No. 123.] PLANT PEST CONTROL. 77 



this work. The policy followed was to continue the eradica- 

 tion of Ribes (currants and gooseberries) in important pine- 

 growing sections of the State through the co-operation of 

 towns, timber owners, associations and other interested parties. 



The work this year has been carried on almost entirely on 

 this local co-operative basis, one town (Petersham), the Massa- 

 chusetts Department of Conservation and thirty individuals 

 expending $2,377, representing approximately one-quarter of 

 the total cost of the work in each case. With the funds made 

 available as a result of this co-operation, control work has 

 been in operation in sections of the following towns: Car- 

 lisle, Hubbardston, Newburyport, North Andover, Petersham, 

 Princeton, Royalston, Templeton, Topsfield, Uxbridge and 

 Winchendon. 



In the work in these towns, 19,389 acres of land have 

 been examined and 1,224,306 wild and 1,421 cultivated Ribes 

 destroyed, at a total cost of $10,422.87, or an average cost per 

 acre of 54 cents. Of this cost, 46 cents has been expended for 

 labor, 3 cents for supervision and 5 cents for transportation 

 and other expenses. 



One supervisor, 1 scout, 7 foremen and 49 linemen have been 

 employed during the season in maintaining the personnel of 

 the field crews. Labor conditions have been but slightly im- 

 proved over those of last year, good men preferring to work 

 nearer industrial centers where the prevailing rate of pay was 

 much higher than that paid on this work. This scarcity of 

 suitable labor greatly handicapped the work and it was neces- 

 sary to secure most of the labor locally. 



The usual crew methods have been employed again, a scout 

 supplementing the work of the crews in some areas by working 

 in advance and locating Ribes habitats. This advance scout- 

 ing work was very instrumental in keeping down the costs. 

 Another added feature of the work last year was the use of a 

 two-man crew to examine all roadside areas, stone walls, fence 

 rows, etc., around open areas and for the removal of cultivated 

 bushes. This method fixes responsibility, eliminates much lost 

 motion experienced in the use of the larger crew in such situa- 

 tions and results in more efficient work. 



The State Department has not undertaken any extensive 



