ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 63 



tion. We have been absolutely unable in past years, with the money hitherto granted, 

 to do nearly all that needed to be done in this line of work. This year as much aa 

 possible was done in this line, revealing, however, no infestation. 



Efficient work has been done both in Manchester and Lincoln. The centre of the 

 Manchester colony appears to be stamped out. Much work will be necessary in its 

 immediate vicinity this fall and the country surrounding it must be carefully watched 

 next year, The Lincoln colony has been brought to such a condition that there is little 

 danger of dissemination from it. 



Nevertheless the moth is scattered through hundreds of acres of woodland there and 

 extermination in Lincoln and the adjoining town of Weston, into which a few larvae have 

 been dispersed, will be costly. 



The work of spraying and burning the past season has been greatly facilitated by 

 improved apparatus prepared under the direction of Mr. E. C. Ware, of the Department, 

 and in part invented by him. 



Information about the Gypsy moth ha3 been widely scattered through the region 

 adjacent to the infested territory. People have learned to dread the moth and are on the 

 watch for it. The Lincoln and Manchester colonies were discovered and reported to us 

 by citizens. To secure still further the intelligent co-operation of citizens in this work, 

 it is planned to distribute from house to house, within the towns immediately bordering 

 the infested region, an illustrated bulletin descriptive of the Gypsy moth, its habits and 

 something of its history. 



In no previous year have we been able to speak so confidently of progress so early in 

 the season. The great wooded tracts, especially in the eastern, western and northern 

 divisions of the infested territorv are now in excellent condition. More than ever this 

 year have I been impressed with our power to cope with and in due time to utterly 

 extirpate the Gypsy moth, when we are sufficiently supported by Legislative grants. 



If the Legislature promptly provides for several years to come an appropriation 

 strictly limited to the Gypsy moth work and equal to the amount granted this year, there 

 can be no doubt of the final extermination of the Gypsy moth from Massachusetts. 



Dr. Bethune, in commenting on the paper, said he had visited in August last the 

 scene of operations of the Gypsy Moth Commission, and had been shewn all their appli- 

 ances and methods of operation in carrying out the work of controlling and ultimately 

 exterminating the destructive insect. He described the spraying of the foliage of tall 

 trees with poison in order to kill the caterpillars, the scraping off and destroying egg- 

 clusters, the burning by means of a hose discharging blazing kerosene of weeds and rub- 

 bish in rough localities which were known to be infested, and also the banding of trunks 

 of trees with burlap. The apparatus employed was of the most perfect description and 

 was largely the invention and product of the members of the force. He was especially 

 impressed by the magnitude and thoroughness of the work ; in traversing many miles of 

 the State in different directions he noticed that every tree, large or small, whether in 

 private gardens, public streets and parks, or woods and swamps, had its trunk wrapped 

 round with burlap and a code mark painted upon it indicating the dates when it had been 

 inspected. He felt sure that if the Commission is maintained with its present staff of 

 workers the extermination of the insect will before many years be accomplished. 



It was then moved by Mr. Dearness, seconded by Mr. J. D. Evans, and resolved : 

 That the thanks of the Society be conveyed to Prof. Forbush for his interesting paper, 

 and that this Society desires to place on record its admiration of the work done by the 

 State of Massachusetts, under the able direction of Professors Fernald and Forbush, to 

 restrain the spread of this most destructive insect, and if possible to exterminate it 

 eventually. Had not such energetic measures been taken the consequences to neighbor- 

 ing States and even to our own country might by this time be appalling. 



