772 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION REPORT, I9O7-I908. 



ACCOUNT OF PROGRESS IN SUPPRESSING THE 

 GYPSY MOTH IN CONNECTICUT. 



For an account of the discovery of the gypsy moth in Con- 

 necticut at Stonington and the attempts to control this pest the 

 reader is referred to the three preceding- reports of this station 

 (1905, p. 246; 1906, p. 235, and 1907-08, p. 300). Only a record 

 of progress is here given. 



Throughout the year Mr. G. H. HoUister has been the superin- 

 tendent in immediate charge of the work. Commencing on Novem- 

 ber 18th, 1907, Mr. HoUister employed about five men for most 

 of the time during the winter, cutting and burning brush, pruning 

 trees and scouting for egg-masses. About ten rods of stone wall 

 had to be overhauled and relaid, a number of wood and rubbish 

 piles had to be looked over, and, of course, the trees examined. 



In May the trees were banded, about 14,000 in all, including all 

 those within the boundaries of the infested area and many outside, 

 especially to the north. In doing this we used one and one-half 

 bales of eight-ounce burlap cut into eight-inch strips. 



During 1908 no indications were found that the pest had 

 spread to the region outside of the area known to be infested 

 the previous year, but on the contrary, over a portion of this 

 area where caterpillars were taken in 1907 none were found in 

 1908. The size of the area actually known to be infested has 

 therefore been decreased by the suppression work. The Stanton 

 place was perhaps the worst center of infestation for the season, 

 but during June about two hundred and seventy-five caterpillars 

 were discovered on some low rosebushes in the loose stones beside 

 the wall near the Ross estate. A careful search was here made 

 and all caterpillars that could be found were destroyed. The 

 spot was then oiled and burned. 



On July 2d two of the men discovered some caterpillars on weeds 

 and brush in and around the chicken yard of Mr. Kellar's resi- 

 dence on Bay View Avenue. In making a systematic hunt, about 

 one hundred and twenty-five in all were found, and the weeds 

 and useless bushes were immediately cut and burned and the 

 stone wall burned out with a torch of flame. Fifty .gallons of 

 oil was used in burning out walls, stoneheaps and dumps. A few 

 caterpillars were found each day at Walnut Grove, but not in 

 important numbers. The seriousness of this infestation lies in 



