No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 355 



territory ; but after making a careful inspection, they in- 

 variably became convinced not only that extermination was 

 possible, but that it was the manifest duty of the State to 

 carry on the work to completion. 



The experience of the past nine years has proven con- 

 clusively that when the appropriations are reduced one- 

 third or one-half, as was the case for several years, little or 

 no gain is made towards extermination, and therefore this 

 policy results in an absolute waste of public money. If, 

 therefore, the Legislature will not appropriate the full 

 amount required for the successful prosecution of this work, 

 it would be better to make no appropriation whatever. The 

 best interest of every tax-payer in the Commonwealth of 

 Massachusetts demands that the Legislature shall promptly 

 grant the full appropriation asked for by the gypsy moth 

 committee. 



Respectfully submitted, 



C. H. FERNALD. 



