20 FARMERS ' BULLETIN 564. 



any wood lot in this way must in the end be decided by the owner 

 of the property. 



If the practice common in some European countries of maintaining 

 municipal or state forests were well developed in the New England 

 States it would be possible in a period of years to transform con- 

 sidepjple areas of land which are now destined to be worthless, and 

 which form a favorable feeding ground for the gipsy moth, into 

 well-managed forests of valuable growth. 



METHODS OF CONTROLLING THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH IN WOODLAND. 



The damage caused by the brown-tail moth is ordinarily not so 

 severe as is that resulting from gipsy-moth infestation because the 

 former species does not have so wide a range of food plants and, 

 further, because the bulk of the feeding is done early in the season 

 so that the trees have an opportunity to recover before midsummer. 

 In the territory where both insects exist the caterpillars of the gipsy 

 moth supplement the work which is done by those of the brown-tail 

 moth and the injury is therefore greatly increased. The large areas 

 of oak-sprout growth furnish abundant food for brown-tail moth 

 caterpillars, and as a result enormous numbers of the moths develop 

 which migrate each season to the cities and towns and render it 

 necessary for hand suppressive measures to be put in force each year. 

 The area reinfested in this way depends largely on the prevailing 

 winds during the month of July when the moths are flying. Elimi- 

 nation of oak, scrub apple, and wild-cherry trees would assist greatly 

 in reducing the numbers of this pest. 



STATE WORK AGAINST THE GIPSY MOTH AND THE BROWN-TAIL 



MOTH. 



Each of the New England States is carrying on work for the con- 

 trol of these insects. The organization varies, as between the States, 

 owing to differences in local conditions, but the same general methods 

 of work are employed. A brief summary of the conditions of in- 

 festation in each State follows, with a statement of any special lines 

 of work that are being attempted and the name and address of the 

 State official in charge. Particular information concerning local con- 

 ditions may be obtained by communicating with these officials. 



Maine. The work in Maine is in charge of the State commissioner 

 of agriculture, who has authority to appoint a superintendent of 

 moth work. The area badly infested by the gipsy moth is relatively 

 small, but scattering infestations have been found throughout the 

 southern part of the State. The entire area embraces about 4,850 

 square miles. Infestation by the brown-tail moth covers 12,450 

 square miles in the State. This species is a particularly serious pest 



