APPENDIX. xiii 



beyond the region where the trees are comparatively few in num- 

 ber and not very large. 



Professor Shaler. How would it do, as one of the early steps 

 in this work, to get all the information we can as to the peripherj^, 

 and publish maps showing it ? Let us ask for information as to 

 the spread of the pest beyond those limits. I should hesitate 

 about offering a reward for the location of the caterpillars, because 

 there is the possibility of the school-boys planting them. A 

 reward for the eggs is much more easy, and we could probably 

 interest the school-boys in searching for them ; but it would hardly 

 do to offer a reward which might serve to spread the plague. All 

 these rewards for animals are very dangerous. 



Professor Riley. On general principles it is bad policy, but 

 the same objection would apply to a reward for the eggs. If the 

 boys once learned that they could get a certain amount of money 

 for the eggs, they would not be so interested in exterminating them, 

 and thus cutting off future revenue. 



Professor Shaler. I should state a definite reward, and not go 

 beyond a certain time. 



Mr. Craig. We have two or three village-improvement associa- 

 tions especially to take care of the trees. We extended an 

 invitation to the citizens to take part in the work, and they were 

 to notify certain committees wherever they found any eggs. This 

 was done to a large extent, and I think it aided the commissioners 

 very largely in finding out where the moths were. 



Professor Shaler. You can tell us about the extent of the pest 

 in Medford. Over about how large a territory did it extend? 



Mr. Craig. More or less from the Maiden line over to Arling- 

 ton. 



Professor Shaler. About a mile and a half in the worst- 

 infested district. 



Professor Riley. What was the result of the commission's 

 work? Are the eggs found abundantly in that neighborhood? 



Mr. Craig. I don't believe there are one-tenth the eggs there 

 were when the commission commenced. 



Professor Riley. What was the result of the commission's work 

 last year? Was it appreciable on the number of eggs known to 

 have been there? 



Mr. Craig. Yes, certainly. I differ from you two gentlemen 

 about destroying the eggs. I think it was the means of destroy- 

 ing a gi'eat many of the pests. On many trees they were con- 

 trolled by gathering the eggs. 



Mr. Sessions. I have no scientific knowledge on the subject, 

 but it seems to me the first and most important thing we have to 



