90 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 564. 
any wood lot in this way must in the end be decided by the owner 
of the property. 
If the practice common in some European countries of maintaining 
municipal or state forests were well developed in the New England 
States it would be possible in a period of years to transform con- 
siderable areas of land which are now destined to be worthless, and 
which form a favorable feeding ground for the gipsy moth, into 
well-managed forests of valuable growth. 
METHODS OF CONTROLLING THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH IN WOODLAND. 
The damage caused by the brown-tail moth is ordinarily not so 
severe as is that resulting from gipsy-moth infestation because the 
former species does not have so wide a range of food plants and, 
further, because the bulk of the feeding is done early in the season 
so that the trees have an opportunity to recover before midsummer. 
Tn the territory where both insects exist the caterpillars of the gipsy 
moth supplement the work which is done by those of the brown-tail 
moth and the injury is therefore greatly increased. The large areas 
of oak-sprout growth furnish abundant food for brown-tail moth 
caterpillars, and as a result enormous numbers of the moths develop — 
which migrate each season to the cities and towns and render it 
necessary for hand suppressive measures to be put in force each year. 
The area reinfested in this way depends largely on the prevailing — 
winds during the month of July when the moths are flying. Elimi-— 
nation of oak, scrub apple, and wild-cherry trees would assist greatly — 
in reducing the numbers of this pest. 
STATE WORK AGAINST THE GIPSY MOTH AND THE BROWN-TAIL 
MOTH. 
Each of the New England States is carrying on work for the con- 
trol of these insects. The organization varies, as between the States, 
owing to differences in local conditions, but the same general methods 
of work are employed. A brief summary of the conditions of in- 
festation in each State follows, with a statement of any special lines 
of work that are being attempted and the name and address of the 
State official in charge. Particular information concerning local con- 
ditions may be obtained by communicating with these officials. 
Maine.—The work in Maine is in charge of the State commissioner 
of agriculture, who has authority to appoint a superintendent of 
moth work. The area badly infested by the gipsy moth is relatively 
small, but scattering infestations have been found throughout the 
southern part of the State. The entire area embraces about 4,850 
square miles. Infestation by the brown-tail moth covers 12,450 
square miles in the State. This species is a particularly serious pest 
