376 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Maiden, — The present condition of Maiden shows a sub- 

 stantial improvement over that of 1898. There were 256,691 

 burlaps in use ; large areas of the worst infested centres were 

 cut over and burned ; extensive spraying yielded satisfactory 

 results. Only about one-third as many larvoe and egg-clusters 

 and half as many pupse were found in 1899 as in 1898. 

 There still remain in the eastern and northern parts of the 

 city areas of infested woodlands, which should be thinned and 

 put in condition for burlapping. Before exterminative meas- 

 ures are used, it will be necessary to cover the cavities in a 

 large number of infested trees. The condition of the whole 

 area being now accurately known, it is safe to assert that if 

 continuous suppressive work can be carried on here for two 

 successive years, exterminative measures may then be em- 

 ployed to good advantage. 



Medford. — Since this city was the one in which the moth 

 was originally introduced, its general infestation doubtless 

 took place at an early date. The woodland colonies of Med- 

 ford have for years been a most serious menace to the success 

 of our work. Here the caterpillars have repeatedly swarmed 

 in the years of restricted appropriations, and, being dissemi- 

 nated outward from the colonies, have reinfested the sur- 

 rounding cities and towns. Hence the condition of Arlington, 

 Cambridge ,'Somerville, Stoneham and Winchester, as regards 

 the gypsy moth, has been largely dependent on that of Med- 

 ford. In 1897 we were obliged — although it entailed the 

 serious neglect of outer infested territory — to use most 

 vigorous measures in these woodland colonies. Favored by 

 more liberal financial support during the past two years, the 

 work thus commenced in 1897 has been prosecuted vigor- 

 ously, with the result that the woodland colonies are now 

 well under control. The residential portion of the city is 

 generally infested, and will probably remain so until the 

 scattering of the moth from the woodland colonies has been 

 prevented. The most regrettable condition in Medford is 

 the general infestation of the wooded areas lying in the met- 

 ropolitan park reservation. Drastic measures for dealing 

 with the moth here are out of the question, and a vast amount 

 of expensive and continued hand-labor will be necessary 

 before the moth is exterminated from these woodlands. 



