No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 335 



One of the cheapest and most effective methods of preserving the woods, 

 and reducing the cost of the work, is to cut out all the trees, like the white 

 oak, etc., which are particularly infested by the gypsy moth, and leave 

 only the more resistant trees, such as pines, hemlocks, beeches, etc. We 

 are doing this wherever we can, and the results are excellent. If one can 

 cut all the white oaks, even, it will add greatly in reducing infestation, and 

 make the work much easier and less expensive. 



Future Work. 

 It seems as if in the future we could, to a certain extent, curtail the 

 amount of work that is to be done where the woods are not of any great 

 public value, and we are doing the work merely to preserve the forests 

 which can be seen and the private estates. In some colonies it will be 

 possible to get along with merely creosoting for one year, and still keep the 

 gypsy moth under control; in other colonies we can spray and do no other 

 work. It is possible, in a few of the back colonies, that we can work only 

 alternate years, and still prevent the gJTpsy moth from increasing. 



■ Work done. 



We exceeded all former records this year, parti}'' because we were favored 

 with good weather, but principally because of the increased efficiency of 

 our men and our sprajdng machines. 



There were 3,774 acres sprayed in twenty-three days. We had 13 

 power spraying machines actively at work, and 1 motor truck spraying 

 machine. This truck took care of all the roadsides very much more 

 advantageouslj'', and for very much less money, than they had ever been 

 cared for before. 



We had only two serious breakdowns, but in each case the spraying 

 machine was repaired over night and was working the next day. We are 

 now organized so as to do our own work and repair our own machines. 



To a large extent this increased efficiency was secured by emplojdng a 

 high-priced and competent mechanic, and by keeping the parts and supplies 

 constantly on hand. 



Your committees have adopted the policy of keeping enough of its 

 more experienced men employed during the winter so that it will have 

 efficient and competent foremen to direct the work the next year. This 

 has proved a great economy. 



When the work started, with the low-power spraying machines we could 

 not throw to the tops of the trees. It was then considered a good day's 

 work when a gang of 1 1 men and 1 power sprayer sprayed 5 or 6 acres a 

 day. This year it was no unusual occurrence, where conditions were 

 favorable, for one of the new machines, with the same number of men, to 

 spray 18 acres a day. 



The average acreage sprayed by each machine this year was something 

 over 12 acres per day for the whole twenty-three days. We sprayed on 

 an average 164 acres a day. 



