2 54 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



brought into .the country. The two most important at the present time are 

 the gipsy moth, Porthetria ci i s p a r Linn, and the brown tail moth, 

 Euproctis chrysorrhoea Linn. Inability to fly on the part of the 

 first named makes it a local species, dangerous only because of its voracious 

 appetite and the large number of food plants subject to attack. The latter 

 species flies readily and \vithin recent years has shown a marked tendency 

 in America to spread into woodlands, particularh- white oaks, large areas of 

 which have been defoliated. It is nearly as destructive to hard maples and 

 as a consequence both species are serious menaces to our woodlands. It is 

 obviously impractical to advise extensive spraying of forests with poison, 

 the general collection or destruction of egg masses in woodlands or similar 

 measures, because of the enormous expense involved. It is most sincerely 

 to be hoped that either native parasites or introduced forms, some of which 

 have already been imported, will prove adequate checks on both of these 

 dangerous species and obviate the necessity of employing more expen- 

 sive methods for checking these pests. Experience with the larch sawily, 

 L y g a e o n e m. a t u s erichsonii Hartg., is not encouraging, since this 

 species has for a number of years defoliated larches over wide areas in the 

 Adirondacks and is still a serious pest. 



It will probably be some years before our forests are managed with the 

 same care as those in Europe, and for a time, at least, methods for the con- 

 trol of insects in woodlands must be of a more or less makeshift character. 

 It is obvious that dead trees, whether infested by dangerous insects or not, 

 should be removed as soon as possible if anything of value is to be gotten 

 therefrom. The problem of adequately controlling insects in forest areas 

 is very difficult at best and in most cases one can hardly expect at present 

 to secure the adoption of anything more than the least costly of preven- 

 tive measures. Our present system of lumbering is wasteful not only on 

 account of the large amount of valuable material left upon the ground but 

 because this refuse affords an almost ideal breeding ground for certain 

 species which, under such conditions, may become excessively abundant 

 and correspondingly injurious to adjacent trees. A more careful working 

 up of forest products would reduce this danger very considerably and at 



