1908.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT- -No. 73. 31 



Shaker Glen, Woburn, $1,498 91 



Land held by private owners, but much frequented by 

 the public. Spraying operations necessary to pre- 

 serve the fine hemlocks from destruction. 



Prospect Hill Park, Waltham, . 435 00 



Contingent upon the city of Waltham thinning and 

 spraying belts of woodland to protect the work 

 done by the State. 



In the case of the work at Prospect Hill Park, Waltham, 

 competitive bids were secured from a number of responsible 

 contractors, the contract being awarded to the lowest bidder. 

 In the case of the other parks mentioned, the work has been 

 done by day labor. 



EMERGENCY WORK. 



By chapter 521, Acts of 1907, amending chapter 381, Acts 

 of 1905, the superintendent, subject to the approval of the 

 Governor, is authorized in case of emergency, or where there 

 is great or immediate danger of the increase or spread of the 

 moths, due to the neglect of any city or town to comply with 

 the terms of this act, to initiate or continue the work of sup- 

 pressing the moths, the cost of the same to be collected as a 

 special State tax upon the negligent municipality. Previous to 

 the passage of this amendatory act, the only method to secure ac- 

 tion on the part of negligent cities or towns was to issue an order 

 directing the expenditure of the necessary sum within a certain 

 specified time, with a heavy penalty for failing to comply with 

 such directions. To enforce this section of the law recourse 

 must be had to the courts, with the unavoidable delays attend- 

 ing such action; while in the mean time the caterpillar swarms 

 might easily destroy the foliage of the trees and inflict irrepa- 

 rable damage. As -the law now stands, the superintendent has 

 a means for prompt action in such cases of emergency. It has 

 not been necessary to make use of this feature of the law except 

 in the case of a single city, where, through unfortunate local 

 complications, the work was badly neglected at the time when 

 the caterpillars were swarming. The cost of this emergency 

 work has been charged back to the citv, and will later be col- 



O t/ / 



lected as a special State tax. 



