xxii BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



The Lowell Co-operative Milk Association, the Spring- 

 field Co-operative Milk Association and the Wachusett Milk 

 Company of Worcester, make quite a large quantity of 

 butter from their surplus milk. The same is also true of 

 the milk contractors. The Springfield Co-operative Milk 

 Association report that they will, the present year, reach 

 nearly 2,500,000 quarts in receipts of milk. All milk not 

 sold is separated, and the cream churned. In 1890, 

 115,000 pounds of butter were made, selling at an average 

 price of twenty-seven cents per pound. The average price 

 received per pound by the Lowell Co-operative Milk Asso- 

 ciation, for the year, was thirty-four cents. 



Insects. 



The tent caterpillar ( Clisiocampa Americana) was unusu- 

 ally numerous during the month of May ; and in the May crop 

 report it was suggested, as the wild cherry trees along the 

 roadsides are breeding-places of this pest, that the granges 

 and farmers' clubs take steps to lessen the number of these 

 trees along our county roads. 



The Colorado potato beetle was not as prevalent as usual. 

 The various other destructive insects, as the currant worm, 

 asparagus beetle, canker worm, codling moth, curculio, rose 

 bug, cut worm, squash bug, cranberry-vine worm, onion 

 maggot, peach borer, and the others that infest and destroy 

 our crops, were on hand in their season, and did the usual 

 amount of damage. 



Gypsy Moth. 



In my last report the hope was expressed that the Legis- 

 lature would deal wisely and liberally with this new problem. 

 It is of supreme interest to all agriculturists, but it is also 

 of interest to every dweller in city or country ; for this 

 creature feeds upon the foliage of almost all our deciduous 

 trees and shrubs, as well as upon the crops of the farm. 

 Its power of multiplication seems almost without limit. If 

 it cannot be entirely stamped out, it will be forever a menace 

 not only to the crops and trees of our State, but to those of 

 the whole continent. Its spread over the land is only a 

 question of time. Our Legislature of last year made liberal 

 provision for a campaign of extermination by an appropria- 

 tion of $50,000, and provision for a commission to take 



