no FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



about four feet from the ground. The upper part of the burlap 

 is turned down over the twine, thus making a double fold around 

 the tree. The caterpillars eat the foHage in the night, crawl 

 down the tree and conceal themselves on the burlap through the 

 day. Squads of men going through the forest crush them in 

 these hiding places. Rubbish heaps and all breeding places 

 should be destroyed. An effective method of protecting coni- 

 fers is to remove all hardwoods, especially those with simple 

 leaves. A number of parasitic insects have been introduced 

 from Europe and set free in Massachusetts ^ and it is confidently 

 hoped that they will in time obtain the mastery. 



The gipsy moth has spread constantly, year by year, despite 

 all the efforts that have been made to control it. At one time it 

 was nearly under control when, unfortunately, Massachusetts 

 politics interfered, appropriations for suppressing the insect 

 were cut down and the evil spread unhindered. It now appears 

 throughout the eastern half of Massachusetts nearly to the 

 Berkshires, through southern Maine and southeastern New 

 Hampshire, throughout Rhode Island, and has been discovered 

 in Connecticut, but has been controlled there by the State 

 Entomologist. The United States Department of Agriculture 

 is now cooperating with the various states mentioned in an 

 attempt to suppress this evil, and is laying special emphasis 

 on the introduction of foreign parasites and enemies. 



Brown-tail Moth {Euproctis chrysorrJioea). 



Form of Damage. — Like the gipsy moth this insect defoliates 

 both forest and fruit trees, but apparently does not attack 

 conifers. Of forest trees, it prefers oak, maple, and elm. Be- 

 sides the damage to trees, the hairs from the caterpillars are 

 exceedingly irritating and poisonous to some people, and often 

 cause severe illness. 



Appearance. — The most conspicuous indication of this in- 

 sect's presence, and one which distinguishes it at once from 



^ See Chapter XVII, Massachusetts. 



