No. 4.] GYPSY MOTH IN THE LEGISLATURE. 43 



than two weeks, two committees, composed of some of the 

 ablest men in the House and Senate, reported in favor of the 

 appropriation. They saw nothing that looked like fraud, 

 and they saw no liumbugs, unless it were some of those who 

 appeared in opposition. 



Others said, send to Europe for parasites. There are 

 parasites that feed on parasites, and it would require the 

 careful experiments of an entomologist for several years to 

 be at all sure of a parasite that would feed on the gypsy 

 moth. Parasitical experience in Europe is very far from 

 being successful. 



One other method resorted to by tne opposition to catch 

 votes was the introduction of the following amendment : 

 "The sum of $100,000 is hereby appropriated, to be ex- 

 pended in exterminating the gypsy moth and the brown-tail 

 moth. This sum shall be apportioned by the State Board 

 of Agriculture among the cities and towns which are infested 

 by the said moths, or either of them, in such proportions as 

 they shall deem just; but, no city or town shall receive its 

 part of this appropriation until it has raised for the same 

 purpose a sum equal to one-third of that apportioned to it as 

 aforesaid. The said sums, both those apportioned as afore- 

 said and those raised by the said cities and towns, shall be 

 expended by and under the direction of the said cities and 

 towns for the said purpose." Under this amendment, if any 

 city or town failed to make an appropriation, the whole plan 

 of extermination, or even suppression, would fail. If one 

 section of a city or a town was cleared and a contiguous 

 section of another was neglected, nothins; would be accom- 

 plished. The gypsy moth has no respect for boundary lines. 

 No city or town has the facilities or the knowledge to suc- 

 cessfully cope with so formidable an adversary as the gypsy 

 moth. I became convinced last winter that no business of 

 the State received better thought, closer attention or more 

 economical management than the matter under discussion. 



It is your duty and mine to stay up the hands of the Board 

 of Agriculture and its secretary in the tremendous efibrts 

 they are putting forth in behalf of the agricultural interests 

 of the grand old Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 



Adjourned to 2 p.m. 



