Cnmmantoaltlj af UlassacTjusdts. 



To the Massachusetts Slate Board of Agriculture. 



Your comniittcG in charge of the work of exterminating 

 the gypsy moth presents lierewith a report of work per- 

 formed during the year 1900. 



In common with other State departments, your committee 

 is authorized to continue its operations during the month of 

 January, "until the pleasure of the General Court is made 

 known, at the rate of expenditure authorized by the appro- 

 priations for the preceding year." Under this law your 

 committee continued its field work as described l)elow, 

 throughout the month, at the end of which time all the 

 employees were discharged, with the exception of a few offi- 

 cers whose services were required in completing the accounts, 

 collecting tools and other work incident to closing up field 

 operations. 



During the month, as weather permitted, scouting was 

 prosecuted, as rapidly as was consistent with thoroughness, 

 in Boston, — particularly in the outlying wards of Roxbury 

 and Dorchester, — in Saugus, Swampscott and Reading. 

 One feature of this work was the finding in Dorchester of a 

 few scattered egg-clusters near the Ne})onset bridge and a 

 small, compact colony at Cottage Street. Another feature 

 of a more gratifying character was the result of a thorough 

 inspection of Franklin Park by expert employees. It will 

 be recalled that some years previous a serious colony of the 

 moth existed in this park. This inspection confirmed the 

 results of recent examinations, no trace of the moth lieing 

 found. 



At other times, during and following storms, attention 

 was given to clearing up infested woodland in Swampscott, 



