44 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



through one generation in American caterpillars. The sendings 

 from Japan have in addition resulted in the introduction of four 

 species of Tachinidae which promise to be very efficient parasites 

 cf the brown tail moth. Marketl improvements have been made 

 in methods of handling and rearing parasites and other natural 

 enemies. These latter justify the expectation that it will be prac- 

 tical to breed thousands of the more effective species prior to their 

 being liberated under favorable conditions. This work with para- 

 sites may rightly be considered as most important, owing to the 

 fact that the gipsy moth is now so widely established as to render 

 any widespread method of control, aside from that by natural 

 enemies, exceedingly costly. 



Recent progress in wholesale spraying for the control of the 

 gipsy moth has been most striking and should prove suggestive to 

 the fruit grower and immensely helpful to all parties Having 

 charge of extensive spraying operations such as the control of in- 

 sect pests upon shade trees. The capacity ot the ordinary spray- 

 ing outfit has been greatly increased by replacing the usual 6 horse 

 power gasolene engine weighing some 1800 pounds, by a 10 horse 

 power engine made especially for automobiles and weighing only 

 400 pounds. Furthermore, a heavier and more powerful pump has 

 been employed, the whole w-eighing no more than the usual spray- 

 ing outfit. The machinery is mounted upon a stout wagon with a 

 400 gallon tank, and a heavy inch and a half hose some 400 to 

 800 feet long, with a smooth one quarter inch nozzle is used for 

 work in the woodlands. A pressure of 200 to 250 pounds is main- 

 tained. The hose is handled much as though a fire was in progress. 

 Ten men, at intervals of 6 or 8 feet, carry the end of the hose, 

 the nozzle being in charge of a superior man with instructions to 

 keep it moving all the time. The pressure is sufficient to throw 

 the insecticide 40 or 50 feet, and the resistance of the air breaks 

 it into a fine spray. The foliage is well covered if the nozzle is 

 bandied intelligently. This giant outfit is particularly adapted to 

 work in woodlands. It usually requires four horses and is capable 

 of spraying 14 to 16 acres a day, much depending upon conditions. 

 The cost of treatment in this manner is reduced to about $10.20 

 per acre where the woodland is fairly clear of underbrush. An 

 interesting modification of this apparatus has been employed for 

 spraying strips along the roadside. It simply consists of a giant 

 extension nozzle mounted on a universal joint so that the tip may 

 be lifted 40 or 50 feet from the ground. This last named appa- 



