SUPPRESSION OF INSECT PESTS AND PLANT DISEASES. 21 



Afternoon Session, I'riday, March 5, 1897. 



Drafts of Bills Co\ ering State, Interstate, and International Legisla- 



The convention was called to (>rder by the chairman at 3 p. m. The 

 committee on legislation presented drafts of. bills covering State, inter- 

 state, and international legislation, and gave a hearing to members of 

 the convention npon the merits and defects of these measures. 



Committee to Invite the Secretary of Agriculture to Address the Con- 

 vention. 



At 5 p. m., npon motion of Mr. W. W. Miller, of Ohio, a committee^ 

 consisting of Messrs. Miller and Farnsworth, of Ohio, and Hooker, of 

 !New York, was appointed to wait upon the Secretary of Agiiculture, 

 the Hon. James Wilson, and invite him to address the convention. 



Secretary Wilson was introduced and made a brief address, in which 

 he expressed a deep interest in the matters under consideration by the 

 convention. 



The convention adjourned at 8 -p. m. 



Evening Session, Friday, March 5, 1897. 



Resolutions Relative to the Extermination of Gypsy Moth. 



At the evening session the following resolutions, offered by Mr. Ses- 

 sions, of Massachusetts, were favorably reported by the committee on 

 resolutions and were adopted: 



Whereas the State of Massachusetts has for the past six years been engaged in an 

 effort to exterminate the Ocneria dispar, or gypsy moth, an important insect pest, which 

 is as yet confined to a small area in the State of Massachusetts, and whicli preys 

 upon the foliage of all deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs, as well as npon 

 the leaves of almost all vegetables aud flowering plants, aud which if not extermi- 

 nated will spread all over this country; and 



Wht'reas the State of Massachusetts has appropriated seven hundred and seventy 

 thousand dollars, of which more than four-fifths has already been expended in the 

 work of extermination with considerable success: 



Resolved, That this is a question of national importance, and that the National 

 Government should assume the work of extermination or render substantial financial 

 assistance to the State of Massachusetts for that purpose, that the work may be car- 

 ried to a successful conclusion and this continent be thus saved from the ravages of 

 another terrible insect pest. 



Resolved, That the committee on legislation is hereby directed to appear before 

 the proper committees of Congress and advocate suitable legislation to carry into 

 effect these resolutions. 



Resolution to Make Committee on Legislation Permanent until Next 



Meeting. 



The following resolution was offered by Mr. S. L. Lupton, of Virginia,, 

 and was adopted: 



Re-olved, That the committee on legislation be continued as a permanent body 

 until the next meeting of the convt-ntion, with power to appoint an executive 



