200 Twenty-Second Annual Repokt of the 



THE MOTH WORK IN NEW YORK 



The authorities in New York State naturally became alarmed as informa- 

 tion was received from year to year relating to the spread in the New Eng- 

 land states of gipsy and brown-tail moths. Justification for the alarm was 

 emphasized by the occasional receiving of nursery stock from abroad and 

 from New England, found infested with one or the other of the insects. A 

 dozen or more shipments of nursery stock were examined at points of destina- 

 tion in which egg masses of gipsy moth were found. In the spring of 1909, 

 over seven thousand nests containing live caterpillars of the brown-tail moth 

 were found in importations of nursery stock from France. These were fol- 

 lowed by half as many more in the spring of 1910. The fear that we might 

 receive gipsy moth from Massachusetts, through the medium of shipments of 

 nursery stock, was increased when the State Inspector of Massachusetts 

 would not issue certificates to their nurserymen bearing the statement that 

 the trees were apparently free from gipsy moth. The legislature of the 

 State of New York at that time approved an act requiring the inspection at 

 point of destination of all shipments of nursery stock made into the State of 

 New York. This system of inspection has been carried out for several years 

 and has been justified by the occasional discovery of infested and infected 

 trees and plants, notably the San Jose scale, gipsy and brown-tail moth r 

 pine-shoot moth, black knot, crown gall, chestnut blight disease, blister rust 

 of the pine, etc. 



In addition to the careful inspection of all shipments, close attention has 

 been given to the inspection of highways leading from the infested areas in 

 New England. These inspections embrace roadways and railroads, particu- 

 larly stations and small towns where cars from New England might have 

 been switched. A thorough examination was also made of all parks and 

 estates where there was a possibility that infested material might have been 

 received in years prior to governmental supervision. 



Two years ago the Federal Government placed a quarantine on the moth 

 infested areas of New England and permitted no shipments of plant material 

 from these areas excepting under certification. Christmas trees, which are 

 practically impossible of thorough examination for gipsy eggs, are not per- 

 mitted to be shipped outside of the Federal quarantine area. 



THE GIPSY MOTH SITUATIOX 



It is a wonder that the gipsy and brown-tail moths were not before this 

 time largely established at widely separated points in the State of New York. 

 The Department of Agriculture has given, however, so much attention to the 

 inspection of locations where plantings have been made prior to the time of 

 systematic inspection, that it would seem that any colonies of gipsy moth 

 should have been discovered. Within the period of our inspection so many 

 instances have appeared indicating the case with which a colony of either 

 pest might become established, that our wonder may well be increased. In 

 two instances, however, colonies of gipsy moth took lodgment within ths 

 State. These are the only ones known to exist at the present time. 



The first was in Ontario County in an old orchard in the city of Geneva, 



