108 THE GYPSY MOTH. 



or to the north, and west of it. Information was sought in 

 regard to excursions and picnics to the groves situated on all 

 sides of the worst infested district. Much knowledge was 

 obtained in regard to the grounds used by church and Sunday 

 school picnic parties from Maiden, Medford, Revere, Somer- 

 ville, Cambridge, Arlington, Melrose, Lynn and Everett. 

 Places of great public resort, like militia and camp-meeting 

 grounds, were also noted and were later examined. Facts 

 bearing upon the hauling of wood to or through the infested 

 district were carefully gathered. Inquiries were made of 

 expressmen and movers in regard to the destination of families 

 which had moved from badly infested localities, and as to 

 the large amount of summer moving and teaming along the 

 North Shore, and the amount of teaming over the road weekly, 

 monthly or yearly between the infested district and centres 

 of traffic like Lawrence and Lowell. The matters of ship- 

 ments of nursery stock and greenhouse plants over the road 

 and of towns visited and routes taken by peddlers and junk 

 dealers were also investigated. A vast amount of facts 

 bearing on the subject of miscellaneous driving was also 

 obtained. The inquiry was not entirely confined to the 

 heart of the infested district but was extended to less infested 

 places like Lynn and Salem. The scope of the whole in- 

 vestigation quickly broadened. Clues obtained within the 

 infested district were followed out, and this led to much 

 additional inquiry in many towns to the north-east, north 

 and west of the infested region. Every possible fact and 

 item bearing upon the subject of communication with the 

 moth-region were obtained. It was not difficult in country 

 towns to learn who were the regular and who the occasional 

 visitors to or from the infested district and what was th$ 

 nature of their business. The lines of travel were also easily 

 learned. In cities like Lawrence and Lowell which, although 

 farther away, were in a sense exposed because of their being 

 centres of population, lists were obtained of teamsters and 

 movers who went more or less frequently to the district to 

 the south and the character of their business was learned. 

 These local teamsters as a rule made their return trips empty 

 handed, and thus the danger of moth transportation, except 

 by the vehicle itself, was avoided. 



