REPORT OF COMMITTEE. 13 



tral towns into territory formerly cleared. The outer towns 

 are in good condition, and the burlap has proved our last 

 year's statement of the situation to have been correct in 

 nearly all cases. Had $200,000 been provided for the work 

 of the season of 1897, all the known colonies in the infested 

 region could have been cleaned up during the spring and 

 thoroughly worked during the summer. This would have 

 prevented the scattering of the moths from these badly in- 

 fested colonies into territory previously cleared ; the com- 

 mittee could have avoided the discharge of many experienced 

 and trustworthy men, and by retaining their services the 

 known infested localities could have been put in such ex- 

 cellent condition that in the work of 1898 the badly infested 

 colonies could have been attended to at less cost. 



The work of the past few years has convinced the com- 

 mittee that extermination of the moth is not only possible, 

 but certain, if sufficient sums be promptly appropriated for 

 the purpose. The committee recommends that $200,000 be 

 appropriated for the work of 1898. While a larger sum 

 than that could now be used to advantage, the committee 

 believes that under the present conditions, with our experi- 

 enced and trained men, a long stride could be made with 

 that sum toward extermination. Most of the worst colonies 

 of the moth are now so reduced that with $200,000 they all 

 can be attended to and a reasonably thorough inspection 

 made of all the towns in the infested territory. 



Unless the work above outlined can be done during 1898, 

 extermination will be gravely imperiled by reinfestation from 

 the central woodland colonies. Inadequate appropriations 

 necessitate doing the same work over and over, year after 

 year, with comparatively little progress toward extermi- 

 nation ; and the committee believes that, unless the neces- 

 sary means can be provided, the Legislature had better make 

 no appropriation, and so abandon the work. 



The appropriation for 1897 is exhausted, and the com- 

 mittee hopes that the Legislature will act promptly, to save 

 the dispersion of the force, so that the work may go on 

 consecutively, and the loss be avoided which always comes 

 from cessation of work. 



Interest in the extermination of the gypsy moth is wide- 



