422 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



ceeding $10,000 of this sum was set aside to be used for 

 preventing the spread of the brown-tail moth. 



The members of this committee desire to register here 

 their solemn protest against being obliged by law to under- 

 take further the extermination of the gypsy moth unless the 

 means estimated by them as absolutely necessary for this 

 extermination be furnished. 



Your committee's work, like that of other committees of 

 this Board, is done without compensation, for the public 

 good. The members have given much time and their best 

 efforts each year for the success of this work, and believe 

 that their careful estimates in regard to carrying it on with 

 economy should be accepted by the Legislature, or that they 

 should be relieved from the duty of further conducting it. 



The committee desires again to place on record the belief 

 that extermination is certain if sufficient means can be 

 promptly provided, and also the belief that, unless the 

 appropriation of $200,000 can be made, it will be better to 

 give up the work. 



The conduct of this work has been repeatedly indorsed 

 by leading agricultural organizations. The State Grange, 

 Patrons of Husbandry, adopted at its annual meeting in 

 Worcester in December a resolve urging the Legislature to 

 appropriate sufficient money to carry on the gypsy moth 

 work vigorously, and to ask the national government to 

 assist. 



The scientific and experimental work has been continued 

 in charge of Mr. A. H. Kirkland, assistant entomologist to 

 the committee, under the direction of Prof. C. H. Fernald. 

 The study of the various insect enemies of the gypsy moth 

 has been continued ; there has also been further investiga- 

 tion in regard to insecticides. Arsenate of lead, which was 

 first brought out as an insecticide by Mr. F. C. Moulton, a 

 chemist in the employ of the Board, has been brought to 

 perfection by the studies of Mr. F. J. Smith, a chemist still 

 in our employ. As this was the first poison found which 

 could be used effectively in spraying for the gypsy moth, 

 very little attention was given by your committee to the 

 improvement of spraying machinery until arsenate of lead 

 was proved to be a success as an insecticide. Since then 



