No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 417 



large areas of infested woodland which are either included 

 in metropolitan or municipal parks, or which, from their 

 location, are of high value, the trees on which cannot be 

 cut, but must be burlappcd, carefully inspected and the 

 underbrush and sprouts kept down. Unless this can be 

 thoroughly attended to each year for three or four years, 

 until the moth is exterminated in them, the creature will 

 certainly increase and spread, thereby infesting more wood- 

 land and increasing the cost of inspection and treatment. 



To make sure that no infestation has been overlooked, 

 and to watch for indications of reinfestation, it will also be 

 necessary for a term of years to examine periodically all 

 the territory of all the towns in which the gypsy moth has 

 at any time effected a lodgement. 



The increased appropriation of 1898 has enabled the com- 

 mittee effectually to check the spread of the moth from the 

 central woodlands. In future, therefore, the work of the 

 committee can be more directly and effectively applied to 

 extermination than heretofore. Although a vast improve- 

 ment has been made this year, — an improvement far greater 

 in the central towns than ever before, — yet, as has been 

 said, a careful examination of these towns, necessitating 

 much time and large cost, must be continued for several 

 years before the moth can surely be declared exterminated 

 from them. 



The completion of a thorough examination of the outer 

 towns is also a prime necessity. Dr. L. O. Howard, 

 entomologist to the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, in his report on the gypsy moth exterminative 

 work, made to the United States government since the 

 completion of the committee's last report, pointed out the 

 advisability of carefully inspecting a belt of towns beyond 

 the limits of the known infested territory, for the purpose 

 of discovering gypsy moth infestation should it by any 

 chance exist there. The committee fully recognize the 

 wisdom of the measure thus suggested, and would have 

 undertaken it earlier, had means permitted. Should an 

 adequate appropriation be granted by the Legislature, all 

 that can consistently be done in this direction during the 

 coming year will be done. 



