No. 4.] REPORT OP STATE FORESTER. 320 



Meteonis versicolor and Conipsilura were very common and doing effective 

 work. 



The parasites of the brown-tail moth, referred to in last year's report, 

 have increased in spread over a much larger territory than last year. The 

 trend of the dispersion has been in a north and northeast direction, and has 

 followed the same general lines as the brown-tail spread. The Chalcidid 

 parasite, Monodontomerus cereus, has been found bej^ond the city of Bangor, 

 Me., and as far north as the brown-tail moth has spread in New Hampshire. 

 In Massachusetts and Rhode Island the spread of this species very nearly 

 covers the range of the brown-tail moth. The first of the brown-tail moth 

 winter nests parasites to be found established in this countrj^, and to which 

 I have made frequent references in my reports to you, namely, Pteromalus 

 egreghts, has also showed a good increase and spread over the previous year. 



In furtherance of the proposed study of European conditions, especially 

 regarding parasitic control in Europe, Mr. W. F. Fiske, with two expert 

 assistants, was located in south Europe during the winter, sirring and early 

 sunamer. 



It is especially encouraging to note that over a considerable territory 

 centering a little to the northward of Boston, in which a greater variety 

 of parasites are established in greater abundance than elsewhere, the 

 effects of their importation are already noteworthy. It is safe to say that, 

 on the most conservative estimate, 50 per cent., or one out of every two 

 eggs, caterpillars or pupae of the gypsy moth, was destro.yed by imported 

 parasites in 1912. 



Present Status of the Wilt Disease or "Flacherie." 

 When one reflects upon the tremendous capacity of the gypsy 

 moth for causing damage to woodlands and shade trees, and fully 

 realizes the vast amount of money which has been expended by 

 Massachusetts in her efforts to suppress it; and moreover, as it 

 is obvious that the spread of the moths over thousands of square 

 miles, in many sections of which it is still abundant, justifies the 

 belief that we shall be compelled to continue the fight against it 

 indefinitely, unless more effective methods than those now em- 

 ployed are discovered, the State Forester's position easily may be 

 understood in attempting to utilize anything which offers reason- 

 able hope of effectiveness. In former reports reference has been 

 made to the experimental work with the "flacherie" or wilt 

 disease, which has been carried on under the direction of Dr. W. M. 

 Wheeler of the Bussey Institution of Harvard University. The 

 experiments were continued during 1912, and owing to improved 

 facilities for developing it a greater number of plantings of the 



