Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-11
WORCESTER DAILY SPY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY II, 1895
THE GYPSY MOTH.
Arguments Made Before the
Committee of Agriculture.
Recommendations Advanced 10 Grant
Amount Asked by the Commission or
to Abandon the Work.
Especial Dispatch to the spy)

1
Boston, Feb. 1O.-The committee on
agriculture gave hearing this
| morning on the bill introduced
by Representative Bennett of Sau-
gus, making an appropriation of
$4,000 for the work of exterminating
the gypsy moth, The commission hav-
ing the work in charge asked for an ap-
preparation of 100000, and this amount
was about to be considered by the COM
mittee on ways and means when the
bennett bill was introduced in order to
nave the matter considered by the COM
mAttee on agriculture The amount of
the appropriation as fixed in the Bennett
bill was of no special significance, al
though 1t was evident at the start that
there was opposition to an appropria-
ton as large as that recommended by
the gypsy moth commission.
Chairman Wood of the gypsy moth
committee of the board of agriculture
was the first speaker. Mr.. Wood said,
IN answer to common report, that the
members of the committee had received
not a dollar for the work outside of mon
ey received for travelling expenses. The
only incentive for the committee was
the belief that theywere Kidding the state
OF the worst and most dangerous insect
pest that had ever visited this country.
After describing the methods adopted
for prosecuting the work, Chairman
Wood referred to the appropriations
made by the state, every one of which,
from 1893 to 1897, had been made too late
to do the most effective work The ap-
preparation Of 1897 a sum of $3.50, 900,
was made in February, and by this early
action on the part of the legislature,
the committee had been enabled to do
6ffaOfiUn n 111.iy1 &c fiY.c
existence. The appropriation asked for
this year had been carefully estimated,
and was deemed absolutely necessary If
the state intended to follow its policy
against the existence of the moth.
S. F. Sise. a resident of 'Medford tes-
titled as to his personal observations re-
garding the devastation of the moth and
the work of the gypsy moth committee
he approved of the work and urged a
generous appropriation for the continual
tion Of the work.
William r. Sessions, secretary of the
state board of agriculture, also spoke in
favor of the full appropriation. He eX-
planned the methods adopted by the
force in eXterminating moths and eggs
in stone walls and so on. Secretary
Sessions referred to the good work by
the commission last year, largely on ac-
count of the early appropriation.
But much of the work had gone by
default because the legislature had
failed to appropriate the full amount
asked for. Now the committee was
confronted with the serious question of
attacking woodland territories, for years
neglected from lack of funds in order
to prevent the re-infestation of ter
ritory very nearly if not completely
cleared of the moth. Hence the neces-
sity Of the full amount asked for if to-
tai determination was ever to be ac-
complished. In closing, Mr.. Sessions
emphasized the point made in the re-
port Of the committee that unless the
full amount Of the appropriation was
given, it was better to appropriate moth
ing and to abandon the work entirely.
Mr.. Sessions was subjected to a gem
eral cross examination by members of
the committee and persons present.
Walter G. Wright of Medford asked
without receiving an answer how much
| the commission had expended in cut
ting down 279,000 trees, which was a
| part of the work done during the past
| year. Mr. Wright, in explanation,
| stated that he understood the commit
! tee was to visit the infested district,
/ and when this visit was made he de-
sired the committee to visit his prem
! ises.
Prof. Fernald, of the Massachusetts
Agricultural College at Amherst, the
! entomologist of the commission. ex-
| pressed his opinion that determination
was possible If the policy recommended
! was followed by the legislature. Prof.
Fernald agreed with the suggestion al
ready made, that unless the full appro-
| priation was given, not a cent should
! be allotted to the work. The hearing
was then continued