50 



life, contrary to the old belief, is comparatively short, not exceeding 

 one or two years, the very long periods sometimes recorded being 

 undoubtedly accidental or abnormal. He said that in some of the 

 forests north of the Ottawa Eiver there are scarcely any trees that are 

 not injured, and the yearly loss in Canada amounts to upward of a 

 million dollars. He described the remedial treatment practiced in the 

 Dominion, and particularly what is known as "rossing" of trees, 

 which consists in cutting a strip of bark along the full length of the 

 upper side of the log, causing the remaining bark to dry and eventually 

 drop away. If they are protected by being immersed in water, it is 

 necessary to turn them over in summer, otherwise the insects will work 

 in the exposed side. After forests have been burned over, it is neces- 

 sary to cut very promptly on account of the rapidity of the development 

 and work of the beetles in question. He referred to the current belief 

 among woodmen in explanation of the sudden appearance of these 

 borers in burned timber to the effect that they develop from the sour- 

 ing of the sap. 



Mr. Hopkins stated that this is also a common belief in West Virginia. 



Mr. Fletcher further referred to the practical difficulties in getting 

 wood cut at different seasons of the year. For instance, in early summer 

 it is impossible to get cutters to go into the forests on account of the 

 plague of mosquitoes and black flies at that season. 



At the request of several members Mr. Fernald gave a resume of the 

 present status of the work of the gypsy moth committee, and his 

 remarks were supplemented by Messrs. Forbush and Kirkland. 



Mr. Fernald referred to the action of the association at its Springfield 

 (1895) meeting, and stated that at the legislative hearings of the past 

 spring, held with reference to determining the size of the appropriation 

 to be granted for continuing the work of exterminating the gypsy moth, 

 no representations made by the gypsy moth committee, the director, 

 or himself carried a fraction of the weight that the indorsement of the 

 association afforded. The legislators recognized the association as a 

 body of eminent scientists and valued accordingly the opinion of its 

 members. 



In speaking of the present condition of affairs brought about by the 

 failure of the legislature to provide sufficient funds for the continuance 

 of the work in the most approved manner he stated that future action 

 must be along one of three lines: 



(1) To continue the work with a view to extermination. This can be done, but will 

 involve a vast outlay. 



(2) To attempt the control of the insect, but with no idea of the ultimate extermi- 

 nation. This means a great annual expenditure that must be continued indefinitely. 



(3) To abandon the whole work, "let the insect spread at its own sweet will," and 

 trust to the property owners to care for their own estates. Should this latter course 

 be adopted, it would be impossible to say how long a period of time would elapse 

 before the pest would spread over the whole of Kew England and into adjacent ter- 

 ritory. The insect would soon be in a condition to spread fast through avenues of 

 traffic, and its diffusion over the whole country would probably be a matter of com- 

 paratively short time. 



