152 GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



eastern Massachusetts of old, decayed, hollow apple trees, 

 the last remnants of once flourishing orchards, standing in 

 vacant lots or along roadsides in city or town outskirts. 

 Such unsightly trees have been always notorious breeding 

 places for the moths, and their destruction is a distinct 

 help in the progress of the work against these pests. In ad- 

 dition to the removal of such worthless trees, a great number 

 of other trees have been improved by the beneficial pruning 

 of dead or decayed limbs, and the closing of cavities, for 

 the reason, primarily, that these furnished shelter for the 

 moths. Not only apple trees, but also decayed or other- 

 wise unsightly shade trees and worthless trees, such as wild 

 cherries, have been cut down to further the present campaign 

 against the moth pests. A judicious thinning out of trees 

 that grew too thickly in yards or along roadsides has also 

 taken place. By this means a double benefit has been 

 brought about ; first, to the moth suppressive work, for the 

 reason that every tree removed is one tree less to handle 

 with reference to the moths ; and, second, to the trees left 

 standing, which, by the removal of some of their number, 

 were given room for development. 



Badly infested tracts of woodland also have frequently 

 been cut down, as the most effective and summary means of 

 doing away with intolerable conditions, and with the added 

 purpose of saving expense in the long run to the owner. 

 While this has resulted in denuding land here and there, it 

 has been the ready means of relief for the citizens afflicted, 

 and has aided most materially the work of clearing the 

 moths from near-by or adjoining public lands. This cutting 

 has been generally on low-cost woods which would eventu- 

 ally be removed, when the land which was being held for a 

 rise in values and had been already cut up into house lots 

 in expectation of the growth of the community would be 

 built upon. 



When land has not been entirely denuded of woods, there 

 has been often much judicious thinning out of trees, which 

 has resulted in a distinct benefit to those left standing, on a 

 principle familiar to every forester. 



In addition to trees, a great deal of useless smaller 



