420 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



In January, 1895, the committee again called the Legis- 

 lature's attention to the dangerous condition of the forested 

 land, and pointed out that this condition was due to the 

 fact that not enough money had been provided to make a 

 thorough search of the whole tract, or even to destroy the 

 initial colonies found. In view of the fact, as stated in this 

 report, that the moth had now become scattered through 

 the woodlands from Lexington to the sea, the committee 

 recommended that $200,000 be appropriated, at the same 

 time protesting against being required to exterminate the 

 moth with an insufficient grant ; and stated its belief that, 

 if the Legislature was unwilling to provide sufficient means 

 for restricting the spread of the gypsy moth and holding it 

 in check, the work should be discontinued entirely. The 

 Legislature, however, appropriated only $150,000. 



In January, 1896, the committee reported that its predic- 

 tions as to what would happen in such a case had been veri- 

 fied, and that the condition of the forested land was now 

 worse than ever before. Many places, some of them of 

 considerable area, had been found infested. The caterpil- 

 lars were found during the feeding season in enormous num- 

 bers, destroying the foliage, and in some cases the trees 

 were stripped. The committee was obliged that year to 

 cut down and burn considerable areas of forest, and re- 

 ported that, while lands other than woodland were in an 

 encouraging condition, more new places had been found in 

 the woods than had been stamped out in such lands. In 

 addition to the drawback of smaller appropriations than 

 were recommended, the work had suffered severely during 

 all these years from delay of action by the Legislature. 

 The committee declined to be held responsible for failure if 

 its plans and recommendations were to be ignored ; and, 

 furthermore, reiterated what was said the previous year, to 

 the effect that either sufficient means should be provided, or 

 the work discontinued entirely, and again recommended an 

 appropriation of $200,000. Only $100,000 was granted. 



In January, 1897, the committee once more reported to 

 the Legislature that the condition of the central woodlands 

 was growing worse ; that in places in the woodland where 

 trees had been stripped two years in succession, many of 



