36 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [VoL 3 



would also like to ask how much of the wood it is necessary to use as 

 a sample in making an analysis? 



]Mr. Headden : In some cases I have found that a piece of wood an 

 inch or two long and an inch wide would be sufficient to show the pres- 

 ence of arsenic. Generally I use about two ounces. 



In a soil normally alkali and dry, some trees that have been sprayed 

 from one to four times have shown effects of arsenical poisoning. 



Mr, Sanderson : Does poisoning result from the insecticide coming 

 in contact with the trunk of the tree, or are the roots alone affected? 



Mr. Headden : I do not know how much, if any, poison may be 

 absorbed by the contact, but where it collects about the crown it cor- 

 rodes both the trunk and the roots. 



Mr. Sanderson : Is there any more poison in the roots of the tree 

 than in the trunk? 



]\Ir. Headden : I do not know. I have separated the small branches 

 and analyzed them and found abundant evidence of arsenic. 



Mr. Felt : How soon, after spraying, does a tree die ? 



Mr. Headden : I have known a young tree to die after three spray- 

 ings. Professor Gillette and I examined an old orchard, and not one 

 of the old trees showed any effects of poisoning, but every young tree 

 gave signs of the trouble. The age of the tree when first sprayed may 

 make some difference. 



President Britton : As Prof. F. "William Eane, of Boston, is now 

 present, we will listen to his paper on the present condition of the 

 ''Gypsy and Brown-Tail Moth Work in Massachusetts." 



PRESENT CONDITIONS OF THE GYPSY AND BROWN- 

 TAIL MOTH WORK IN MASSACHUSETTS 



By F. AV. llAXE, Massachusetts State Forester 



The work against the gypsy and brown-tail motlis was placed under 

 the State Forester by an act of the last General Court. IMany changes 

 in organization and previous policies have been made. The infested 

 territory has been divided into fifteen divisions instead of six as here- 

 tofore, and the force of experts now responsible to the main office is 

 nineteen as compared with fifty. The superintendents of divisions 

 have been provided with motor cycles, and the State Forester feels 

 confident that the organization is capable of doing more effective work 

 than ever. The w^ork of spraying has increased in usefulness and 

 thereby much of the more expensive hand suppression work like 

 turning of burlaps has diminished. The Department of State Forester 

 has established a supply store, which is proving a great saving of 



