REPORT OF FIELD AGENT, GYPSY MOTH WORK. 69 



The infested territory may be divided into two districts, each 

 one presenting a different problem and requiring a different 

 method of sokition. One district comprises all those towns 

 outside of York county with the exception of a few in Cum- 

 berland county. In these towns the moth does not occur in 

 large enough numbers to threaten immediate damage to tree 

 growth and it seems probable that if an annual inspection can 

 be made real danger can be averted for several years. If from 

 lack of funds it is impossible to make this annual inspection, 

 many forests will be threatened with destruction. This part of 

 the territory has been handled and will during the coming year 

 be handled by the government forces. 



The other district includes the towns in York county and a 

 few in Cumberland county. In this section lies the danger of 

 early devastation by the Gypsy moth and to prevent this re- 

 quires not only the annual scouting operations but also the 

 supplementary summer work of burlapping and spraying. Only 

 by these methods will it be possible to hold the moth in check 

 for a period of years. With the present funds at the disposal 

 of this department for the Gypsy moth work, it is impossible to 

 carry on the much-needed summer work to a sufficient degree 

 without neglecting the scouting operations which are of primary 

 importance. Accordingly, wdiereas scouting and destroying egg 

 clusters will prevent devastation for a few years, further worP: 

 is necessary to minimize the danger in this badly infested area. 



This natural division of the infested territory has resulted 

 in a co-operation with the United States government forces 

 whereby the latter are carrying on the work in the slightly in- 

 fested towns on the border while the state forces are working 

 almost entirely in York county endeavoring to so reduce the 

 numbers of the Gypsy moth that actual devastation of trees' 

 may be prevented. 



THE year's work. 



The field work of suppression was begun in 191 1 on May ist. 

 Realizing the enormous extent of territory to be scouted during 

 the fall of 191 1, it did not seem advisable to use much money 

 in the expensive summer operations. Accordingly, in a limited 

 way, burlapping was carried on in the towns along the northern 



