No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 295 



Entomologist's Report. 



To the Committee on the Oypsy Moth. 



Gentlemen : — The work of exterminating the gypsy 

 moth has been carried on during the past year witli great 

 vigor and success. I have made as frequent visits to the 

 field of operations as my other duties permitted, and have 

 kept in close touch with all the work. 



By your direction I invited six of our most prominent 

 entomologists to visit the infested territory, inspect the work 

 and give their impressions and advice. Professor Comstock 

 was unable to do this, but the other gentlemen accepted the 

 invitation, visited the infested region in eTune, and thoroughly 

 inspected the work in all its departments. I give the fol- 

 lowing extracts from their reports. 



Professor Packard of Brown University says, *' I have no 

 adverse criticisms to make. It seems to me that the work is 

 practical and thorough throughout. I saw nothing to find 

 fault with, but much to commend. The new and ingenious 

 devices for spraying, and, in other ways, destroying the 

 eggs and worms interested me very much." 



Professor Weed of the New Hampshire Agricultural Col- 

 lege says, in his report, "The results already reached seem 

 to me remarkable, and I was greatly surprised at the scarcity 

 of gypsy caterpillars. I found that a series of experiments 

 with remedies was l^eing conducted under the most careful 

 conditions ; in fact I have never seen a series of similar ex- 

 periments carried on in so large a scale, in so thoroughly 

 scientific a manner." 



Dr. Fernald of the Pennsylvania State College says, "A 

 careful consideration of the methods used and of the results 

 already obtained has convinced me that the extermination of 

 the gypsy moth is not only possible but certain, if the work 

 ])e prosecuted for a sufiicient length of time. It is to be 

 feared, however, that the apparent disappearance of the moth 

 may lead the Legislature into the error of abolishing the 

 work at a time when it shows the fewest results, but will, in 

 reality, be the most valuable ; in fact, would be absolutely 

 necessary to ensure the prevention of some future invasion." 



