248 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



to do the most injury ; to cleaning the trees bordering the high- 

 ways, and scouting to ascertain the outside limits of the area 

 infested. During the year scattered colonies were found in thirty- 

 one different towns and cities, bounded as follows : South by Bos- 

 ton and all the towns bordering on Massachusetts Bay to Beverly ; 

 on the east by Beverly, Danvers, and Reading; on the north by 

 Bedford, Lexington, and Waltham, and on the west by Waltham 

 and Watertown. 



It was then determined that a line drawn ou the outside limits 

 of the above towns enclosed the infested territory, and from 

 that time to the present only three colonies have been found out- 

 side the above-named limits. Two colonies have been found in 

 Brookline and one in Lincoln. 



It will not be understood that all the above territory was in- 

 fested, but scattered colonies were found, diminishing in number 

 in proportion to the facilities for transportation and the distance 

 from the centre at Medford. 



The plan of work pursued from the beginning has been to work 

 from the outside towards the centre for extermination, and reduce 

 the infested area, and, as far as means allowed, to reduce the 

 numbers in the central portions, and to clean trees bordering high- 

 ways and railroads. 



The Committee have each year at the close of tiie season made 

 a careful survey of the work done and to be done, and if the work 

 was to be continued asked for the least amount of money to do 

 the work absolutely necessary when viewed from an economic 

 standpoint. These estimates have been reduced by the Legisla- 

 ture from one-third to one-half, thus causing a change of plans 

 by which portions of the territory must be neglected ; and so rap- 

 idly does this insect increase, that small colonies become large 

 ones, and others that were greatly reduced, not only regain their 

 former number and extent of ground occupied, but add largely to 

 both. 



As an illustration of the fecundity of this insect, I will mention 

 one instance. While making an examination of one of the wood- 

 land colonies the past season, an oak tree ten inches in diameter, 

 and from forty to fifty feet in height, was noticed as being thickly 

 covered with nests, and the workmen were requested to count 

 these nests as tliey destroyed them, and report the number. They 

 reported two thousand and seventy. It has been found b}' the 



