THE GIPSY MOTH AS A FOREST INSECT. 19 



THE IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SITUATION. 



The immediate requirements of the situation are that the work 

 be conducted in a hearty spirit of cooperation among all concerned. 

 For the purpose of solving the problems associated with the elimina- 

 tion of oak and its replacement by other and, if possible, more 

 valuable trees the Bureau of Entomology has allied itself with the 

 United States Forest Service and hopes also to continue in hearty 

 accord with the various State foresters most immediately concerned. 

 The further investigation of the "wilt" disease will be conducted 

 by the Bureau of Entomology and the Bussey Institution working 

 together. Additional information concerning the relative resist- 

 ance of various trees standing singly, or in pure or mixed growth, 

 will be compiled by the Bureau of Entomology, which will also 

 concern itself to discover exactly what progress is being made by 

 the imported parasites and predatory enemies. These hues of 

 investigation, observation, and research are all being directed with 

 one single end in view, how best to protect the forest. 



Of great importance, also, is the work intended to restrict the 

 spread of the gipsy moth beyond the bomidaries of New England. 

 A certain amount of natural spread can not be prevented, especially 

 through wind, but it is hoped entirely to eliminate the danger of 

 an immensely more rapid spread through artificial channels, upon 

 nursery stock, forest products, etc., shipped from infested to nonin- 

 fested territory. It is also hoped considerably to retard the slow 

 and inevitable natural dispersion, even though it is impossible 

 entirely to prevent it. 



The natural progression of the moth to the westward, which is 

 the most to be feared and also the easiest to retard, will be more 

 effectively controlled if the woodland colonies along the western 

 frontier, and for that matter over the whole infested area, are sup- 

 pressed. It is from these that the wind spread largely comes about. 

 The longer they can be kept down, the less the likelihood of their 

 becoming a source of infestation to the country beyond. 



Especially along the frontier the colonies are at fu'st few and 

 scattered, and while everything within reason will be done toward 

 their suppression, there is believed to be justification for asking the 

 active cooperation of forest owners directly interested. If through 

 a modification in their methods of handling their property they can 

 save themselves from what would now appear in many instances 

 to be certain loss; if they can at the same time put their forests 

 in such condition as not only to protect them in the future but also 

 to render them more intrinsically valuable; and, finall}^, if they 

 can render a not inconsiderable public service through helping to 



