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industry, and at the same time illustrate the point I first made, that, 

 the ponderous efforts of man are not comparable with the works of 

 nature in overcoming the spread of pests. The work of the gypsy moth 

 in Massachusetts is familiar to most of you. This was introduced some 

 years ago without its natural enemies, and, freed from restraint in this 

 land of the free, it began to spread. There were no counter-checks 

 here, and this pretty insect soon threatened the whole country with 

 destruction. Laws were passed for its extirpation, sprays and washes 

 and insecticides were resorted to, pumps and machinery were brought 

 into play, but all the efforts of man could not check its spread. No 

 efforts were made to introduce its natural parasites, and as a result the 

 State of Massachusetts expended over $300,000 in three years to get 

 rid of it, and didn't do it. I cannot resist giving you the cost of last 

 year's work, as published by the Board of Agriculture for Massachu- 

 setts. Here are the figures : 



Balance on hand, January 1, 1893 $5,672 17 



Appropriation.... 100,000 00' 



$105,672 17 



Expenditures. 



William E. Sessions, expenses $9 79 



N. S. Shaler, expenses 43 00 



Francis H. Appleton, expenses 41 43 



E. W. Wood, expenses 16 06 



C. H. Fernald, expenses and remuneration 730 16 



E. H. Forbush, director, salary 2,400 00 



Bookkeeper and clerks in office 2,165 32 



Traveling expenses of director and men . __ 1,414 24 



Teaming, livery, and board of director's horse 1,888 37 



Wages of men 56,874 33 



Rent of storehouse and office ... _. 297 00 



Supplies, tools, and insecticides 10,047 78 



Balance on hand January 1, 1894... 29,744 69 



$105,672 17 



Here is an appropriation of $105,672 17 for the inefficient fighting of 

 a single pest one year. 



The reports of the State Board of Horticulture have devoted much 

 space to descriptions of beneficial insects and their habits, together with 

 the pests upon which they prey, so that I shall not allude extensively 

 to them on this occasion. There is one, however, comparatively new 

 and from the labors of which I hope for good results, to which I would call 

 your attention. This is a very minute ladybird, the Scymnus nanus, 

 which has been discovered at work upon the red spider in Los Angeles. 

 During the past summer I examined trees at Rivera that had been badly 

 infested with the red spider, but were entirely cleared by this parasite. 

 If it can be encouraged in its work and distributed over the State I have 

 no doubt that the red spider will soon succumb to its effects and cease 

 to be the dreaded pest it now is. 



Another parasite of the black scale is a small noctuid moth, reported 

 from Europe, and described in " Insect Life." It is described by Dr. 

 Rouzand, who made a study of its habits for some years. 



I wish to make a few suggestions about collecting and distributing 

 parasites. In the first place I would strongly advise against any one 

 not an expert procuring insects from foreign countries. Our beneficial 

 insects have their parasites, and the great object is to introduce them 

 without their enemies, in order that they may spread without check 



