No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 361 



Resolved, That iu our opinion tiie cessation of the work of that 

 committee would be a national misfortune, and a faihire on the 

 part of the State of Massachusetts to continue it would be a 

 calamity which would involve immense loss to the people of that 

 State and of the entire country. 



Resolved, That we have full confidence in the ability of the 

 officers now in charge of the work of this commission, as evi- 

 denced by the report recently issued, which contains not only 

 matter of extreme importance to the economic entomologist, but 

 of the highest value to the farmer and fruit grower. 



While the gypsy moth has not spread over the State at 

 large, all reports to the contrary notwithstanding, it has, 

 nevertheless, become so thoroughly established in its present 

 definitely bounded district in the eastern part of this Com- 

 monwealth that it will be no slight task to exterminate it or 

 even hold it in check. The State can adopt one of three 

 courses : — 



First. It can continue the policy of extermination, which 

 would require large appropriations for a term of years. 



Second. It can change the law, which now requires the 

 committee to work for extermination, and adopt the policy 

 of liolding the insect in check. This would require a per- 

 petual annual appropriation. 



Third. It can abandon the work entirely. This would 

 leave it for the cities, towns and individuals to deal with 

 the pest. 



It is for the Legislature to decide which will be the best 

 and wisest policy for this Commonwealth. If the first course 

 is adopted, there will be required an appropriation of not 

 less than $200,000 a year for a term of not less than five 

 years, and then an appropriation of not less than $100,000 a 

 year for a term of not less than five years. After this an 

 appropriation of perhaps $15,000 a year for a })eriod of five 

 years will be required. The sum total of all these appro- 

 priations for fifteen years is $1,575,000, or an average of 

 $105,000 a year. A man with taxable property to the 

 amount of $5,000, w^hich is a little more than the average 

 value of the farms in tliis State, would have to pay for the 

 support of this work an average annual tax of 21 cents and 

 7 mills, and this would amount in the fifteen years to $3.25. 



