APPENDIX. v 



Mr. APPLETON. Don't you think it would be a good plan to 

 ask these gentlemen representing the different towns what their 

 experience is in that direction ? 



Mr. CRAIG thought, in a general way, that they did not attack 

 forest trees ; were confined, as a rule, to orchard trees and trees 

 surrounding houses. Thought the reason the spread was not 

 greater the last twenty years was because the people took the in- 

 sect for some kind of canker-worm, and took pains to burn them 

 off the trees, which they did until they became too numerous to 

 control. He recommended the use of tarred paper tied round the 

 trees with a string. Undoubtedly the commissioners had destroyed 

 a great many of the insects. 



Professor RILEY. It is well known to feed upon a number of 

 different forest trees that grow with us, and in the event of its 

 getting beyond cultivated plants I should, as I said, have very 

 little hope of its ultimate extermination. I am not an alarmist, 

 and I do not believe that our people need be so very seriously 

 affected if it is not exterminated ; but, aside from that, the loss 

 would go on increasing annually, and it would become a very 

 grievous additional pest to those the farmer and fruit grower 

 already have to contend with. The thing you have to consider is- 

 this : from what I could gather from the accounts in the news- 

 papers, three measures were adopted: first, by attempting to 

 destroy the eggs ; secondly, by attempting to destroy the cater- 

 pillars after they had hatched by means of arsenical spraying ; 

 thirdly, by endeavoring to stop the artificial spread of the pest on 

 vehicles, manure wagons, etc. 



Individually I have always felt, and so expressed myself, and 

 still feel, that the proper way would be to use whatever funds the 

 State will give you during a limited time, and concentrate all effort 

 and all expenditure in the month of June on the destruction of 

 caterpillars, and not to bother about the destruction of the eggs or 

 the prevention of the spread of the insect. These latter methods, 

 necessarily intrusted to persons who may be efficient or who may 

 not, are apt to bring the whole subject into popular disrepute and 

 disfavor. You may reduce the numbers, but you will never exter- 

 minate it by destroying the eggs. Therefore, as a single spraying 

 of a tree will kill five thousand caterpillars just as well as one, 

 there is nothing to be gained by the work of destroying the eggs. 

 Moreover, I do not believe there is much to be gained in the work 

 of preventing its spread by the examination of vehicles on the 

 main thoroughfares and on the railroads. On the contrary, I 

 believe that the only way to accomplish that end is by a very strict 

 law which the Legislature should pass, giving the power to some 



