1907.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT- -No. 73. 23 



discussed at another point ; but it is well to indicate that no 

 permanent headway can be made against the moths so long as 

 these woodland colonies remain as sources of infestation. 



Following the spraying season the field forces were put at 

 work attending the burlaps, with good results. From June to 

 August a part or the whole of the local forces were engaged in 

 crushing the caterpillars beneath the bands and under the 

 burlaps, and in destroying pupse. In the past it has been the 

 policy to allow the gypsy moths to emerge from the pupse and 

 deposit their eggs before renewing the battle against them. 

 Instead of continuing this method, it seemed best to the super- 

 intendent to employ the men at the close of the caterpillar season 

 in crushing pupae by means of wire brushes attached to poles; 

 and in all thickly infested districts this practice gave excellent 

 results. Large numbers of the moths while on the egg masses 

 were also destroyed by means of creosote, and then the forces 

 were transferred to the work of treating the nests on the trees 

 from the ground up above the probable snow line. By October 

 1 the ground work, so called, was practically completed; and 

 then efforts were directed to cutting out infested roadsides, and 

 in some cases thinning belts of infested woodland adjoining 

 roads. There was a gradual reduction of the forces from August 

 to November 1, at which date the winter cleaning of street 

 trees was begun, and is now in progress. The number of men 

 actually engaged in destroying the moths under the direction of 

 this office varied from 250 to 1,200, the maximum number being 

 employed in the late winter and early spring of 1906. At the 

 present time nearly 1,000 men are engaged in our field work, 

 which number does not include the forces employed by the 

 United States Department of Agriculture, Metropolitan Park 

 Commission and other State boards, or Gen. S. C. Lawrence's 

 employees at Medford. 



The superintendent is glad at this point to acknowledge the 

 help he has received from others interested in the work. The 

 advice of the Honorable Attorney-General, the Auditor of the 

 Commonwealth and the secretary of the Board of Agriculture 

 have been freely sought and as freely given. The suggestions 

 of the officials and several members of the Massachusetts Asso- 



