[BETHUNE] RECENT WORK IN ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 9 
both the Federal and Provincial Departments of Agriculture, and that 
his advice has been followed on all occasions. 
I have treated of the San José scale at somewhat undue length, 
perhaps, but my excuse must be that it is the first time in our history 
that so much attention has been paid by the Legislatures, Fruit- 
growers’ Associations, horticultural publications, the ordinary news- 
papers and the public generally to a subject of economic entomology. 
Much good work has been done already and we may confidently look for 
admirable and beneficial results. 
THe Gypsy Morx. 
The contest which we are waging in this country against the 
assaults of the San José scale, though serious and difficult enough, .is a 
small matter when compared with the work that has been carried on for 
some years in the State of Massachusetts in order to exterminate the 
Gypsy Moth (Porthetria dispar). The history of the accidental HO - 
duction of this insect about 30 years ago, how for a score of years it was 
allowed to increase and mutiply without any notice being taken of its 
dangerous character, and how since 1890 a vigorous campaign against 
it has been prosecuted by the State authorities,—these ,are all matters 
of general knowledge and I need not dwell upon them. It will be 
sufficient to mention a few facts to show the magnitude of the undertak- 
ing and the progress that has been made. The object in view is the ex- 
termination of a most prolific insect, whose larva devours the foliage of 
almost every kind of tree, shrub and plant, which had become well estab- 
lished over an area of more than 200 square miles, and had formed 
colonies, not only in orchards and gardens, but on the shade trees of city 
streets and parks, throughout extensive woodlands, in the tangled growth 
of swamps and the dense foliage of undisturbed thickets. Up to the end 
of last year the State of Massachusetts has expended the enormous sum 
of $1,155,000 in fighting this insect and the end of the campaign is by 
no means in sight.yet. At the height of the season last spring no less 
than 570 men were employed, about two and a half million trees were 
girt with bandages of burlap, and 53 tons .of the material were used. 
When I visited the scene of operations the summer before last nothing 
impressed me more than this. portion of the work; in traversing many 
miles of the State in different directions I found that every tree, large or 
small, no matter where situated, in dense woods as well as on the road- 
side, had its trunk wrapped round with burlap and a code mark painted 
upon it, indicating the various dates at which it had been inspected. 
In addition to this a variety of other methods were employed for the 
