No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 273 



inspector and men were assigned to each section. It was proposed to 

 keep each inspector in the locality to which he had been assigned, that 

 he might by experience become intimately familiar with his territory, and 

 the distribution and habits of the insects there, for we were convinced 

 that this wj:s the only plan by which extermination could be ultimately 

 effected. In this way we were enabled to determine the number of men 

 that would be required to destroy the eggs over the entire area in a given 

 time. The egg killing was pushed during the months of March and 

 April. The inspection was not in all cases thorough, as a large propor- 

 tion of the force engaged in it was necessarily composed of inexperi- 

 enced persons, and there were not enough expert men to reinspect their 

 work. Thus we were unable in the spring of 1892 to do thoroughly 

 the work which might have been done in the fall of 1891 had sufficient 

 money remained. We were also unable to secure and train men 

 enough, in the short time at our disposal in the spring, to cover the 

 entire field Thus, as in the previous season, there remained at hatch- 

 ing time a considerable area in which the eggs had not been destroyed. 

 Special efibrts were made in all infested towns to destroy the eggs on 

 tiees along the highways. In the worst infested district these trees were 

 then banded in such a way as to prevent the caterpillars from ascending 

 them. The German insect lime which was recommended to the com- 

 mittee by Dr. Riley and Professor Fernow, both of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, was used experimentally in 1891. Early in 

 1892 four tons of this material were imported. This lime was used 

 in banding street, orchard and forest trees. It was placed on trees 

 side by side with several other mixtures from American manufacturers, 

 and was found superior to them all. Not enough, however, had been 

 imported to protect all the trees, and in IMedford and Maiden many 

 were banded by the method pursued last year. This was quite as effec- 

 tive as the insect lime in stopping the caterpillars, but was more costly, 

 as frequent applications were required, while the insect lime, when once 

 properly applied, remained in good condition for nearly two months 

 and needed very little attention. As a result of this method of banding 

 trees along the highways, the caterpillars were kept out of such trees 

 and there was no danger of their falling upon peojjle, animals or moving 

 vehicles, and being distributed by such means. For this reason trees 

 near houses, stables and other buildings were also banded with insect 

 lime. Trees near fences, stone walls and other objects in or under 

 which the creatvires hide and deposit their eggs were also banded It 

 was seen by inspection that where this was done the caterpillars, which 

 were thus prevented from ascending trees, crawled to others which were 



