THE GYPSY MOTH. '27 



has been improving of late years until 1896, when durinii 

 the fall inspection of the known colonies eggs have been 

 found on only one estate of the twelve hundred. 



For several years it has been known that the gypsy nioth 

 has obtained a foothold in the public park known as the 

 " Lynn Woods." This woodland has been inspected from 

 time to time, but it should have, as soon as possible, a more 

 thorough and careful inspection than the resources provided 

 have previously allowed. During June of the present year 

 a colony was found by an inspector, where the caterpillars 

 had become so numerous as to strip the leaves from the 

 trees and all vegetation over a small area. It is probable 

 that there may be a repetition of this occurrence in other 

 portions of the woodland, unless a careful and thorough 

 inspection of the whole tract is made before the eggs hatch 

 in the spring. The known colonies in the woods have all 

 been carefully looked after, so that there is no danger of 

 serious injury resulting to the park from them. If means 

 are provided, the entire wood can be freed from the moth 

 in a comparatively short time. 



Wakefield was found generally infested in 1891 and in 

 189.1. Colonies were scattered about over the inhabited 

 part of the town, and also in the woods. The condition of 

 the town has been greatly improved from year to year, until 

 at the present time only five colonies are known there, and 

 in these only a very few moths have been found this year. 



Stoneham. 



In 1891 the central part of Stoneham was found to be 

 more or less infested by the moths, and a later inspection 

 .-howed that the woodland of the south-eastern part, adjoin- 

 ing Melrose, was also more or less infested, and that colonies 

 were scattered through the northern end of the town. The 

 condition there and in the central part of the town has been 

 improved from year to year, and in the northern part the 

 moths appear to have been exterminated. The moths have 

 been found in only two localities in the centre in 1896. 



