No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 357 



entire district, but particularly in Maiden and Medford, 

 where large numbers of egg-clusters still remained. Early 

 in May, as the eggs began to hatch and the young larvaa to 

 spread, infested brush lands were burned over with oil, thus 

 destroying many infestations of considerable size, and pre- 

 venting a farther spread of the insect. The large amount 

 of preparatory work, such as egg killing, cutting and burn- 

 ing, etc., which had been done in the months which had 

 elapsed since the laying of the eggs in midsummer, 1898, 

 had placed the entire district in a condition where the bur- 

 lap could be better attended than ever before. Fifty-three 

 tons of burlap were purchased and made ready for applica- 

 tion to the trees. A large number of employees was added 

 to the force, and the work of burlapping was carried on as 

 rapidly as possible. 



The work was continued without delay during the early 

 part of June, and, as a result, over 2,300,000 trees were 

 banded with the burlap, while on over 1,000,000 others the 

 bands of last year were still serviceable. The foliage was 

 now developed to such an extent that spraying operations 

 could be prosecuted with advantage, and twenty gangs 

 with the improved tank outfits were kept at work applying 

 the poison to the leaves. Spraying is an expensive oper- 

 ation under the best conditions, and in previous years the 

 efiectiveness of this work has been often nullified in part 

 by frequent rains. From our stand-point, however, the cli- 

 matic conditions in the season of 1899 were all that could 

 be desired. Under the influence of clear, dry weather the 

 poison was applied easily, and as readily dried on the foli- 

 age. The effectiveness of this treatment was soon apparent 

 in the thousands of dead caterpillars that covered the ground 

 beneath the infested trees. This method was particularly 

 satisfactory in dealing with colonies in the metropolitan 

 park system, where it seemed undesirable to use more radi- 

 cal measures. Later in the month when the larvse began 

 to cluster, spraying operations were gradually discontinued, 

 and special attention was given to the destruction of the 

 insects under the burlaps. 



Tliroughout Jul}^ the inspection of the burlaps was carried 

 on diligently. In the worst colonies, daily or even semi- 



