No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 26a 



positions in experiment stations or State educational insti- 

 tutions, were invited to examine tlie worl?: of the committee 

 and make criticisms and suggestions. For their conclusions 

 and criticisms we refer to the report of the advising ento- 

 mologist of the committee, presented as a part of this report. 



Plan or Work for 1894. 

 First in order we place the inspection of all territory 

 which it is thought may possibly be infested, together with 

 the inspection of a considerable territory outside the towns 

 known to be infested. The magnitude of this work is be- 

 yond the comprehension of the casual observer. Here is a 

 territory of four hundred square miles that should be most 

 carefully examined. In most parts of it every tree and 

 shrub, as well as the ledges and loose rubbish, must be care- 

 fully examined. That gone over last year must be as care- 

 fully examined again, for assurance must be made doubly 

 sure. If by any chance a single egg cluster has been over- 

 looked it must be found. It neglected it will be a centre 

 from which the pest will again spread, as a new conflagra- 

 tion will be likely to spread from a single neglected ember. 

 In this territory are about 12,000 acres of woodland which 

 may be more or less infested. It probably contains more 

 than 5,000,000 trees, besides the undergrowth. This 

 territory has not thus far had a tree-by-tree inspection on 

 account of lack of money. While this woodland must remain 

 a menace to the Avork until absolutely cleaned out or l)urned 

 up, the enormous expense of tree-to-tree examination and 

 the opposition of the people to destruction by fire has led 

 the committee to consider the possil)ility of other plans for 

 the woodland. Small areas here and there in the woodland 

 are known to be infested, while others may be. The trees 

 for some distance around these infested spots should be 

 burlapped and carefully watched, and the remaining portion 

 kept under surveillance for another year. Persistent efforts 

 have been made to find a feasible plan for dealing with this 

 forest problem. They should be continued with the hope 

 that a plan may be found b}^ which complete extermination 

 may be accomplished without the expensive or drastic 

 measures heretofore contemplated. If careful observation 

 shall prove that the insects have only taken possession of 



