42 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



and such progress has been made toward extermination that 

 in eight towns that have been infested not a moth was found 

 last year, and in as many more only a very few were found, 

 and in the otlier towns in the infested district tlie people say 

 you can't find one moth where formerly hundreds could be 

 found. All this progress has been made, notwithstanding 

 the fact that the appropriations were made so late in the ses- 

 sion that the egg-killing season had partly or wholly passed. 

 One application of a mixture used for the purpose, applied to 

 a nest by one stroke of a brush, will destroy several hundred 

 eggs ; but, if allowed to hatch, it takes a long time to find 

 the individual moths. 



Considering the disadvantages under which the Board of 

 Agriculture has worked, it is surprising that so much has 

 been accomplished ; and not one of these disadvantages 

 would ever have existed, had it not been for ignorance or 

 spite. The question was asked many times last winter, 

 " Why don't you exterminate the potato bug?" When this 

 bug first came from the mountains and began to prey upon 

 the labors of man, an entomologist of Illinois asked Congress 

 to appropriate $15,000, saying it could be exterminated with 

 that amount. Congress laughed, and the potato bug multi- 

 plied until he fills the land, costing this State alone nearly 

 or quite $75,000 per year. The potato beetle is no more to 

 be compared to the gypsy moth than the light of a tallow 

 candle is to be compared to the brightest electric light. 

 There were a few in the House of 1899 that talked economy 

 when agricultural interests were being considered ; but, when 

 some other matters that required larger appropriations were 

 being discussed, were as quiet as a corpse. When $200,000 

 are appropriated for gypsy moth purposes, it costs the farmer 

 8 cents for every $1,000 of taxable property. An attempt 

 to eradicate the gypsy moth from his place cost General Law- 

 rence of Medford $3,000 in one year, and he met with such 

 poor success that he came to the committee for help. If 

 General Lawrence could not cope with the gypsy moth, how 

 can the average farmer? 



Such epithets as " fraud," "humbug," were often applied 

 to this important work ; and we occasionally read articles in 

 newspapers published in western Massachusetts in which 

 these terms occur. After listening to testimony for more 



