208 (-VPSV AND BKOAVN-TAIL MOTHS. [.Ian. 



left San Francisco on July l(i and arrived in Boston on July 20, in 

 the evening, where I found your kind letter with instructions awaiting 

 rue. During the period I was with you 1 made several trips to the 

 laboratory at Sau.uus. and visited the whole infested area, and in this 

 way I have been able to leali/.e the stupendous work with which your 

 ollice lias been battling since May. 1905. 



We in California ha\e dreaded the two pests for years, and have been 

 on the constant lookout lest one or the other should tind its way to our 

 great State. Very few of California's citizens have any idea of the 

 magnitude and severity of either pest, and I for one must confess that 

 I was ".really surprised at the conditions I found. I can realize what a 

 serious mistake it was to have discontinued the work in llHin, which re- 

 duced the' pest to a minimum at that time. 



1 am I old by honest individuals that conditions are greatly improved 

 since the new appropriation for suppressing these pests began, and from 

 my own observations I certainly believe this is true. In my opinion, you 

 have done the very best work to check these pests; and during my stay 

 I witnessed the constant and thorough work of killing the caterpillars 

 under the bands, the burning over of wood lots and the establishment of 

 protective belts which are to prevent the pest from spreading from badly 

 infested wood lots to the public roads, to be carried thence on cair and 

 other vehicles, as they pass, into new sections. These organized efforts 

 with the various methods are, as I can judge, the very best, and if thor- 

 ough co-operation is carried out, should go far towards reducing the pest 

 to a minimum. It is to be hoped that in sections where there is a lack 

 of interest, and where the authorities have been remiss in their duties, 

 new interest will manifest itself, especially when the good work of other 

 sections stands as a lesson and shows the result of thorough work- 

 manship. 



I can readily see the greal benelit which you will derive from the pro- 

 tective belts, as well as from burning over the badly infested wood lots. 



I ha\e 1 n deeply interested in the rearing of the several parasites, 



which is beino' carried on in co-operation with the I'nited State's Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. The work of introducing and rearing beneficial in- 

 sects is one thai constantly presents new phases and odd problems; and 

 one of the most important mailers in conjunction with the work i* ' 

 eliminate secondary parasites, so as to ive the primary or true parasites 

 full swing. I am pleased t> say that I lind that every precaution has 

 taken for this important work. You have certainly taken pains to 

 prevent any (jiiesl ioiiable species from escaping, and the tight rooms in 

 which the unpacking lakes place and in which all the materials are 

 handled are very sale places for this work. While you arc, so to 

 speak, only at the threshold of Ibis work, yon have to a certain extent 

 laid a -ood foundation, and the methods you employ are much the 

 same as arc used in California. I particularly refer to the breeding 

 Cages, and 1 understand that these uere made from our models. Your 



