No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 85 



are strong, bright young men, and men of middle age, who 

 can make and who do make money on their farms, is proof 

 to me that there is money yet to be made in farming ; and 

 the fact that there are others who do not make money is 

 proof to me that somehow or other they are out of joint with 

 these modern times. 



The Chairman. These little bits of personal history are 

 exceedingly interesting ; but when the gentleman who pre- 

 ceded the last speaker told us that he lost his crop of 

 squashes on account of the ravages of worms, it reminded 

 me that the committee of arrangements have prepared another 

 matter, which they think is of sufficient importance to occupy 

 a little of the time of this Board. It is well known to the 

 members of the Board, and I presume to every one in this 

 audience, that there has been a persistent effort for the past 

 two years to exterminate an insect pest from this immediate 

 vicinity which has proved very destructive to all kinds of 

 vegetation in Medford and adjoining towns. Although the 

 committee of the Board of Agriculture appointed to take 

 charge of this matter with a view to exterminating the pest 

 are constantly at work attempting to destroy it, there is 

 constant danger of the insect being carried beyond the limits 

 within which they are working by passing teams or in some 

 other way ; and the fact that, both this year and last, almost 

 every species of insect has been received with the inquiry if 

 it is really the gypsy moth, shows that there is at present no 

 knowledge that would be able to detect the first appearance 

 of tins insect in other parts of the Commonwealth. We 

 have here to-day two of the committee and also Mr. For- 

 bush, who has had immediate charge of the work under 

 the direction of the committee, and we also have the insect 

 itself, as prepared by Professor Fernald, showing it in its 

 different stages of life. After a close examination of this 

 insect, it would seem to be impossible that any one could 

 mistake a true gypsy moth. We have two boxes containing 

 the insects, winch can be examined by each individual while 

 we are considering the matter. Secretary Sessions, who is 

 the chairman of the committee, will give a general outline of 

 the work of the past season. 



Secretary Sessions. As the chairman has said, it was 



