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Show II Million-Dollar Caterpillars. A few years ago a scientific person In Massachusetts Imported some caterpll- j ' lar3 that interested him, and kept them i In a bottle. But one day the bottle tipped I over and some of the caterpillars es- ? caped Into tho scientist's garden, and r ' presently stocked It with gypsy moths, j To catch them and their descendants - the Bay State has since spent about a E million dollars of public money. They I " have cost It many million dollars besides In damages. The old method of fighting I - them was to find and destroy the co- l 'J, coons. The Stato finally gave that up, I much to the regret of many of Its cltl- zens-. The bugs have since Increased very much and carried destruction Into . the woods. It is now proposed to fight j these pests In the latest fashion by - breeding parasites which will attack ' them. This method Is recommended by Mr. Koebele of Alameda, Cal., who tried 1 It successfully In that Stato for white scale. The Massachusetts Forestry asso- , IatIon favors the experiment, which ",111 not cost natch, and Mr. Koebele will doubtless be Invited to bring his parasites para-sites to Maseachuaettft and sick them on. i The whole country is concerned In this ! experiment, becaune a Massachusetts i . Congressman has Invited Congress to j declare the gypsy moth a national enemy ene-my and to appropriate $250,000 to fight S him. The parasite cure is a modern won- I dor and has been effective In enses of great moment. Mr. Koebele says It will i not wipe out the gypsy moths, but will j keep them down. The boll-weevil may 111 presently be restrained by the same I methods. Harper's Weekly. |