286 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



be engaged, will be needed to reinspect the work of the new force, as it 

 is never Avell to incur any risk which may arise from the carelessness 

 of any one man. 



4. A sufficient number of superintendents or foremen must be em- 

 ployed, to keep the entire force under constant supervision. 



Each inspector must be assigned to a section of such size as he can 

 insjiect as often as is necessary ; he must be kept there until he knows 

 the section thoroughly and becomes intimately acquainted with the 

 habits and preferences of the moths in that section. "\^Tien he has 

 acquired this knowledge, he must be given as many men as he needs 

 to destroy all the moths there at the earliest possible moment, and his 

 work must be reinspected by others, as before mentioned One experi- 

 enced, trustworthy, able-bodied, expert man will do more luider proper 

 supervision toward securing extennination than ten or even twenty 

 inexperienced or untrustworthy men. If in 1893 the committee be 

 provided with the means to secure such a force, and in 1894 Math 

 the means to continue it, more can be done toward extermination 

 than could have been accomplished with a thousand inexperienced 

 men in 1892. The towns on the border of the infested region 

 ought in 1893 to be cleared of the moths, and they will probably 

 be exceedingly rare every^vhere. A trained efficient force can then 

 be concentrated in the central towns, where it will take several 

 years to secure extermination. It is both safer and more economical 

 to work six experienced men over a certain piece of ground in 

 one year than to employ one man there six years, and both the 

 time required and the risk of dissemination incurred are less in 

 proportion as the number of experienced men employed is greater. 

 We cannot hope to have an accurate account of the condition of every 

 part of the infested region, or the progress made, unless an inspection 

 of the entire area by expert men is carried on continuously throughout 

 each year. 



Having shown that a larger appropriation is necessary, the next ques- 

 tion is, — 



Will the Extermination of the Gypsy Moth if attained jiistify 

 the Expense which must he incurred? 



In judging of the probable destructiveness of the gypsy moth, should 

 it be allowed to spread throughout the United States, it is important to 

 know, first, how destructive it has been in Europe and other countries ; 

 second, whether it has proved or is likely to prove more destructive 

 here than there. 



