1908.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT- -No. 73. 195 



any one acquainted with their prodigious potentiality for damage under 

 present circumstances will appreciate that the improvement in condi- 

 tions here suggested would be enormous, and of inestimable value. 

 Some persons fear that the insect natural enemies which may be ob- 

 tained will fail to adapt themselves to the New England climate, and 

 therefore prove of little practical utility. The gypsy moth, however, is 

 known to occur in Europe and Asia over an immense 'area in many parts 

 of which the climatic conditions must be quite as rigorous as they are 

 in New England; and that it is nowhere else the formidable pest that 

 it has proved in New England may be reasonably attributed to its 

 insect enemies. Should it appear in a few years that the leading 

 European parasites give no promise of efficiency, I think that arrange- 

 ments should be made to try parasites from eastern Asia. The vastly 

 greater difficulties of getting material in a satisfactory condition to 

 Massachusetts from the latter part of the world than from Europe 

 naturally make it advisable that European sources of supply be ex- 

 hausted before much time and money are expended there; and, besides, 

 parts of European Russia that are now being exploited experience 

 almost if not quite as severe a climate as New England. 



The plan which has been devised to obtain parasitized material from 

 over-sea and to rear and breed from it in America appears to me to be 

 exceedingly praiseworthy, both in general arrangements and in details. 

 I have no suggestion to offer for its improvement, further than that 

 more trained entomologists, if they can be procured, be employed in 

 the laboratory and breeding work, and that lay assistants who are 

 valuable through natural inclination for their work and by acquired 

 experience be encouraged to remain from season to season by liberal 

 wages, and, when necessary, continuous employment. Work of such 

 great and permanent importance to the State and nation should not 

 be allowed to suffer through any lack of expert assistance; and it- 

 seems to me preferable, on the ground of ultimate economy, to have 

 highly paid qualified men for months together doing work for which 

 their special skill and knoAvledge may not be of practical advantage, 

 rather than that such men be wanting at critical moments, when their 

 services may be necessary to insure proper treatment of some parasite. 

 As in many respects the work undertaken is entirely without precedent, 

 and as by its nature it bristles with minor technicalities, unforeseen 

 problems that demand immediate solution by specialists in entomology 

 may arise at any moment. Incidentally, if trained entomologists are 

 engaged on the details of this unique work, the science of entomology 

 will benefit to no mean extent. Such men would observe and record 

 innumerable hitherto unknown particulars regarding the insects han- 

 dled that would quite escape the attention of others; and, while it is 

 true that such information might have no immediate practical signifi- 

 cance, occasions might later arise when they would elucidate problems 

 that would otherwise prove difficult and expensive. 



The arrangement whereby the federal Bureau of Entomology secures 



