REviivWS 65 



etc. Lately such co-operation is also had with the country farm 

 bureaus. 



The war, with its attendant shortage of coal, and hence increased 

 fuelwood demand, has been a blessing in disguise, permitting the profit- 

 able utilization of moth-killed material. Thinnings as a means of con- 

 trolling the gypsy moth had been advocated years before, but the diffi- 

 culty of disposing of the cordwood prevented more general application 

 of the operation. Last year "forestry paid"^that is to say, the thin- 

 nings could be done profitably — as did utilization generally, in cord- 

 wood and sawmill operation, under advice and co-operation of the de- 

 partment. Some 874 acres were, under such co-operation, cut with a 

 net profit to the fifteen owners of about $25,000. In 191 5, when 1,485 

 acres were under operation, a net return of only $5,000 was antici- 

 pated. These thinnings concern themselves mainly with oak. Nothing 

 is said about the silvicultural results of these thinnings, and we are left 

 in doubt whether a mere utilization of dead or dying material or real 

 silvicultural operations are involved. The need of fuelwood for the 

 military camps has also benefited this part of the activities. The de- 

 partment also became the center of activity in recruiting complete saw- 

 mill units for England under a fund of $150,000 furnished by the lum- 

 bermen of New England, besides enlisting men for similar service 

 organized by the U. S. Forest Service. 



Reforestation work, usually on land ceded free of cost, but with 

 the privilege of redemption on the part of the owner under the refores- 

 tation law of 1908, had by the time of the 191 5 report given rise to 125 

 plantations on waste land, and during the period of the reports has 

 added 35 more, with nearly 1.300 acres, and altogether some 15,000 

 acres are planted. Apparently the average number per acre planted is 

 700 trees — a rather small number. Six nurseries furnish the material 

 also for the State forests and for sale to private individuals ; to the 

 latter, in 19 17, some 300,000 plants were sold at $7 per thousand for 

 3 and 4 year olds. A special point is made of the reforesting experi- 

 ments in scrub-oak lands, the planting being done in openings of the 

 scrub after a fire with 4-year transplants, which in three years appear 

 well established. If it were necessary to clear the scrub, as where it 

 is too dense, the planting would be too expensive. 



As regards the methods and the attitude towards the eradication of 

 insect and fungous diseases, we note the following: Creosoting egg 

 clusters is effective with the gypsy moth, but spraying with arsenate of 

 lead is more effective. For this, special auto-truck sprayers are used 



