THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH 131 



from the nettling hairs if precautions are not taken. Such 

 cocoons or pupse should be placed in a barrel or box covered 

 with mosquito screening so that the moths are confined but 

 any parasites which develop may escape through the screen. 

 Destroying the Moths. — Often the electric light and tele- 

 graph poles near lights are covered with the white-winged 

 moths, in which case they maybe largely destroyed by wash- 

 ing down with a stiff jet of water from the hydrant hose. 

 A spray of pure kerosene or kerosene emulsion may also be 

 found desirable under some circumstances for destroying 

 the moths. 



NECESSITY OF THE CONTROL OF THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH. 



In the southeastern corner of the state, where the brown- 

 tail moth has now become abundant, everyone is impressed 

 with the importance of doing everything possible to sup- 

 press or control it, as are those persons who have been un- 

 fortunate enough to have visited in the infested district in 

 Massachusetts during the caterpillar season. In general the 

 New Hampshire public seems alive to the necessity of the 

 control of the pest. As a result the last Legislature en- 

 acted a law (Senate bill 22) authorizing "the several towns 

 and cities of the state" "to appropriate and expend money 

 to limit and if possible exterminate the ravages of the 

 brown-tail moth and other insect pests." In 1905 most of 

 the towns of southeastern New Hampshire appropriated 

 money for the control of the pest. Some placed the funds 

 in charge of the tree warden while other offered a bounty 

 for each winter nest collected. The bounty method is fairly 

 effective where the nests are few and has the value of arous- 

 ing general public interest and cooperation in the work. 

 Where the nests become more numerous, better results may 

 be more economically secured by the town or city appropri- 

 ating funds to some official who may hire reliable men, who 

 will soon become expert at the work, and will see that all 

 trees are thoroughly cleaned. All trees along the public 

 highways and in parks should be cleaned by them, and their 

 services should be placed at the disposal of property owners 

 who would pay the actual wages of those employed by them, 

 as far as would not interfere with the town work. At the 

 present time the authority which the town or city has over 

 trees along the public highways seems to be more or less 

 poorly defined and in connection with the work against the 

 brown-tail and gypsy moths it is of the utmost importance 



