356 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Report of Acting Field Director 



To the Committee on the Gypsy Moth. 



In presenting a report on the field operations against the 

 gypsy moth during 1899, the acting director aims to give 

 a brief history of the year's work, a detailed statement of 

 the infestation of each town, a summary of the condition 

 of the entire infested district, and a few general considera- 

 tions which may be of interest to the tax-payer. 



History of the Year's Work. 

 During January experienced employees were kept at work 

 scouting for the moth in the woodlands of Lynn, Peabody, 

 Salem and Swampscott, and in the residential portions of 

 Chelsea and Wakefield. A part of the force was engaged 

 in chopping, and at times when the snow was deep the 

 entire force was utilized in cutting over infested woodlands 

 in Arlington, Lincoln, Lynn, Maiden, Medford, Salem, 

 Winchester and Woburn. In this manner large areas of 

 infested scrub growth were cleared up, while infested timber 

 lands were thinned and made ready for burlapping. This 

 work was prosecuted as rapidly as possible until the close 

 of the month. 



With the resumption of the work on February 22, scout- 

 ing was continued in Belmont, Maiden, Saugus and Wake- 

 field, when the weather favored, while a considerable amount 

 of cutting and burning was done in Arlington, Lexington, 

 Maiden, Medford, Saugus and AVoburn. These operations 

 were interrupted on March 9, when the emergency appro- 

 priation became exhausted. 



The late date on which the main appropriation became 

 available, April 15, made it imperative that all possible kill- 

 ing of eggs should be done before the hatching period. 

 Accordingly, this work was prosecuted vigorously over the 



