286 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



oak occurred with one or more other species of oak, it was stripped 

 on an average of 10 per cent, less than any other. The detailed 

 figures of the separate plots are not submitted with this report 

 but are kept on file for reference if needed. 



A number of cases were observed in which white oaks showed 

 less stripping than the surrounding trees. In these cases the 

 greater part of the white oak leaves were of recent growth. This 

 and the presence of brown-tail pupa cases seemed to indicate that 

 the white oaks had been stripped by brown-tails early in the sea- 

 son. At the time of the gypsy work there was little foliage left 

 on these trees, and consequently the gypsy caterpillars either 

 died or migrated to neighboring trees. The new leaves sprouted 

 before the end of the gypsy season, but the caterpillars did not 

 return to the white oaks. 



Signs of the wilt disease were seen in most of the areas examined. 

 In many cases this was undoubtedly natural. 



A number of egg clusters were examined. None of these con- 

 tained more than approximately 250 eggs, while many were much 

 smaller. This is a natural result of the stripping, which pre- 

 vented the caterpillars from obtaining their full growth. 



Examinations of Woodlands. 

 Our well-founded policy of encouraging private woodland own- 

 ers to manage their holdings according to established forestry 

 principles has been continued very successfully during the past 

 year. The number of examinations made (showing an increase 

 over last year) seems to justify the hope, expressed in our last 

 report, that this line of work is becoming sufficiently well known 

 to be taken advantage of by citizens all over the State. 



Chestnut Bark Disease. 

 While the number of examinations of woodland for the purpose 

 of giving advice in forestry management has surpassed last year's 

 mark, as noted, the work of examining for bark disease, which 

 was then just beginning, has increased very rapidly indeed, so 

 that in place of the 6 examinations made last year we are able to 

 report a total of 28, not including several inspections made of 

 lots previously examined. The wide prevalence of the disease 



