2G4 ANNUAL EErORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGPJCULTUEE. 



Field coxtkol work. — The field Avork luis been carried alonn on 

 the same general lines as in previous 3'ears. As the scouting- of the 

 border area failed to reveal infestations in man}' towns, it was pos- 

 sible to devote more time and effort to the control of bad colonies 

 located on exposed places in towns inside the border. Work of this 

 character is exceedingly important, as it tends to reduce the oppor- 

 tunity for small caterpillars to be spread by the Avind and helps to 

 ]:)revent ncAv infestations from becoming established outside the 

 border and in the area which has been cleaned. Scouting was car- 

 ried on in 130 towns, and in a number of these toAvns the work was 

 checked up by special scouts, known as trailers, to determine whether 

 egg clusters were being missed. This method is constanth^ employed 

 in order to keep the work on an efficient basis. 



In the fall of 1918 several tons of gipsy moth banding material 

 was prepared at the field storehouse at Franklin, N. H. About 4 

 tons of this material was applied to the trees early in the spring, and 

 excellent results were secured. Daring the winter five of the liorse- 

 drawn spraying machines were converted into motor-propelled out- 

 fits and there were available 12 motor-truck sprayers and 7 horse- 

 drawn machines, Avith the necessary hose, nozzles, and other acces- 

 sories. These machines were distributed along the infested border 

 and work was taken up as soon as the foliage was large enough to 

 be sprayed. For the first time since the Avork began, dry arsenate 

 of lead was used instead of paste. The results were satisfactory; 

 and more of this material will be used in the future if the price is 

 as favorable as is that of the paste form. 



Spraying was carried on in 3G towns as follows: Xcav Hampshire, 

 25: Massacliusetts, 3: Ehodo Island, 4; Connecticut, 4; 3,280 acres of 

 infested Avoodland Avas sprayed ; also 0,800 fruit and shade trees. 

 'J'his work in the border territory Avas greatly facilitated by the 

 spraying carried on by the State entomologist in Connecticut. The 

 Avork Avas arranged so that one motor truck furnished by the State 

 and one liorse-draAvn sprayer treated the infestations in a number of 

 toAvns. 



Experimental avork. — In the fall of 1918 many sample collections 

 Avere made to determine Avhether the severe Avinter had adversely 

 affected the imported egg parasites, namely. jSchediiis kuvanac and 

 Anastatus hlfasclatus. The results indicated that Schedius had not 

 been able to surviA^e the Avinter in NeAV Hampshire, except possibly 

 in a feAv of the more favorable locations. This species Avas also very 

 scarce in INIassachusetts, except in the southern part of the State. 

 Anastatus came through the Avinter in better condition, although its 

 numbers Avere decreased someAvhat. OAving to these conditions, plans 

 Avere imuiediately made to colonize large numbers of both species dur- 

 ing the fall and Avinter. 



Five million specimens of Schedius Avere colonized in Massachusetts 

 and New Hampshire in the fall of 1918, and 10.000,000 specimens of 

 Anastatus Avere colonized in the spring of 1919; 2,01G colonies of 

 the latter were libei'ated in Massachusetts, G,286 in Ncav Ilampsliire, 

 1,(j59 in jMaine, 127 in Rhode Island, and 144 in Connecticut. The 

 completion of tliis vvork Avas made possible by assistance secured 

 from the officials in the different States. 



