202 GYPSY AM) BK< )\V.\-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



Europe, these parasitic Hymenoptera (from -which I expect the most 

 benefit) should rapidly increase in numbers, and in a very short time 

 spread from one end of the district to the other. Under the scientific 

 and practical methods, earned out by your staff of trained entomolo- 

 gists, you should succeed, unless some unforeseen conditions arise. The 

 effects of these parasites may not lie apparent for several years, but I 

 can assure you that I shall follow your work with the keenest interest, 

 as will all the scientific entomologists in the world who have studied 

 the possibilities of parasitic work. 



As I understand that there are certain people in Boston who would 

 like to pass the work of dealing with the parasites of the brown-tail and 

 gypsy moths over to the State Board of Horticulture of California, and 

 obtain the services of Mr. George Compere, I would like to state, as 

 official entomologist of New South Wales, that I have had many oppor- 

 tunities of knowing the work that Mr. Compere has done in western 

 Australia, and have also studied his work in California, where I find 

 that no efficient parasite of any kind has ever been introduced into Cali- 

 fornia during all the time Mr. Compere has been there. I should 

 therefore strongly advise these people to have nothing to do with Mr. 

 Compere's work, and to leave the business in the able hands in which it 

 is at present, of the United States Department of Agriculture at 

 Washington. 



REPORT OF PROF. A. SEVERIN, 



CONSERVATEUR AU MuS^E EOYAL D'HlSTOIRE NATURELLE DE BELGIQUE, 

 MEMBRE DTJ CONSEIL SUPERIEUR DES FORETS. 



BOSTON, Aug. 21, 1907. 



MY DEAR DR. HOWARD : - - The Administration and Superior Council 

 of Forests of Belgium has been occupied for several years with the 

 unhappy situation often created by the unusual development of certain 

 insects injurious to wooded estates and domains. I have been officially 

 charged by the Belgian government with the study of this especial sit- 

 uation, with a view to its remedy. After having studied the action of 

 the governments of the different European States, and having visited 

 the institutions devoted to these especial studies, after having made my- 

 self familial- with the means employed by them or by private enter- 

 prise, I have had adopted in Belgium, suiting them to local conditions, 

 the best preventhe and destructive measures which I have been able 

 to find. 



It 'joes without savin- that 1 have 1'ollowed with ureat interest at 

 the same time I lie numerous enterprises of the American entomologists 

 a-jainst. the most important enemies of their forests; but I must 

 acknowledge that these efforts seemed to me often can-led on extrava- 

 gantly.- that is. that the importance of the damage reported seemed 

 not comparable to the efforts made to stop the injuries, so that the 

 costly carrying out of remedial measures must surpass the importance 



