No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 353 



and far surpasses my expectations of the past midsummer, 

 when I learned of the two new outside colonies. The fact 

 is, that the field force, under such experienced field super- 

 intendents as you now have, is now able without hesitation 

 to do exactly the right thing in such emergencies as those 

 of the past summer, and to do it promptly and without 

 waste of efibrt. It has taken all these past years to arrive 

 at such a condition of affairs." 



Cost of Extermination. 

 In my report of January, 1897, to this committee, I gave 

 an estimate of the time and money that would be required 

 to exterminate this insect, which was an appropriation of 

 not less than $200,000 a year for a term of not less than five 

 years, and then an appropriation of not less than $100,000 

 a year for a term of not less than five years, after which 

 an appropriation of perhaps $15,000 a year for a period of 

 five years would be required. Wishing to obtain the opinion 

 of Dr. Howard on this estimate, I wrote him, and, in a letter 

 dated Feb. 20, 1899, he writes as follows: "I think your 

 estimate of the time it will take to exterminate the gypsy 

 moth, as published in the reports and bulletins of the gypsy 

 moth committee, is reasonable, and I think that, if the 

 money is appropriated and made promptly available, exter- 

 mination will be accomplished, as you prophesy." The 

 Legislature has not given the required appropriations until 

 the last two years. Even then $10,000 each year of the 

 necessary appropriation was required to be spent on the 

 brown-tail moth, and there have also been unfortunate delays 

 in granting these appropriations. Yet, from the results of 

 the last two years, I am more than ever convinced that the 

 insect can be exterminated in the time indicated, if the full 

 amount asked for each year be promptly appropriated. 



Who should be interested in this Work. 

 There can be no doubt that each taxpayer in the Com- 

 monwealth of Massachusetts should be interested in this 

 work, and, in justice to himself, consider whether it is pos- 

 sible for the State to exterminate this insect ; and, in this 

 case, whether it will cost him more in taxes than it would 



