454 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



marsh grass as they went. The work of destruction on the 

 trees was very complete, as the caterpillars had eaten not 

 only the leaves but the mid-ribs, stems and even the buds 

 of the newly forming foliage. The agents of the Board 

 were soon on the ground attacking the caterpillars with fire. 

 The ground in the immediate vicinity was burned over. A 

 small building under which the caterpillars had sought 

 refuge was burned, and the swarm was stamped out at once. 

 Then the work of finding the scattered caterpillars was 

 begun. From the size of this colony, it seems plain it must 

 have been established in Manchester for several years, and 

 it would have been found long since had means enough been 

 provided. Its presence there may be accounted for by 

 the fact that a man who had business in the vicinity lived 

 in the infested region, and had continually driven back and 

 forth for years. The trees in the near-by village were bur- 

 lapped, as well as those in the neighboring woods. As the 

 inspection of the town progressed, not only were the cater- 

 pillars found under these burlaps, but single egg-clusters 

 were later found here and there in the estates of summer 

 residents along the shore. As delivery wagons were accus- 

 tomed to stand near the infested trees before our work 

 began there, and as it was noticed that many caterpillars 

 dropped upon such wagons and were even carried by some 

 of them into the estates before mentioned, it is most proba- 

 ble that the distribution of the gypsy moth in Manchester 

 was mainly brought about in this way. The destruction of 

 the colony should prevent further dissemination of the moth 

 in Manchester or near-by towns, but the entire town and all 

 the surrounding region should have now a thorough inspec- 

 tion. This inspection has already begun. 



Marblehead. 

 Only one gypsy moth caterpillar was found in Marble- 

 head in 1898, and that one at the only locality where the 

 moth was found last year. If by a clearance of the central 

 towns the moths can be kept from spreading again into 

 Marblehead, it will need only an occasional inspection to 

 make sure that no seed is left. 



