors, they were instructed to make a 

 diligent search for the moths, and after finding them in 

 any city or town to spend several days in scouting to de- 

 velop the local situation, and then push on to the next 

 town. 



The result of this examination of the outlying territory 

 was most astonishing. Town after town in all directions 

 was found infested, and not until fall was the outer edge of 

 the infestation reached. This border line comprises Salis- 

 bury, Amesbury, Merrimac, Haverhill, Methuen, Andover, 

 Tewksbury, Chelmsford, Carlisle, Acton, Stow, Hudson, 

 Marlborough, Southborough, Hopkinton, Ashland, Sher- 

 born, Dover, "West wood, Norwood, Canton, Stoughton, 



