29 



Boxford, Mass. 



Division Agent, FRANCIS C. WORTHEN; Assistant Local Superintendent, HARRY 



L. COLE. 



Two places were selected in the West Boxford district for the in- 

 tended experiments. The locality which we shall consider first is situ- 

 ated opposite the almshouse, near the Almshouse Road, and is only 

 about a quarter of an acre in size. This small isolated wood is com- 

 posed of oaks almost fifty to sixty years of age, and there is no brush. 

 The gypsy moth caterpillars were numerous here in the summer of 

 1909. No disease had been noticed among them, according to Mr. 

 Worthen and Mr. Cole, nor have any artificial means of destroying the 

 gypsy moth been undertaken here. Mr. Worthen and I estimated the 

 number of egg clusters at the time of my first visit, on May 6, 1910, 

 at about 200. 



Mr. Cole was intrusted with raising the caterpillars for the Boxford 

 experiments. Having received no notice of the wilt making its appear- 

 ance in the brood, on the 14th of June, 1910, I went to Boxford to 

 inspect the material. It was found that Mr. Cole had reared the 

 caterpillars in a very cold cellar, where they were eating but little 

 and were retarded considerably in their development. He was in- 

 structed to place the caterpillars immediately in a warmer place in the 

 open air.* On June 19, 1910, a letter from him announced that 

 Flacherie had broken out in his brood. On June 21 I went to Boxford 

 to confirm his statement. About 5 per cent, of the caterpillars of this 

 brood had already died of Flacherie, and most of the individuals still 

 living showed all the signs of the disease. 



One part of this brood was exposed, with the assistance of Mr. Cole, 

 on the same day in the western part of the selected locality. The bag 

 containing the material was fastened between twigs of oak trees, about 

 6 feet from the ground. Most of the caterpillars of this locality were 

 at this time about ready for the fourth molt. 



The fresh clusters at this place were estimated, on Aug. 26, 1910, 

 by the division agent and myself, to be about 60. The first 5 clusters 

 which were found were collected and examined. The examination re- 

 sulted as follows : 



Cluster 1. 



Unfertilized eggs, . . . - 1 



Eggs with dead embryos, . 6 / = 4 ' 92 per cent "> or about 5 P er cent ' 

 Eggs apparently alive, . .116 =95.08 per cent., or about 95 per cent. 



Total, . . . .122 eggs. 



