360 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pul). Doc. 



Report of the Entomologist. 



To the Committee on the Gypsy Moth. 



Gentlemen : — During the past year all has been accom- 

 plished towards the extermination of the gypsy moth that 

 could possibly be done, or that could have been expected 

 with the small amount appropriated by the last Legislature. 

 For several years past the appropriations asked for this 

 work have been cut down from one-fourth to one-half, but 

 no change has been made in the law which requires the com- 

 mittee to work for the extermination of this insect. 



There is no question but that the gypsy moth is one of 

 the most destructive and expensive pests that could have 

 been brought into this country, and only the most active 

 and vigorous measures are of any avail against it. It is 

 claimed, by some who have little or no knowledge of the 

 matter, that it is not possible to exterminate this insect ; 

 but I do not know of any economic entomologist, who has 

 made a thorough, personal investigation of the work, who 

 does not believe that extermination is possible if the Legis- 

 lature appropriates sufficiently large sums of money, making 

 them available when needed in the work. 



At the last meeting of the Association of Economic Ento- 

 mologists, held in Buffalo, N. Y., Aug. 22, 1896, after a 

 full discussion of the work on the gypsy moth, the following 

 resolutions were presented by Dr. John B. Smith, professor 

 of entomology in Rutgers College and entomologist to the 

 New Jersey State Agricultural College Experiment Station, 

 and unanimously adopted : — 



Eesoloecl, That in the opinion of this association the work done 

 by the gypsy moth committee in Massachnsetts is of the utmost 

 importance and value, not only to that State but to all the sur- 

 rounding States and to the country at large. 



