40 ANNIWL KKPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1940 
Delaware River. The southernmost infection thus far found in the 
main area was discovered in ward 35 of Philadelphia County, Pa., 
just across the line from Bucks County. Extension of the New Jer- 
sey infected zone was Limited to two townships in Burlington County 
and a single township in Monmouth County, contiguous to the pre- 
viously established infected area. 
Systematic scouting was already under way at the beginning of 
the yeai-. having been organized on June 12. Owing to exhaustion 
of fund- it was necessary to terminate, beginning August V.K the per 
diem scouts paid from the regular Departmental appropriation. The 
continuity of employment of these per diem scouts permitted an or- 
ganization of the work previously impossible with the comparatively 
stable W. P. A. crews. To intensify the scouting during the most 
favorable weeks for observation of disease symptoms, the men worked 
six 8-hour days per week, with monthly work periods of li' 1 ^ hour-, 
as contrasted with the short monthly work period of 130 hours for 
W. P. A. workers. Of distinct advantage was the mobility of the 
per diem scouts, permitting transfer of scouts between counties and 
between States as the exigencies of the work required. Training of 
more than a thousand well-qualified scouts and foremen, many of 
whom will be available for scouting next season, was in itself a major 
contribution to the eradication work in future years. 
There were several interruptions in the scouting activities by W. P. 
A. workers. Pending an allotment of funds, all security-wage work- 
ers were laid off from 3 to 10 days at the beginning of July. At the 
end of the August work period approximately 40 percent of the 
W. P. A. scouts were dismissed under the law which terminated 
employment of all security-wage workers who had been continuously 
employed for IS months. A W. P. A. scouting force averaging 90O 
men was left to finish the season. 
During the important months of July and August the total force 
assigned to scouting averaged 3.400 and 3.000, respectively, an 
increase of 700 men over the same months in 1938. 
Systematic summer scouting in the States of Connecticut. New 
York. New Jersey, and Pennsylvania during the preceding year to- 
taled 15,127 square miles on all surveys. This year's coverage was 
boosted to 25,45*8 square miles, a 68-percent increase. Another cri- 
terion of the effectiveness of the 11)39 scouting in revealing the present 
status of the disease is the number of trees that warranted sampling 
while symptoms were most apparent and the combined W> P. A and 
per diem scouting force was at its peak efficiency. Samples collected 
during June. duly, and August of 1839 totaled 69,641, an increase of 
nearly 8.000 over the same period of 1938. Notwithstanding this in- 
creased sampling, the Dumber of tret 1 - confirmed as infected was sub- 
stantially reduced from the L938 figure. Total confirmations during 
the period dune 1 to September 30. L989, numbered ( .»>.M. a- con- 
trasted with the 193S total of L5,!)3r>. There were reductions of L36, 
6,155, and ll cases, respectively, in Connecticut. New Jersey, and 
States outside the major zone of infection. Comparative increases 
Were limited to ."»! trees in New Fork and L87 Cases in Pennsylvania. 
These nominal increases despite considerable extension of area in 
both New York and Pennsylvania indicate the moderateness of this 
year's infection in these two States, 
