LM GYPSY AND r,l)\VN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



,.i : ,ti..n for ili.- Suppression of Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths 

 have also been timely and most helpful. In matters of business 

 policy tin- sound judgment and knowledge of practical field work 

 a-ain-t tin- ninths cf (Jen. S. C. Lawrence of Medford have been 

 especial help; and, finally, tin- superintendent is glad to 

 acknowledge his obligation, to Assistant Superintendent L. H. 

 \Vorthley, Secretary J. A. Farley, and Field Agents F. A. 

 Bates, -I. \V. Ku wright. C. W. Minott and G. A. Smith. These 

 Mini, charged with the performance of responsible duties, have 

 continued to serve the interests of the State with fidelity, and 

 etiieienrv. and to them in no small measure is due the credit of 

 whatever decree of success has been attained this year. Thanks 

 are also due to the local superintendents in the various cities 

 and towns and to the inspectors employed by the central office 

 t'->r heart v co-operation and faithful service. 



EXTENT OF I.M KSTKD TERRITORY. 



It may he well to state at the outset that the actual limits of 

 the district infested by the gypsy moth in Massachusetts are 

 not yet known, and will not be determined until such time as 

 funds for a thorough examination of the outlying towns by 

 trained men are available. To correctly delimit the infested 

 di-trict, a force of at least 100 trained men might well be em- 

 ployed throughout the greater part of an entire year. Such 

 operations, however, have so far been impossible, in view of the 

 greal need of suppressing the moth in the badly infested central 

 di-irict. It has not seemed wise to spend largely of our limited 

 appropriations in scouting operations, while in the central in- 



ed town- there has been an opportunity to destroy the moths 

 I iy million-, and thus relieve a large part of our suburban popu- 

 lation from caterpillar annoyance and damage to trees. 



The preliminary scouting operations have revealed alarming 

 The gvp.-y moth has been found scattered over 

 of the eastern part of Massachusetts, some of the outlying 

 town- in Middlesex and Worcester counties being generally in- 



'ed, \\liile the central towns of the district are thoroughly 

 ami heavily infested. 



'1 lie case of tin- iryp-y moth presents certain features not here- 



