386 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



During the past two years splendid interest has been man- 

 ifested in preserving bird Kfe here in IMassachusetts. Already 

 town bird wardens have been appointed in a few towns. Bird 

 sanctuaries, feeding grounds, covers for protection, houses, etc., 

 are all receiving attention. This department is in perfect ac- 

 cord with all of this work, and further observation and recogni- 

 tion of assisting bird life will be given more consideration the 

 coming season than ever. An interesting paper was presented 

 by INIr. Wm. P. Wharton, before the Massachusetts Forestry 

 Association at the annual meeting, which pointed out some 

 observations he made abroad during the past summer. Some 

 experiments along the suggestions made by Mr. Wharton may 

 be put into operation here the coming year. There is every 

 reason to believe that much good can be accomplished through 

 enlisting the forest wardens and the local moth superintendents 

 more actively in this work. These men are already town 

 officials, and will gladly assist in every way. 



Another season I shall hope to go into this whole matter more 

 in detail. It is not a question simply of the effect of bird life 

 upon the moth problem alone that the department of the State 

 Forester is interested in, but one which affects all forest and 

 shade-tree pests. 



Work on State Highways. 



This department assisted the State Highway Commission 

 to the extent of looking after the spraying of the highways 

 throughout the moth-infested section of the State. The spray- 

 ing for the elm-leaf beetle was included in this work. Where 

 we are able to use a traveling sprayer the work accomplished 

 is satisfactory, but it is necessary to arrange with towns to do 

 the work in many cases with varying results, since the town 

 equipments for doing the work are widely different. With such 

 a mileage of State roads it would seem an economical expendi- 

 ture were the State prepared to do this work through the use 

 of modern auto truck sprayers. Besides being very effective 

 during the spraying season they could be used for planting 

 work, removing brush, etc., at other seasons of the year. 



Work was done in the following cities and towns on the State 

 highways, and paid for by the Highway Commission: — 



