282 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



in that section, which are magnificent and alone worth the whole 

 trip. A white pine stand fifty-five years of age was a splendid 

 sight. (See frontispiece.) Trees of all ages and sizes can be 

 seen here, and the experiments and results are very significant. 

 At Darmstadt, the planting of sandy lands particularly was very 

 interesting. Many other places were visited, each of which proved 

 of more or less interest from a forestry standpoint, as to manage- 

 ment, insect depredations, taxation, fire, etc., but it is my purpose 

 to give a brief sketch of the trip at this time; other observations 

 and notes taken at the time will be brought out later. No forester 

 who is interested in his profession can go to the old world without 

 securing a great fund of valuable suggestions and information that 

 may prove of great profit to him in his life's work. 



Better Forestry the Solution of the Moth Problem. 



It may be recalled that the State Forester, upon assuming 

 charge of the moth work, wrote a brief article for that year's annual 

 report (1909, page 100) entitled "Modern Forestry and Insect 

 Warfare." The purpose of calling attention to the same now, 

 three years later, is to emphasize, with riper experience, the far- 

 reaching application of the idea. The further we work and study 

 on any problem the more the complex features fade away, and 

 we finally get to the more simple and rational principles. The 

 fight against gypsy and brown-tail moths has gone on up to now, 

 and must continue, but it is believed that at the present time, 

 although we have paid much for our experience and knowledge, 

 we are in a far more satisfactory position to cope with them than 

 most people realize. I do not wish to be misunderstood, for I 

 am not saying that these insects are under control by any means, 

 but I feel that if any intelligent person desires honestly to combat 

 these pests, under any and all conditions, already there have 

 been determined rational ways and methods which are effective. 



Better methods of forestry management, which in the case of 

 the moth-infested sections of the State will greatly depend upon 

 silviculture, can be made extremely effective. Had we known 

 what we do to-day it would have been a very simple thing to have 

 saved the innumerable magnificent evergreens that were destroyed 

 by the gypsy moth. As time has gone on, better organization 

 and greater insistence for improved methods, materials, equip- 



