52 FIELD WORK AGAINST GIPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 



As a result of the thorough work done only a few caterpillars and 

 no egg clusters were found in the summer of 1908, and although the 

 same methods have been employed as in previous years none of the 

 insects was found in 1909. The last specimen taken was a caterpillar, 

 July 11, 1908. It is probable that this colony has been completely 

 exterminated, although the location and character of the place render 

 it peculiarly liable to future infestation. Since the year 1 907 the gipsy 

 moth state work has been under the general oversight of Capt. E. E. 

 Philbrook, and the state force has worked in close cooperation with 

 the government office. The work has been especially difficult, owing 

 to the necessity for training new men, and also because the country 

 along the Maine coast, which is infested, is rough and broken and fur- 

 nishes opportunity for egg clusters to be hidden in situations where it 

 is almost impossible to find and destroy them. During the winter of 

 1908-9 scouting work was continued, and small infestations were 

 found in Newfield, Waterboro, Biddeford, Saco, and Scarboro. All 

 the known colonies in Maine have been given most thorough atten- 

 tion, and their condition has improved each year. An important 

 feature of the work has consisted in sending out scouting parties to 

 examine the roadways, orchards, and places likely to be infested out- 

 side of the known infested area. This has been done in a limited 

 way, but more work of this character must be taken up in order to 

 determine positively the extent of the infestation. During the fall of 

 1909 the scouting work was pushed vigorously, not only along the road- 

 ways and in the orchards, but crews of trained men were sent into the 

 woodland area to make thorough inspections. Three towns, namely 

 Shapleigh, Gorham, and Dayton, have been found slightly infested, 

 and during the progress of the work a large woodland colony was 

 found in the Agamenticus district in the town of York. The location 

 of this colony is in a region seldom frequented and practically inac- 

 cessible to travel. Scouting is being continued for the purpose of 

 discovering any similar colonies that have not yet been found. 



The work in Maine has been carefully and thoroughly prosecuted, 

 and the state officials have shown much interest and enthusiasm in 

 meeting this difficult problem. A force of men has been organized 

 and trained to a high degree of efficiency. During the time the 

 work has been in progress it has met with the hearty approval and 

 cooperation of citizens in the infested district. As an example of 

 the esteem in winch the work is held it may be stated that during the 

 past year the summer residents and public-spirited citizens of York 

 contributed $1,000 and purchased a power spraying machine, which 

 was turned over to the Maine department of agriculture for treating 

 infested areas. 



The amount appropriated by the State from 1905 to January 1, 

 1910, has been $95,000, and $50,000 additional has been used by the 

 Bureau of Entomology m the moth work in Maine. 



