72 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



An Act for the Destruction of Insects Injurious to Vegetatioyi. 



I. The mayor and aldermen of any city, or the selectmen of 

 any town, shall, on request of fifteen legal voters, on or before the 

 first day of April, in each and every year, by writing under their 

 hands, appoint one or more suitable persons, inhabitants of their 

 respective cities and towns, to be Inspectors of Orchards and 

 Trees. 



II. The duties of such Inspectors shall be from time to time 

 to notify, in writing, mailed to their address, owners of orchards, 

 fields or pastures, in which trees infested with insects injurious 

 to vegetation, especially tent caterpillars and canker worms, are 

 growing, to remove said insects from said trees or to cut down said 

 trees, so promoting the breeding of noxious insects. 



III. In case the owners of said trees shall unreasonably refuse 

 or neglect so to destroy said insects or to cut down said trees, for 

 the space of ten days, the said Inspectors shall have right to enter 

 upon the said premises, and, as in their judgment may seem best, 

 to destroy said noxious insects, to protect said trees from their 

 attacks, or cut down said trees, but always at the expense of the 

 owners of said trees, to be recovered by a suit brought in the name 

 of said Inspectors, before any Police Court or Justice of the 

 Peace in said city or town. 



IV. The said Inspectors shall also have full authority and it 

 shall be their duty to destroy all trees, such as wild cherry, wild 

 plum, wild or old apple trees growing by roadsides or in pastures, 

 provided the owners thereof or of adjoining land shall fail, after 

 notice as aforesaid, to destroy insects thereon or to cut down said 

 trees, provided always that no tree, valuable for fruit or shade, shall 

 be destroyed under this Act, unless the owner thereof refuses to 

 protect the same from the ravages of insects ; and the said 

 Inspectors shall have power to protect the same if they shall deem 

 it expedient, but al,wa3's at the expense of the ovvner thereof, to be 

 recovered as aforesaid. 



V. The said'Inspectors shall be allowed all reasonable expenses 

 incurred by them in the prosecution of their duty, and also at the 

 rate of three dollars per day for all time spent by them in the 

 duties of their office, the same to be paid out of the treasury of 

 said city or town under warrant from the mayor and aldermen or 

 selectmen. 



