No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 359 



The foregoing is a summary of the condition of the infested 

 territory, so far as we could determine it with the limited 

 ap})ropriation at hand. 



The fuller notes are at the disposal of any interested. 

 These notes are valuable, as confirming the thorough and 

 exact information in regard to the condition of the territory 

 given the Legislature of last year. 



In the report made to the Legislature in January, 1000, 

 your committee summarized the condition of the infested 

 region in the following words : — 



From the results of the past two years, it is evident that the 

 work against the gypsy moth in Massachusetts is already approach- 

 ing its final stages. The large colonies have been practically wiped 

 out ; many of the smaller colonies have been exterminated or are 

 thoroughly under control, and need but two or three seasons' work 

 to secure their absolute extermination. Three years ago there 

 were many localities in the infested district where there wei'e large 

 masses of egg-clusters ; to-day the infestation of the region con- 

 sists of the scattered remains of former colonies and their off- 

 shoots, which must be subjected to continual examination and 

 treatment for a series of years. Since there are no longer large 

 colonies to demand attention, a greater amount of labor will be 

 available for the work of inspection and the treatment of the 

 smaller colonies. 



These statements were made only after careful examination 

 of danger points and thorough inspection in the vicinity of 

 former colonies. Your connnittee believed these statements 

 to be a fair and honest summary of the conditions then exist- 

 ing. The results of the past season give ample proof that 

 such conditions did exist. With no effort to check the 

 increase of the moth, there has been no serious damage by 

 the pest, except in small areas that could have been readily 

 controlled, had there been any funds available. This veri- 

 fies in the best possible manner the summary just quoted, 

 and shows that, at the time the work of the committee was 

 checked by the Legislature, the moth was well under control, 

 and its total extermination already in sight. 



These indisputable results were accomplished in the face 

 of the most discouraging difficulties. The Legislature of 



