No. 4.] SPECIAL MEETINGS. 17 



and worked for business. Some of the men are not chop- 

 pers, but they are a good class of men. 



Mr. Augustus Pratt (of North Middleborough) . It was 

 suggested to the gypsy moth committee last evening, and it 

 met my views, that more information in regard to this pest 

 1)6 sent out throughout our Commonwealth at our farmers' 

 institutes. Probably many of the agricultural societies rep- 

 resented here will hold institutes early in the season. It 

 seems to me there is a great lack of information throughout 

 the Commonwealth in regard to the work, and in regard to 

 this dangerous pest if it is allowed to escape. The sugges- 

 tion is made that, at these farmers' institutes, held early in 

 the season, speakers provided by the Board present this sub- 

 ject. I suggest that it would be advisable for the Board of 

 Ao-riculture to recommend that this matter be brought before 

 the societies early in the season. 



Mr. C. E. Parker (of Holden). I would like to empha- 

 size one point in this report that says that Congress should 

 take hold and do this work. We need not only to have 

 information distributed throughout the Commonwealth, but 

 that ever}' member of this Board should make a personal 

 application to the Senators of Massachusetts and the Repre- 

 sentatives in Congress to take hold of this work with Massa- 

 chusetts. What is everybody's business is no one's. It 

 seems to me the matter should be brought to the attention 

 of Congress. Now that the Spanish war is off our hands, it 

 seems to me that something can be done. I believe Massa- 

 chusetts ought not to go on with this work alone. When I 

 was in the Legislature, my opinion was that Massachusetts 

 would not always go on paying $200,000 a year. I believe 

 Congress should take hold of the matter. I think some 

 measures to bring that about otiffht to be taken. 



Secretary Stockwell. Measures have been taken, and 

 the Cono;ressmen have been on the g-rounds. We have not 

 time to discuss this now, without taking the time belonging 

 to the lecturer of the morning. 



Voted, unanimously, to accept and adopt the report of the 

 committee. 



Voted, That the Board of Agriculture recommends to each 

 of the agricultural societies that at their next farmers' insti- 



