No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 193 



Organization. 



The placing of the moth work under the State Forester by the 

 Legislature and through the recommendation of Governor 

 Draper necessitated a reorganization of the work, to meet the 

 new requirements of the office. 



It is to be expected that in the union of forces it will take 

 time to adjust the machinery to the new conditions; but I am 

 frank to say that all members of the organization have adapted 

 themselves most happily to the new system, and, although nine 

 months only have passed, the work is running on smoothly. 

 What is true in this respect in the office force is equally true 

 in the field work. The moth men are not only showing renewed 

 interest in their work, but are assisting in perfecting better 

 forestry conditions, assuming responsibility, and showing inter- 

 est in preventing and extinguishing forest fires. The forestry 

 assistants are helping in such work as marking the trees and 

 superintending the thinning work so necessary in combating 

 gypsy moths, and at the same time benefiting the growth from a 

 modern forestry standpoint. 



After going over the organization carefully and discussing 

 the matter fully with men experienced in the work, under the 

 sanction of the Governor, the 6 divisions into which the moth- 

 infested district was formerly divided were reorganized, and 

 increased to 15. With 6 divisions each agent in charge had an 

 average of 35 towns to look after, and he was allowed a number 

 of inspectors to accomplish the necessary field work. In all, 

 53 men were employed in the old organization. In the new 

 organization of 15 divisions the 6 agents were given the more 

 difficult ones, and the remaining 9 were filled by experienced 

 inspectors. Four other inspectors were retained for special 

 duties, subject to the direction of the main office. Erom 53 

 men, therefore, the force has been cut down to 19, and by fur- 

 nishing the present division superintendents with motor cycles, 

 with only 12 to 15 towns to cover, they can readily keep in close 

 touch with local conditions. !Not only do I believe that our effi- 

 ciency is greater, but in a year's time it is believed the saving 

 to the Commonwealth, even after deducting the expense of motor 

 cycles, will be $8,000 to $10,000. 



