No. 4.] GYPSY MOTH. 313 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON GYPSY MOTH, INSECTS 



AND BIRDS.* 



[Read and adopted at the Annual Meeting, Jan. 7, 1902.] 



Your committee on gypsy moth, insects and birds begs 

 leave to submit herewith a report on its work during the 

 past year. 



The action of the Legislature of 1900 in refusing further 

 appropriations for the continuance of the effort to exterminate 

 the gypsy moth necessitated the abrupt abandonment of all 

 field work. By chapter 378, Acts of 1901, your committee 

 was directed to sell the apparatus and supplies in its charge. 

 A large and valuable part of the apparatus, including engine, 

 spraying pumps, ladders and other appliances most useful in 

 combating the moth, was turned over to the Metropolitan 

 Park Commission, for use in the infested park lands. This 

 Commission also took charge of some of the tools and ap- 

 paratus that could not be sold at auction at a fair value, and 

 which were valuable in fighting this pest. The remainder 

 was sold at a duly advertised public auction, the proceeds of 

 the sale being paid to the Treasurer of the Commonwealth. 

 The records of experiments and work accomplished since 

 1891, maps showing the infested areas, and other documents 

 of permanent value, are preserved in the office of the secre- 

 tary of the Board. There has been but slight actual loss to 

 the Commonwealth in the disposal of this property, so large 

 a part of it having been simply transferred to another State 

 department, where it will be available for immediate use. 



This committee has felt it a duty to keep informed con- 

 cerning the increase and spread of the moth, and to this end 

 has made several visits to the infested region. From these 

 examinations and from the voluntary reports of former em- 



* House Document, No. 252, 1902. 



