314 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



ployees it is able to present a summary of the condition 

 of the district now occupied by the gypsy moth. 



To better understand the present situation, it may be well 

 to review the condition of the infested territory at the close 

 of the work, Feb. }, 1900. At that date there were no large 

 colonies of the moth in existence. The residential districts, 

 always under close supervision, had been cleared from the 

 moth, except for a few scattered infestations. The large 

 woods colonies, which in previous years had so seriously 

 menaced the work of extermination, had been subjected 

 to most thorough treatment and the numbers of the moth 

 reduced to a minimum. 



To-day all is changed. For two years the moth has been 

 allowed to multiply unchecked, and the increase of the pest 

 has been of a most serious nature. The woodland colonies, 

 so well under control in 1899, are becoming thoroughly re- 

 infested. The struggling moths which might have been 

 found and destroyed in 1900 have multiplied to such an 

 extent that in nearly all of these colonies from Lexington 

 to Lynn numbers of egg-clusters can now be seen. Some 

 of the most important of these colonies are in the Fells 

 reservation of the metropolitan park system, and here most 

 strenuous eftbrts will be adopted, we believe, by the Metro- 

 politan Park Commission, to prevent serious damage next 

 summer. 



A natural sequence of this increase of the moth in wood- 

 lands is the reinfe.station of residential districts. The 

 woodlands are cut up by many roads and are much fre- 

 quented for pleasure driving. Since the caterpillars spin 

 down on teams, there can be no doubt that much of the 

 reinfestation of thickly settled districts is due to the increase 

 of the moth in these colonies. Throughout Melrose, Med- 

 ford, Maiden and Everett, for example, the egg masses of the 

 moth are now conspicuous objects on many streets. From 

 the general and increasing infestation of the entire district 

 we are led to fear that soon, unless preventive action is 

 taken, the scenes of the historic outbreak of 1889-90 will 

 be repeated, on an even larger scale. 



We regret to report that during the past summer an exten- 

 sive colony of the moth was found in Providence, R. I., this 



