1907.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 73. 113 



ing of the caterpillars up in the foliage, and then it was too late to save 

 the tree. The reason the moths got such a start of us the last time (I 

 mean since the lamentable stoppage of the State work in 1900) was 

 because of popular ignorance on the subject. Remedy this (and we 

 are doing it every day), and the gypsy moth problem is solved. 

 AUG. i, 1906. 



HON. SIDNEY A. HILL, STONEHAM. 



There has been a wonderful improvement in Stoneham. This relates 

 to both public trees and those in private yards. I think if you ride 

 to-day through the center of the town you will not find half a dozen 

 places where there is any sign of the moths. Mr. Jefts, our local 

 superintendent, is a most competent man, and he has made the State 

 and town appropriations last well. As to complying with the law, 

 people as a general thing have cleaned up their yards and gardens. 



In 1904 we had brown-tail moths in great numbers in July. An arc 

 light in front of a store drew so many of them that it was cut off, and 

 gas used instead. My store windows and other windows around the 

 square were plastered with the millers, which flew in squalls after dark. 

 Last summer everybody had the rash. To-day I do not think that over 

 fifty millers can be seen at a time flying around an arc light. I have 

 heard of no case of the rash. We have certainly got the better of the 

 brown-tail moth. 



The work of the improvement society in the summer and fall of 1904 

 has counted for much in bringing about the good results we see in Stone- 

 ham to-day. A campaign of education was waged, so that the people 

 became aware of the moth danger. A committee was also chosen to 

 see all property owners, and a fund of about $1,000 was raised. With 

 this money the trees on our main streets were cleared of the moths, and 

 simultaneously property owners were induced to sign an agreement to 

 take care of their own trees. 



AUG. l, 1906. 



J. W. HOLDEN, CHAIRMAN, BOARD OP PUBLIC WORKS, STONEHAM. 



In the center of the town of Stoneham where there were last year 100 

 gypsy moths, there is not to-day more than 1. The brown-tails are 

 still more diminished than the gypsy moths. Previous to this year I was 

 poisoned a good deal by the brown-tails. 



The town work against the moths has gone on well, and on the whole 

 property owners have co-operated with the town. While the gypsy 

 moth conditions are improved in the central residential sections, in this 

 neighborhood they are worse than last year. Last year we destroyed 

 many egg clusters on our place, but this summer everything south and 

 west of us to the metropolitan park line was stripped, including with 

 the rest practically all of our trees. We suffered from the neglect of 



