19 



Hedges of brush along roadsides and stone walls also offer favorable 

 breeding and hiding places for the pest. In such places the presence 

 of the moth may not be discovered for several years, the caterpillars 

 feeding upon the brush and nesting in stone walls until the colony has 

 developed to sufficient size to attract attention by its depredations on 

 neighboring trees, upon which its presence is easily discovered. The 

 cutting and burning of these rows of worthless shrubbery each year 

 until killed not only removes a favorite hiding place for various 

 insect pests, but also gives the roadside and farm a much more trim 

 appearance. 



WHAT THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS IS DOING FOR THE CON- 

 TEOL OF THE INSECT. 



In the session of the Massachusetts legislature in the spring of 1905 

 a law was passed which had for its object the suppression of the gipsy 

 and brown tail moths. The essential features of this law are as 

 follows: 



FEATURES OF THE MASSACHUSETTS LAW. 



The moths are public nuisances. The gipsy and brown tail moths are 

 declared public nuisances and their suppression is required. 



The superintendent of suppression. A superintendent appointed by 

 the governor with power, subject to the governor's approval, of 

 appointing agents and assistants has entire general charge of the work 

 of suppressing the moths. 



Duties of cities, towns, and individuals. Cities and towns (under the 

 advice and general direction of the superintendent, and by such agent 

 as they may designate or appoint) are required, under penalt}^ for 

 neglect, to destroy the eggs, pupae, and nests of the gipsy and the 

 brown-tail moths within their limits, excepting that such work is not 

 to be done by cities and towns on property controlled by the Common- 

 wealth, nor is it to be done upon private property, excepting where 

 the owners of the same fail to destroy the eggs, pupae, and nests of the 

 moths, in accordance with the terms of the official notice to private 

 owners noted in the section here following: 



Notice to private owners. The mayor of every city and the selectmen 

 of every town shall, at suitable times, notify every owner of land 

 located therein which is infested with the moths, requiring him to 

 destroy the eggs, pupae, and nests of the moths within a specified 

 time. 



When the mayor or selectmen decide that the cost of such destruc- 

 tion (on lands contiguous and under one ownership) will exceed one- 

 half of 1 per cent of the assessed valuation of the lands, then they may 

 designate in the notice a part only of such lands on which the destruc- 

 tion shall take place. 



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