I'i'l GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



success attained with the Vedalia lady-bird beetle against the cottony 

 cushion scale in California should not obscure the fact that the Chinese 

 lady-bird beetle failed to adapt itself to American conditions and con- 

 trol the San Jose scale, and also that there have been many similar 

 failures. 



It is well to note also that these alluring- offers to control or extermi- 

 nate insect pests do not come from well-trained entomologists familiar 

 with the pests and conditions, even though they may have had some 

 experience in this work, and are called expert "parasitologists." If 

 such offers were made by true scientists, versed in insect lore ; if the 

 State of Massachusetts and federal government had not already pro- 

 vided for the thorough testing of this method of fighting the gypsy and 

 brown-tail moths; and if the work was not now being carried on by 

 trained economic entomologists, to the extent that many thousands of 

 these natural enemies are being liberated in the infested territory, 

 then there would be some excuse for criticising and hampering the 

 work being done, and asking that the State authorities turn loose the 

 so-called " parasitological scientists" on the problem, and lei them try 

 to fulfill their absurd and unscientific proposition. 



I found that all of the work with the natural enemies of the gypsy 

 and brown-tail moths coming from foreign countries was being carried 

 on near Saugus in a picturesquely situated dwelling house that was not 

 especially well adapted for laboratory purposes. This temporary labo- 

 ratory is near some of the worst-infested woodland areas, and thus 

 affords ideal opportunities for planting out colonies of natural enemies. 

 I spent two days at this laboratory in studying the details of the work 

 and (lie methods employed in caring for the material constantly ar- 

 riving iVi nn Europe. I never spent two more interesting and instructive 

 days in insect work. 



The problem of lighting the gypsy and brown-tail moths with their 

 natural enemies from their native homes has been very wisely placed in 

 the hands of Dr. L. 0. Howard. No one in this country has had a 

 wider experience with economic insects and is better trained in insect 

 lore, especially tliat relating to parasitic forms. As the head of one of 

 the ureat Bureaus of the federal 'jovenmient. he commands facilities 

 and prestige that IH> one else could in dealing with foreign officials. 

 This has enabled him to establish intimate relations with the leading 

 entomologists and collectors in Knrope. and this has resulted in his 

 lieiirj able to arrairje for and get larger quantities of the natural ene- 

 mies <>f these pests from practically all of the infested European 

 countries than could have been done at as little expense by any other 

 American entomologist. l>r. Howard has put his best thought and 

 energies into this work, and the lame amount of material 1 saw cnininu' 

 in almost daily at the Sairjus laboratory from several European conn- 

 tries is evidence of the success of his efforts in uettin- the enemies onto 

 American soil in snllicient numbers to -jive this method of lighting these 

 serious pests a thorough trial. 



