79 



and second, for the extermination of the moth. In accordance with 

 this plan it has been the policy of the board to clear the outer towns 

 from the moth, and at the same time to reduce, so far as the money 

 granted would permit, the number of the moths in the central towns. 

 It was hoped that when the outer towns were cleared the force could 

 be largely concentrated in the inner towns, clearing them also. If the 

 board had each year received the sums it has deemed necessary and 

 annually requested, this policy would by to-day, it is believed, have 

 been carried on to complete success. But since the necessary legisla- 

 tive grant annually asked for by the board has been cut down year after 

 year from one-third to one-half, the moths have so increased in the cen- 

 tral towns that they have been scattered into and have seriously threat- 

 ened the towns cleared or nearly cleared in the outer belt. 



Under these circumstances it has been found necessary during the 

 seasons of 1897-98 to concentrate large bodies of men in the central 

 towns to prevent a further wide dissemination of the larvse into the 

 outer towns; the outer towns meanwhile receiving less than their full 

 share of attention. 



The present year the full amount asked for ($200,000) was granted 

 for this work by the legislature. Unfortunately the grant was so de- 

 layed that much of the necessary work of egg destruction (by burning 

 before hatching time) could not be done. The heavy rains, too, which 

 prevailed through May and June greatly hampered the spraying. 

 Nevertheless, the burlap work, which was done more extensively than 

 ever before and over most of the territory known as infested, proved 

 so successful, that nowhere in the whole burlapped territory were any 

 considerable number of trees stripped by gipsy-moth larvae. 



We have also this summer done extensive burning, beginning in 

 August. Burning will be continued where needed. 



On the whole, the granting this year of the full sum asked will make 

 it possible for us to accomplish far more in 1898 than has been accomp- 

 lished in any previous year. 



While it is true that two colonies of the insect (one in Lincoln, dis- 

 covered in 1897, the other in Manchester, discovered this year) are 

 known immediately outside of the limits of the territory hitherto defined 

 as infested, these discoveries, under all the circumstances, do not in the 

 least surprise me, since I have believed from the first that a few of such 

 extralimital colonies might confidently be looked for. Still these dis- 

 coveries emphasize the necessity of far more inspection work outside 

 the limits of known infestation. We have been absolutely unable in 

 past years, with the money hitherto granted, to do nearly all that is 

 needed to be done in this line of work. This year as much as possible 

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



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

 center of the Manchester colony appears to be stamped out. Much 

 work will be necessary in its immediate vicinity this fall and the coun- 

 try surrounding it must be carefully watched next year. The Lincoln 



