NATIONAL CONTROL OF INSECT PESTS 433 



securing such attention in the near future. There seems to have heen 

 no serious discussion of the matter by any entomologist since Dr. 

 Howard's article in 1898. 



In many states the nursery and orchard inspection is now handled 

 by separate state officials, relieving the entomologists of the experiment 

 stations and state entomologists of this onerous police work. But in 

 many states it is still a burden to the entomologist, who would prefer 

 to devote his time and thought to problems of research. That this 

 work has impeded the development of economic entomology in many 

 respects can not be doubted, though, on the other hand, it has undoubt- 

 edly had the effect of bringing many entomologists into closer touch 

 with the people whom they are trying to serve. It would seem, there- 

 fore, that the entomologists of the country should be most interested in 

 securing national legislation for this phase of insect control at least. 

 That it is perfectly constitutional and practicable can hardly be 

 doubted. The present work could be accomplished with much more 

 efficiency, with greater protection to the horticultural interests and 

 with far less annoyance to the honest nurserymen of the country, and 

 probably to the greater detriment of the nurseryman who fails to clean 

 his premises of dangerous insect pests and plant diseases. 



But at this same national convention of 1897 a resolution was passed 

 concerning congressional appropriation to aid Massachusetts in its fight 

 against the gypsy moth as follows : 



Resolved, That this is a question of national importance, and that the 

 national government should assume the work of extermination or render sub- 

 stantial financial assistance to the state of Massachusetts for that purpose, that 

 the work may be carried to a successful conclusion and this continent be thus 

 saved from the ravages of another terrible insect pest. 



In passing this resolution, the convention recognized the responsi- 

 bility of the federal government in protecting the uninfested states 

 from the spread of the gypsy moth, which by precedent would involve 

 the same aid for all other insect pests of sufficient importance. It is in 

 this phase of the question that New Hampshire is now particularly 

 interested. By means of an appropriation from the state legislature 

 which would not be burdensome, and which will no doubt be made at 

 the next session, we can probably prevent the spread and increase of the 

 gypsy moth in New Hampshire by annual inspections along all high- 

 ways liable to be infested. But without the expenditure of a very much 

 larger sum, and in a more efficient manner than is now possible under 

 the present law, by the state of Massachusetts, it may be but a few years 

 before the gypsy moth will be so abundant in Massachusetts up to the 

 New Hampshire line that it will be practically impossible to prevent 

 its spread or to control it in New Hampshire. New Hampshire is thus 

 ultimately helpless to prevent the invasion of the gypsy moth and the 

 possible destruction of her grand old elms shading the highways, or to 



