156 GYPSY AND BKOWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



A great objection to many banding materials is found in 

 the fact that some of them, if left on through the late summer 

 and fall, ultimately injure and sometimes kill the tree. This, 

 of course, is most noticeable with young or thin-barked 

 trees. So far as our observations go, the "Tanglefoot" 

 bands have caused no injury. Another season will yield 

 conclusive evidence on this point. 



There is no better or cheaper way to control either moth 

 pest than by spraying, where conditions favor this work. 

 Street trees, orchards and easily accessible woodland areas 

 can usually be sprayed to advantage where time permits. 

 The great impediment to wholesale spraying, however, is 

 found in the fact that it can be done to advantage only 

 in the period between May 15 and June 30 at the latest 

 (usually June 15), and this limited space of time is often 

 still further reduced by rains, so that as a rule but four 

 weeks on the average are available for this work. The 

 superintendent has repeatedly urged on the badly infested 

 municipalities the wisdom of purchasing one or more power 

 spraying outfits, so that next season we may take full advan- 

 tage of a method, which, from the late date at which opera- 

 tions were begun this year, was out of the question. 



An excellent illustration of spraying methods as applied 

 to woodlands was given at Melrose in the latter part of May 

 by the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, 

 under the direction of Superintendent J. A. Pettigrew of 

 the Boston park department. These spraying operations 

 attracted a great deal of attention, and were witnessed by a 

 large number of park superintendents, tree wardens and 

 other interested citizens. Unfortunately, the success of the 

 experiment was adversely affected by the severe infestations 

 in the surrounding woodland, but the result of this demon- 

 stration was to arouse a greater interest in this method of 

 fighting the moths. It is the hope of the superintendent 

 that, with the opportunities now offered to purchase power 

 sprayers at a moderate price, spraying will become more 

 generally adopted by the local superintendents of moth 

 work in cities and towns. 



