No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 207 



cess of extermination lias been already gravely imperilled, 

 and the amount necessary for final success largely increased. 

 The committee believes that extermination is still possible if 

 sufficient means are furnished with promptness and regularity. 

 The committee believes that it is of the utmost importance 

 that the gypsy moth should be prevented from spreading into 

 new territory, and desires to record the opinion that the only 

 safe way to prevent the spreading of the insect into new terri- 

 tory is to use every promising means to secure its extermina- 

 tion. In the last annual report of the committee allusion was 

 made to the effort to obtain the assistance of the general gov- 

 ernment in the work of extermination, and to the favorable 

 reception and patient hearing of a committee of the Board of 

 Agriculture by the agricultural committees of the United 

 States Senate and House of Representatives at Washington. 

 As a result of the hearing an appropriation of $40,000, to aid 

 this State in the work, passed the United States Senate ; but, 

 as the final adjournment of the fifty-third Congress was very 

 near at hand, the appropriation failed to pass the House of 

 Representatives . 



The committee believes the work to be of national impor- 

 tance ; for, if the insect is allowed to spread, it will most 

 certainly invade other States and eventually become a pest in 

 all parts of the country. For this reason it is recommended 

 that means should be immediately taken by the Legislature to 

 bring the matter again to the attention of Congress. 



AYhen the committee of this Board appeared before the 

 committees of the fifty-third Congress, it was" found that the 

 fact that Massachusetts had undertaken the work of extermi- 

 nation and had expended very large sums of money in it with- 

 out waiting for the general government insured the attention 

 of the committees and was considered by the committees as 

 an important factor in the case. In another application to 

 Congress for aid the fact that Massachusetts is continuing flic 

 work at a great expense will be the best argument that can be 

 presented, as it will prove without question that the people 

 immediately interested are honest in the belief that the work 

 can be carried to a successful conclusion. 



The Association of Official Economic Entomologists, which 

 comprises in its membership the most eminent official ento- 



