106 GYPSY AND BKOWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



all the underbrush and more or less of the trees, leaving the more 

 valuable ones to be burlapped the following season. The cost of 

 this work must necessarily vary according to the nature and condi- 

 tion of the forest ; but those who have had the most experience state 

 that the cost in an average forest is not far from $50 per acre, and 

 to this must be added the expense of putting burlaps on all the 

 remaining trees the following season and killing the caterpillars 

 under them ; and all of this work will have to be repeated as often 

 as the forests become reinfested, since, however small their value, 

 they will be a constant menace to near-by premises. This cost of 

 clearing forests is more than three times the average assessed 

 value of the woodlands of this entire Commonwealth, and un- 

 doubtedly much more than their intrinsic value. If, therefore, no 

 method can be discovered by means of which the forests can be 

 protected from the ravages of the gypsy moth, the outlook for all 

 owners of woodland in this State is extremely discouraging. If to 

 the expense of clearing and protecting the forests we add that of 

 clearing and protecting the orchards, the nurseries, the gardens, 

 the ornamental trees and shrubs and the public and private parks 

 throughout this Commonwealth, the aggregate annual expense will 

 be enormous. 



In view of these facts, it is of the greatest importance that the 

 further spread of the gypsy moth in this State should be prevented, 

 and that such thorough work be done in all the infested cities and 

 towns that there will be very little chance of the escape of moths 

 into new territory. The property of all the land owners in central 

 and western Massachusetts is seriously threatened, and they are 

 powerless to prevent the impending invasion unless the State 

 comes to their assistance and insures them against loss from the 

 depredations of the gypsy moth. This can be done only by direct 

 appropriations for the suppression of the pest. It would be hard 

 to say at this time what annual appropriation by the State, together 

 with that required by law from the infested cities and towns, would 

 be necessary to prevent the insect from spreading into central and 

 western Massachusetts ; but suppose those in charge should find, 

 as the work goes on, that it would be necessary for the State to 

 make an annual appropriation of $200,000, what part of this would 

 a laud owner in the uninfested part of the State have to pay ? 



The taxable property in this State, as given in the last Manual of 

 the General Court of Massachusetts, page 235, is $3,420,197,428. 

 If this amount of property be assessed for $200,000, the tax on $1 

 would be a little less than one-seventeenth of a mill ($0.000^) ; 

 and a man owning taxable property to the value of $5,000 or a 



