IT IS FOUGHT BY THE TOWN. 



33 



The Medford Mercury" of June 28, 1889, contains this 

 item : — 



The army-worm has struck Glenwood and Park Street gardens, 

 stripping trees of their foliage. 



About this time Mr. Craig, then one of the selectmen of 

 Medford, became interested in the outbreak. The condition 

 of the trees and gardens so alarmed him that he immediately 

 brought the matter to the attention of the town officials. He 

 writes : — 



In 1889 I was connected with the town government of Medford. 

 Coming out one day on the train from Boston, I noticed that the 

 trees in Glenwood had the appearance of having been burned. I 

 made a remark to the effect that the trees had been burned, when 

 a lady said, " That is the work of the army-worm." In company 

 with Mr. J. O. Goodwin I investigated the matter, and found that 

 the insects which were preying on the trees were not army-worms. 

 Being a selectman, I conferred with the other members of the 

 Board, but we had nothing to do with the trees on the streets or 

 in the orchards of the town. Mr. Goodwin and myself waited on 

 the road commissioners and asked them to expend some money in 

 stopping the ravages of the pests, which were the gypsy-moth 

 caterpillars. The commissioners at that time had no money which 

 they could expend for such a purpose, but were in full sympathy 

 with the movement and did all they could to further it. I saw 

 ex-Senator Boynton, General Lawrence, J. Henry Norcross and 

 other leading citizens in regard to the matter, and it was agreed 

 that some action must be taken. ... It was the sentiment that 

 the road commissioners should do what they could to stop the rav- 

 ages of the caterpillars. 



The alarming condition of the shade trees was considered 

 sufficient cause for immediate action. At a meeting of the 

 road commissioners on July 1, it was decided ( pending action 

 by the town authorities) to put fresh ink on the bands of the 

 trees on the streets where the caterpillars were most numer- 

 ous. These trees, in common with other street trees in the 

 town, had been banded earlier in the year as a guard against 

 the ravages of the canker-worm. The inking of the ti'ce 

 bands was done the next day, and at night it was found 



