64 



FIELD WORK AGAINST GIPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 



system of banding the trees with tanglefoot. This is especially 

 true since the brown-tail moth became abundant in the orchards and 

 woodlands. Many of the caterpillars of this insect seek the burlaps 

 when they are about to spin their cocoons for the purpose of pupation, 

 and the serious poisoning which results to the men employed when 

 turning such burlaps makes thorough work well-nigh impossible. 

 Every season hundreds of men suffer extremely from this trouble, and 

 in many cases efficient and well-trained workers are obliged to resign 

 rather than attempt to continue on the work. This is leading to a 

 general discontinuance of the burlap method of treating the gipsy 

 moth. The tanglefoot bands are very satisfactory and the men are 

 enabled to work with less discomfort. The methods used in cutting 

 out zones along infested roadwa}^s has been in strict accordance with 

 the latest ideas of modern forestry. 



Fig. 17.— Roadside area, showing how the grass has be™ induced to grow by thinning out the trees and 

 clearing away the underbrush in gipsy-moth control work. ( Original.) 



By adopting the best known methods in thinning and pruning, the 

 trees which remain are in sound condition, and with the care which 

 is given from year to year after the roadways have once been thinned 

 they have a favorable opportunity to make a satisfactory growth. 

 In many of these cleaned areas, which are kept free from under- 

 growth by mowing them in August, it has been possible to induce a 

 stand of grass which greatly improves the entire appearance and 

 condition of the roadside. (See fig. 17.) 



Perhaps the greatest advancement has been made in spraying 

 with arsenicals. Since the discovery of arsenate of lead this sub- 

 stance has practically superseded all other poisons for use against 

 leaf -eating insects of all kinds. During the season of 1909 nearly 



