204 THE FORESTER. September, 



gun. Finally the task was committed to hundred insects, often fails to found a 



the State Board of Agriculture, to whom colony. Yet the frequent experience that 



it should in the first place have been as- an infested area which had been nearly 



signed. cleared of the species after two seasons of 



The history of the work done by the neglect becomes again thickly occupied 



state Board of Agriculture cannot be told makes it almost certain that within five or 



here. The results of its labors were in ten years after efforts for suppression are 



brief the determination of the area occu- discontinued the evil will be as great as 



pied by the insect and the institution of when it began. 



systematic and effective means for the If the Gypsy Moth is allowed oppor- 

 extermination of the pest. A careful in- tunity to develop in the area now occupied 

 quiry showed that the moth, though de- by its 'colonies we may expect the next 

 veloped in large numbers on a compara- outbreak to include an area at least ten 

 tively small field, perhaps in all not more times as great as that of twenty years ago. 

 than three square miles in extent, had been Allowing for the gradual extension of the 

 planted in small but flourishing colonies colonies on every side the field is likely to 

 on an area of about one hundred square include not less than six hundred square 

 miles. In the course of ten years the in- miles; it may be a thousand square miles, 

 sect was substantially exterminated in the Whatever may be the amount of public 

 field which it originally occupied and the interest it is not to be reckoned that the 

 growth of the greater part of the outlying State would feel inclined to appropriate 

 colonies was arrested. It is probable that annually the million or more dollars re- 

 the number of insects alive in the spring quired for a new campaign of suppression, 

 of this year was not the thousandth part The several efforts which have been made 

 of that which it was when the task of sup- to obtain aid in this task from the federal 

 pression was undertaken. It seems likely government have proved futile. So that 

 that the development of new colonies had there is no more reason to hope for aid 

 ceased and that the greater part of those from that avenue. It is, therefore, rea- 

 once in existence had been destroyed. sonable to assume that if the work of 

 At all stages in the work of the State fighting the moth is interrupted for a term 

 Board it has been found impossible to ob- of years the creature will become a 

 tain adequate and timely grants of money chronic and widespread pest, 

 from the Legislature. Owing to this dif- What we know of the distribution of 

 ficulty much of the large sum that has been the Gypsy Moth in the old world leads to 

 expended has not been applied in the most the conclusion that it is likely to flourish 

 effective manner. Of late, because the in all the country between the northern- 

 ravages of the pest have been interrupted most parts of the tilled districts inward to 



it has become so rare that it is not easy the Gulf of Mexico in all the region 



to find a dozen specimens of the insect in where there is abundant vegetation and an 



a i lay's search public interest in the work immunity from killing pests for a summer 



has declined, and there is danger that it of ninety clays' duration. In this field it 



may be brought to an end. It is well, will find few natural enemies, for neither 



therefore, to consider the consequences that the birds nor the insects of America have 



y to arise from the abandonment acquired the habit of preying to any consid- 



the effort to exterminate the invader. erable extent upon the stranger. So far 



barely possible that the work as the tilled ground and orchards are con- 



yhich has been done in reducing the nu m- cerned it is probable that by various 



>ers of the Gypsy Moth may have brought means the danger of destruction may be 



the colonies to the state in which the few averted; but for our forests, to which 



survivors may not be able to hold their the moth mostly betakes itself, there 



wn and multiply. There is some reason seems to be no prospect of safety. The 



indivd Epr believing that a solitary nest, experience of the State Board of Agricul- 



though it may hatch and yield several ture clearly shows that the only way in 



