remembered that Newark, New Jersey uses for the protection, 
care and planting of its screet trees $38,000.00 annually, that 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, appropriates $50,000.00, in order to 
handle the work properly, and so far as tree planting is con- 
cerned, not surpassing Norfolk with its appropriation of 
$7,150.00, it can readily be seen that to get control of the work, 
and anticipate these plague troubles, a much larger force and 
equipment, as well as a much larger appropriation, is required. 
With twelve to fifteen thousand dollars at its command, 
the Commission would carry out its plans with reasonable dis- 
patch and compass the work, looking to a final result of all 
streets where it is desirable trees should be planted, completely 
filled with trees cultivated at least six times each seaon, watered 
when necessary, sprayed twice each season, preserve and keep 
trimmed all the trees of the city, and reduce to a minimum the 
insect pest which makes life miserable for all citizens who re- 
main in the city during the summer months. 
The Commission should have a power spraying outfit, and 
another horse and wagon to keep up with its requirements.* A 
large amount of work necessary for the best protection, growth 
and care of the trees 1s necessarily left undone from lack of 
force, and of the requisite appropriation for the payment of 
such force. The work has now outlined itse:f in such definite 
channels, both as the result of our own experience and the ex- 
periences of other cities, that the problem has reduced itself 
to one of accomplishing just so much necessary work tor a de- 
finite available appropriation. With such definite appropria- 
tion hereinbefore mentioned, the Commission expects to have 
the first planting of all trees required, in fifteen years time. 
At the present rate, it will require from thirty to thirty-five 
years to reach this desideratum. Until the necessary equip- 
ment and the necessary force is at the command of the Com- 
mission, we may expect renewals of the caterpillars plague. To 
lessen it as much as possible, the Commission has arranged to 
manufacture “caterpillar torches’ in sufficient number that 
will permit the co-operation of citizens who are willing to assist 
in the removal of the plague from their own locality. These 
torches are so arranged that the scorched caterpillars will be 
caught in a screen like frame placed just below the torch, so 
that they will not fall upon the ground to again climb the trunk 
of the tree, or make themselves a nuisance upon steps and 
porches of the house. In its use of these torches during the 
summer of 1914, the Commission filled several barrels with 
* Purchased January 1916. 
28 
