1906.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 73. 53 



the caterpillar season of 1905 a great deal of stripping took 

 place. 



The town has shown a most helpful and commendable 

 interest in suppressing the gypsy moth. Town work was 

 begun promptly in May, upon the passage of the present 

 act, and has been prosecuted with vigor and with most satis- 

 factory results. The work has been under the supervision 

 of a thoroughly trained man and the results have been most 

 gratifying. During the caterpillar season a large part of 

 the street trees were burlapped and sprayed ; and as soon 

 as the eggs were laid, a gang of men was put at .work 

 destroying them. At this writing the street trees through- 

 out the town have been cleared of the gypsy moth egg 

 clusters, and nearly all the necessary work against the 

 brown-tail moth has been performed. The infested road- 

 sides have been thinned out over approximately one-half 

 the town. Certain owners of valuable woodland who have 

 shown a disposition to make a liberal expenditure for sup- 

 pressing the moths have received the assistance of the town 

 force. About 200 acres of badly infested woodland have 

 been thinned out and put in condition for next season's 

 work. Saugus presents one of the most serious problems 

 in the entire district. A great deal of burlapping and 

 spraying and other necessary work must be done next 

 season if the increase of the moths is to be checked. 



SOMERVILLE. 

 CHARLES I. BUCKNAM, Local Superintendent. 



1905, amount required before reimbursement, . . . $2,500 00 



1906, amount required before reimbursement, . . . 5,000 00 

 1905, amount expended in work against moths, estimated, . 1,100 00 

 1905, amount of State reimbursement, 



The city of Somerville is entitled to highest praise for the 

 very thorough and efficient w r ork performed against the 

 brown-tail and gypsy moths since the cessation of exter- 

 minative work by the State in 1900. This work has been 

 in the hands of the inspector of trees, a man thoroughly 

 competent to judge of the needs of the situation, who for- 

 tunately has been liberally supported by appropriations 



