228 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



hilltops and exposed areas from which spread by wind was most 

 likely to occur have been given special attention. 



State relations and cooperation. — In order to avoid duplication 

 of effort and obtain the best results, arrangements are made in ad- 

 vance with the different States wdiere infestations exist. In general 

 the field operations of the bureau, with the exception of the parasite 

 and quarantine work, are conducted along the extreme border of in- 

 festation, and the State work is carried on in the inside territory, 

 which is infested more heavily. 



The places where colonies were discovered in previous years in New 

 York, New Jersey, and Ohio were scouted thoroughly but during the 

 winter no egg clusters were found. With the exception of one place 

 at Mount Kisco, N. Y,, which is in territory that is very difficult to 

 handle, all the gipsy moths outside of New England apparently have 

 been exterminated. The Mount Kisco place will require more work, 

 and this is being done in cooperation with the State of New York. 

 It probably will be necessary to make one more thorough examina- 

 tion of all these outside places to make sure that no insects are 

 present. 



Quarantine work. — The number of shipments of nursery stock, 

 forest products, and Christmas trees and greens from the infested 

 areas to points outside has increased materially. The demand for 

 these products has been much greater than heretofore, and more than 

 42,000 ^ shipments have been inspected and certified. The percentage 

 of gipsy-moth infestations found on these products was about the 

 same as during the previous year, although a larger proportion of 

 the shipments of Christmas trees and greens was found infested. 

 The number of brown-tail moth webs obtained in this way was much 

 less than the number reported during the previous year and showed 

 a greatly decreased infestation. The inspection of trains at several 

 of the principal junction points was continued, but only 78 brown- 

 tail moths were destroyed on or in cars during the season. This 

 number was so small that it has been deemed advisable to discontinue 

 this kind of inspection during the coming year. 



Silvicultural work. — The examination of the sample plats has 

 been continued, and marked changes have been noted in most of these 

 areas. This is an experiment, however, in which several years must 

 elapse before definite results can be obtained. Reports have been 

 prepared relative to the best method of handling certain types of 

 woodland, and a careful study is being made of the cordwood market 

 in New England for the purpose of determining, if possible, whether 

 more cordwood can be disposed of to the advantage of the owner of 

 moth-infested woodland. 



Experimental work. — The experimental work has been continued 

 along most of the lines previously reported. A careful investigation 

 is being made of the gipsy moth as a cranberry pest and of the best 

 methods for handling the insect under cranberry-bog conditions. It 

 is found that this insect is capable of causing very serious injury to 

 the cranberry crop, and although confined to a somewhat limited 

 area the cranberry industry is of vital importance to the people living 

 in that district. 



iJuly 1, 1916, to June 1, 1917. 



