No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 283 



it has given the best results that have yet been obtained by 

 spraying. 



Tlie means wliich, though expensive, have given the best 

 results, and have finally exterminated the moth from local- 

 ities and towns, consist of a thorough, long-continued and 

 repeated search by competent men, not. only of all known 

 infested localities, but of entire towns. The moth is now 

 so rare in most of the infested towns that it is only by such 

 search that it can be found, and this search must be relied 

 upon to assure extermination. 



When a colony is found all forms of the moth must be 

 destroyed ; loose bark must be scraped from the trees, the 

 undergrowth cut and burned, all cavities which may serve 

 for hiding places filled, and the locality carefully watched 

 for at least two years. 



This method, expensive though it may be, is sure to 

 secure extermination. 



3Ieans of Preventing Extended Distribution. 



As it was known that the moths were disseminated mainly 

 by carriage driving and teaming from badly infested centres, 

 plans for preventing this distribution were shaped accord- 

 ingly. 



Every effort was made to clear all badly infested localities 

 and trees along the highways. 



The inspection of two seasons having established with 

 some certainty the extent of the territory infested, measures 

 were taken to reduce its area : first, by holding the insects 

 in check in the badly infested central towns that they might 

 not spread further ; second, by exterminating them in the 

 outer towns which were less infested. 



It was also important that an annual search should be 

 made in the towns adjoining the infested district to ascer- 

 tain whether the moths were being further disseminated. 



Inspection of Toivns Outside the Infested Region, 

 The appropriation made by the Legislature of 1893 

 allowed the committee to undertake the inspection of the 

 towns in the vicinity of the infested region on a larger scale 

 than had hitherto been possible. 



