INSECT NOTES. 25 



held in mind by the people of the State. In response to our 

 request, Mr. E. F. Hitchings, State Entomologist, has kindly 

 sent us a brief statement which we give here in full concerning 

 the work with these two insect pests which is being carried on 

 ' under the supervision of the State Department of Agriculture. 

 "The gypsy moth situation in Maine at the close of the year 

 1909 is serious in the extreme. Although the field work, under 

 the direct management of the special field agent, Capt. E. E. 

 Philbrook, has been conducted with the same painstaking meth- 

 ods as in the past, yet. owing to an extended territory, opened 

 up for the first time by the scout made in the early part of the 

 season, and to the fact that not enough funds were available to 

 supply a sufficiently large force, the efficiency of the work has 

 been curtailed and we are now facing a very serious crisis. If 

 it had not been for the assistance of the Federal Government 

 the pest would have gained a foothold that would defy our best 

 efforts to control. The situation is a grave one and should 

 enlist the hearty cooperation of every good citizen of the State. 

 The moth is a menace to our northern woods, and those inter- 

 ested should see to it that sufficient aid is rendered to check its 

 onward march northward. York County is still the fighting 

 ground, although one small infestation has been found at Gor- 

 ham this fall." 



Broiv)i-tail Moth Outlook. 



"In the southern counties of the State where this pest was first 

 introduced, it is a serious menace to the summer people who 

 come to us for rest and recreation. Many cases of "brown-tail 

 rash" proved quite serious during the past summer, and one of 

 the scouts who was very badly afflicted died. The ravages of 

 the moth can be controlled on the fruit and shade trees by- 

 spraying, but this is a very expensive method, especially for the 

 shade trees. Gathering and burning the winter nests for such 

 trees should be annually practised. The spread northward has 

 been all along the line. The moths were found in Madison 

 during the summer and nests were taken at Sangerville during 

 the spring. A scout was made in Bangor and vicinity with the 

 result that nests were taken the entire length of the electric 

 line from Hampden to Old Town and in Brewer. .Ml nests 

 should be removed and burned at the earliest moment." 



