No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 421 



them were dying. The committee also called attention to 

 the fact that in no year since 1892 had there been an oppor- 

 tunity of carrying out the plans made for the following 

 season, and reiterated a former statement, that the only 

 way to prevent the spread of the gypsy moth was to do 

 everything possible to completely eradicate it from the 

 land. The committee recommended $200,000 as absolutely 

 necessary for the work of 1897. Only $150,000 was 

 appropriated. 



In January, 1898, the committee called attention to the 

 fact that the moths from the central woodlands were spread- 

 ing into the outer towns, thus reinfesting towns already 

 cleared, as in former reports had been predicted would be 

 the case if the reduction of the appropriations continued. 

 In this report it was urged that to continue the partial 

 policy of the last few years would be unwise. The belief 

 was again expressed that the only way to prevent the spread 

 of the gypsy moth was to exterminate it ; and it was urged 

 that it would be wiser not to appropriate another dollar of 

 the State's money than to again reduce the appropriation, 

 for the result in either case would eventually be the same, 

 i. e., the final escape of the moth from its present limited 

 territory. The Legislature was requested and urged to 

 appropriate $200,000. 



It was shown before committees of the House and Senate 

 that during all these years the plans of the work, the 

 methods used and the feasibility of the moths' extermina- 

 tion by these methods had all been endorsed by all of the 

 most eminent economic entomologists of the country who 

 had visited the work and personally examined all phases of 

 the problem. The great injury which the moth is capable 

 of doing had been fully set forth before the committees of 

 the different Legislatures, both by those who had suffered 

 from its ravages and by extracts from European authorities. 

 It was shown that the Legislature had not for five years 

 appropriated for the work the amount estimated by the 

 committee as absolutely necessary to do the work for any 

 one year. The Legislature of 1898 finally appropriated the 

 full amount asked, $200,000, although too late in the season 

 to be used to the best advantage. Later on a sum not ex- 



