THE GYPSY MOTH. 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commomvealth of 

 Massachusetts. 



The State Board of Agriculture, in accordance with the 

 provisions of chapter 210, Acts of 1891, presents its report 

 of transactions and expenditures. 



As the Board is by law made the successor of the Gypsy 

 Moth Commission, it seems proper that an allusion should 

 be made to the original commission, the appointment of the 

 second commission, and the method of transfer to this Board. 

 By an act approved March 14, 1890, the Governor was 

 ' ' authorized to appoint a commission to provide and carry 

 into execution all possible and reasonable measures to pre- 

 vent the spreading and secure the extermination of the 

 Ocneria dispar or gypsy moth, in this Commonwealth." By 

 the same act twenty-five thousand dollars was provided for the 

 work. Under this act three commissioners were appointed, 

 and commenced work about April 1, 1890. The Legislature 

 made an additional appropriation of twenty-five thousand 

 dollars, which was approved June 3, 1890. 



These commissioners continued in office until Feb. 15, 

 1891. On March 4, 1891, N. S. Shaler and Francis H. 

 Appleton, members of the Board of Agriculture, and Wm. 

 R. Sessions, secretary of said Board, were appointed com- 

 missioners. The new commission organized and acted as 

 such until it was superseded by the Board of Agriculture. 

 Chapter 210, Acts of 1891, was approved April 17, 1891. 

 This act placed the work in the hands of the State Board of 

 Agriculture, with all the powers and duties which previous 

 legislation had conferred upon the commissioners, and also 

 provided that "All moneys heretofore appropriated and 

 authorized to be expended . . . and not heretofore expended 

 are hereby appropriated and authorized to be expended by 

 said Board in carrying out the purposes of this act." It also 

 provided that " All the property acquired, and records kept 



