538 NEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



tember 19th and 23d, in company with Dr. E. P. Felt, the State 

 Entomologist of New York. 



To the courtesy of Mr. Kirkland I owe the opportunity of getting 

 over a large part of the infested territory and of making such in- 

 spections as I wished, and I have no hesitation in saying that the 

 introduction of either or both the gypsy or brown-tail moths into 

 New Jersey would be the greatest calamity that has ever visited the 

 State. 



As to the gypsy moth, its natural spread is slow, and a quarter of 

 a century might elapse before it reached our State did it de})end only 

 on these natural powers. Unfortunately, communication by way of 

 railroad, trolley and automobile is now so widespread that at almost 

 any time a colony of the insects may appear at some point far removed 

 from the present infestation. That this is not a fanciful danger is 

 shown by the fact that e^g masses have been found on freight cars 

 and moths on passenger trains. 



Since the cessation of the State work, about six years ago, the insect 

 has extended into territory more than twice as great as that occupied 

 by it when the work first began, and extermination seems now^ an im- 

 possibility. It is perhaps a question whether at least the southern 

 half of New Jersey is not outside the climatic range of the gypsy 

 moth, but that is not so certain as to make it a safe reliance. No 

 present action seems desirable, but it will be well to watch develop- 

 ments. 



As to the 'broivn-iail moth, that has spread over the entire eastern 

 section of New England, along the line of the prevailing southwest 

 winds. It is active in both sexes, and its natural means of getting 

 about are much greater than those of the gypsy. It is scarcely less 

 destructive and has an additional offensive character in the poisonous 

 hairs or spines with which it is covered. Fortunately, it is. rather more 

 easily dealt with in the town and orchard than the older pest, and, 

 while a highly undesirable addition, is not so much there to be 

 dreaded; but wdien it gets into the forest, Avhile its range of food 

 plants is not so great, its effect on deciduous trees is more severe. 



A brief account of both species, taken chiefly from the INtassa- 

 chusetts reports and bulletins, appears in another portion o( this 

 publication. 



