BTJKRATT OP ENTOMOLOGY. 253 



came through the winter strong in bees and were able to get the full 

 crop during the summer. This was therefore a striking demonstra- 

 tion of the validity of the recommendations. The chief activity on 

 this project has been the preparation of material for the use of the 

 field staff on this subject, and these men have carried on a vigorous 

 campaign to prevent future losses like that of last winter. Two ad- 

 ditional bulletins (Farmers' Bulletins 1012 and 1014) on practical 

 phases of the wintering problem were prepared. 



Diseases of bees. — This project has been continued without inter- 

 ruption, because of its immediate application to beekeeping prac- 

 tices. During the year a bulletin was issued on the control of Euro- 

 pean foulbrood (Farmers' Bulletin 975), placing for the first time 

 a proper emphasis on the preventive measures to be taken. Another 

 bulletin (Department Bulletin 671) was issued on the methods of 

 laboratory diagnosis of the various diseases of bees and a paper was 

 presented for publication on the so-called Nosema disease of adult 

 bees. The spore-bearing organisms encountered in laboratory diag- 

 nosis have been described in a paper in the Journal of Agricultural 

 Research. 



The most important part of the work during the year was a series 

 of field experiments on the behavior of European foulbrood in the 

 hive during the time that it is being cleaned out by the bees. This 

 served to throw light on the methods to be used in preventive treat- 

 ment. The results of this work will be presented soon for publica- 

 tion. This marks a new phase in bee-disease work and promises to 

 yield most helpful results. 



i 

 WORK ON THE GIPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH. 



During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918, the area along the 

 outside border of the territory infested by the gipsy moth in the New 

 England States has been thoroughly scouted and additional infested 

 towns have been found, so that the total area in which the insect now 

 occurs is 22,091 square miles, as against 20,211 square miles reported 

 for the previous fiscal year. The increase in area by States was as 

 follows: Maine, 938; New Hampshire, 468; Vermont, 154; Massa- 

 chusetts, 112; and Connecticut, 307, making a total of 1,880. Tt will 

 be noted that nearly half of the increase in infested area is in the 

 State of Maine. This is in territory where it is extremely difficult 

 to prevent spread of the small caterpillars, as the warm south and 

 southwest winds tend to carry them each year beyond the infested 

 border. The isolated colonies which have been found in previous 

 years at Bratenahl, Ohio; Mount Kisco, N. Y. ; Rutherford, N. J.; 

 Lenox, Stockbridge, and Great Barrington, Mass., and Wallingford, 

 Conn., have been thoroughly scouted, and the surrounding territory 

 has been examined, but no infestation has been found. It is believed 

 that the insect has been exterminated in these colonies. 



Territory infested by the brown-tail moth has been reduced from 

 36,684 square miles in 1917 to 32,990 square miles in 1918. 



Field-control work. — The control work in the field has been car- 

 ried on in accordance with arrangements made with the officials 

 in charge of similar work in the States concerned. The policy 

 adopted some years ago of confining our efforts to the scouting 



