24 FARMERS' BULLETIN 564. 



work serves to establish the quarantine line. It is the policy of the bu- 

 reau to carry on as much work a possible in the territory along the 

 western border, for the purpose of stamping out new colonies that may 

 become established and to prevent, so far as possible, further spread 

 of the insect in this direction. A large number of men are em- 

 ployed on this work, and all the towns along the border were given 

 attention this year from Lake Winnipesaukee on the north to Nar- 

 ragansett Bay. The Work is carried on with special reference to the 

 gipsy moth, as it would be impracticable to attempt control of the 

 brown-tail moth in this way. 



COOPERATIVE WORK. 



Since work on the gipsy and brown- tail moths was begun by this 

 bureau a greater or less amount of cooperative work has been carried 

 on with the States concerned. As previously stated, the attempt to 

 introduce parasites and natural enemies of the gipsy moth was con- 

 ducted cooperatively with the State of Massachusetts for several 

 years. Kecently this entire line of work has been managed 'by the 

 bureau, it being really a problem in which all the States concerned 

 are vitally interested. During the past year Maine and New Hamp- 

 shire have assisted in the work of collecting parasitized material and 

 liberating it within their borders. The field work and the quaran- 

 tine work is also carried on to a greater or less degree by means of 

 cooperative . arrangements with the States concerned, and since the 

 work was first begun the relations with the various States have been 

 very friendly and harmonious. Parasites have been liberated in 

 greater or less numbers in all of the New England States. 



THE OUTLOOK. 



During the past season conditions in the oldest infested area have 

 not been as serious as in previous years. The records show that the 

 mortality of the gipsy moth and brown-tail moth caterpillars as a 

 result of the attack of parasites, predaceous enemies, and disease has 

 been greater than in any of the years preceding. The experiments 

 which are being conducted are giving information which will serve 

 as a basis for handling infestations more satisfactorily and economi- 

 cally, and although new territory has been found infested the out- 

 look for diminishing the aggregate amount of damage which results 

 from the work of these insects is more favorable than it has been here- 

 tofore. It is necessary, however, that aggressive measures should be 

 continued in order that the pests may be brought under better con- 

 trol. This is of vital importance, particularly to the citizens of 

 States where these insects do not now exist. 



o 



