February, '10] ENTOMOLOGISTS' DISCUSSION 45 



So far as Maine is concerned, the conditions in the towns are very 

 good. 



We find this year that there are several large colonies in the deep 

 woodland which had not previously been discovered. 



President Britton : We would now like to hear from Col. Thomas 

 H. Dearborn, who has charge of the gypsy moth work in New Hamp- 

 shire. 



Mr. Dearborn: I have been much interested in the gypsy moth 

 discussion which I have listened to this afternoon. We have in New 

 Hampshire a large infested area, although the greater part of it was 

 not known to be infested until within the last two years. Within a 

 week, a force of gypsy moth men have found in a woodland near Dur- 

 ham, N. H., a very bad infestation, and this leads me to believe that 

 the insect has been established in woodland areas in the state much 

 longer than we have suspected. 



Numerous other colonies strengthen this opinion, and I am inclined 

 to think that if the woodland area of the state could be examined many 

 large colonies w^ould be found which have been present for a good 

 many years. 



President Britton : I do not see Professor Stene in the audience. 

 Is there anyone who can report from Rhode Island? 



Mr. Polke : I am not in charge of the moth work in Rhode Island, 

 but have worked with Professor Stene and am thoroughly acquainted 

 with the conditions there. 



We have copied Massachusetts as regards the methods which are 

 used for fighting the gypsy moth, and I fear we are going to copy 

 Massachusetts too far, in that there is serious talk of withholding our 

 appropriation at the coming session of the Legislature. 



The condition of the infested territory in Rhode Island is improv- 

 ing each year, and if we are able to bring sufficient pressure to bear 

 on the Legislature, so that the appropriation for the work will be con- 

 tinued, the moth infested area can be greatlj^ reduced next year. 



Mr. Sanderson : I have always felt that we did not have sufficient 

 information concerning the methods of the spread of the gypsy moth. 

 We know that the brown-tail moth has spread in a northerly direction, 

 and this has been presumably due to the fact that the prevailing wind 

 is in this direction during the period when the heaviest flight of the 

 moths takes place. The spread of the gypsy moth has been in a north- 

 erly direction, and it seems to me that this matter is of sufficient im- 

 portance to the whole country so that it should be thoroly investi- 

 gated. It is quite possible that the young larvce-bearing aerostatic 

 hairs may be carried by the wind. 



