No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 371 



progeny. Nothing was found at or near the previously 

 known places of infestation. This shows that the town had 

 once been cleared of the gypsy moth and become reinfested 

 since the last inspection, probably from the woodland colonies 

 in neighboring towns, which were badly neglected because 

 of reduced appropriations in 1895-97. All the infested 

 places should be inspected and watched carefully next year. 



Newton. — The finding of a colony of the gypsy moth in 

 the Oak Hill district of Newton was directly due to the 

 distribution of the danger bulletin, to which reference has 

 been made in another part of this report. The owners of 

 the infested estates, noticing unusual insect damage, became 

 convinced, by the reading of the bulletin, that the pest in 

 question was the gypsy moth, and at once notified this oflSce. 

 Work was begun in this colony the following day, June 22, 

 by employees of the Board. A brush-infested pasture was 

 burned over with oil, and over 40,000 trees were burlapped 

 in the vicinity of the colony. Following the stamping out 

 of the dangerous portion of the colony, the work of inspect- 

 ing, cutting and burning was continued through the remainder 

 of the year, with a view to preparing for exterminative work 

 in 1900. A large tract has now been put in the best possible 

 condition for burlapping next season. This work of thinning 

 trees and cutting underbrush should be continued until the 

 hatching time. In the mean time, the city should be thor- 

 oughly inspected. At the present time there are no exten- 

 sive infested spots, but a few larvae have been found scattered 

 over a large area. Thorough work here another year should 

 practically exterminate this colony. 



Peahody. — Owing to the inspection given the town in the 

 winter of 1898-99, and the results of constant work during 

 the past summer, Peabody is in better condition as regards 

 the gypsy moth than for some time past. The entire resi- 

 dential portion of the town was burlapped, and special atten- 

 tion was given to the work of inspection. During the larval 

 season about 9,000 larvas were taken under the burlaps. 

 After the leaves had fallen, the woodland colonies and the 

 residential part of the town were given a thorough inspec- 

 tion and cleaning. As a result of this work, only four local- 

 ities were found infested, and in these but 16 egg-clusters 



