No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 321 



Field D i r e c t o li ' s R e p o ii t . 



To the Committee on the Oypsy Moth. 



Gentlemen : — In submitting this report the director has 

 endeavored to comply with your recent request to present 

 (1) a brief report of the year's worl^ and its results; (2) a 

 condensed report on the present condition of each infested 

 town or city ; (8) the causes which have led to the increase 

 of the gypsy moth in the central woodlands ; (4) a statement 

 showing how extermination can be accomplished in these 

 woodlands; (5) a record of the progress of extermination; 

 (6) the reasons why, if the gypsy moth is to be exterminated 

 from Massachusetts, larger appropriations must be granted. 



The Work of the Winter and Spring. 



In January and February, 1897, the force, numbering one 

 hundred and thirty-four men, was employed mainly in kill- 

 ing the eggs of the gypsy moth in the woodlands most in- 

 fested, in cutting worthless trees and in otherwise preparing 

 these woods for the summer work. 



In addition to pushing exterminative work in all the known 

 colonies, it had been planned to make in 1897 an inspection, 

 wherever needed, of the entire infested territory ; but when 

 the desired appropriation for 1897 ($200,000) was cut down 

 by the Legislature to $150,000, this inspection was of neces- 

 sity given up. 



The appropriation became available Feb. 26, 1897. The 

 force was then increased as rapidly as the preservation of its 

 effectiveness permitted, and was mainly concentrated in the 

 localities most infested. The largest force was massed in 

 Saugus. Here and also in the Fells and Mystic woodland 



