24 BULLETIN 204, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
cultural need of the woods is obviously a great reduction of their 
diversity and the replacement of a large portion of the species by 
those which have a greater commercial value, and for which the con- 
ditions for growth are much better adapted. The steps needed to 
accomplish this are in many instances precisely those which appear 
to be necessary in controlling gipsy-moth attack by silvicultural 
practice. 
PROPOSED FOREST EXPERIMENT. 
In order to determine the practicability of carrying on an experi- 
ment over a large area preliminary surveys have been made of the 
forest growth in the town of Winchendon, Mass. This work has been 
attempted in cooperation with the State forester of Massachusetts, 
Mr. F. TV. Rane. The original growth in this town was undoubtedly 
coniferous, but there has been considerable cutting and as a result 
hardwood growth of various species has become established. Oak 
does not predominate, however, in this region and it is hoped that 
sufficient cooperation can be secured from the woodland owners in 
the town to handle the forest area so as to bring it into a growth 
which will not be susceptible to gipsy-moth attack. The preliminary 
survey has been completed and the data are now being compiled with 
a view to determining whether a plan of this sort can be worked out 
on an extensive area. 
SCOUTING WORK. 
The scouting work consists in examining the territory along the 
outside border of infestation, and in treating the gipsy-moth colonies 
adjacent to the border for the purpose of preventing spread of the 
insects to other parts of the United States. This work is in charge 
of Mr. L. H. Worthley, who is assisted by Mr. H. L. Mclntyre. The 
territory is divided into six sections with the following men in charge 
of a section: Mr. D. G. Murphy, Worcester, Mass., H. A. Ames, Athol, 
Mass., H. X. Bean, Keene, N. H., F. W. Graves, jr., Bradford, N. H., 
F. W. Foster, Plymouth, N. H., and C. E. Totman, Canaan, N. H. 
Parties consisting of five trained scouts in charge of a foreman are 
detailed to make the examinations and treat the infestations, each 
general foreman having from 5 to 10 crews of scouts under his super- 
vision. In order to check up the thoroughness with which the work 
is done in the lightly infested territory, a party, usually consisting of 
two experienced men who are known as special scouts, examines the 
work after the regular inspection has been made in order to see 
whether egg clusters of the moth have been missed and that the 
work was thoroughly done by the scouts. Each scout is required to 
place a characteristic mark on every tree examined by him so that 
the responsibility for leaving egg clusters can be readily determined. 
By following up this plan the force is maintained at a high degree of 
