84 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



of the findings made from the local inspection referred to with that 

 of state inspectors shows the great value of the wider acquaintance 

 which the Bureau inspectors have with foreign insect pests. Neces- 

 sarily most state inspectors are little acquainted with foreign 

 pests, and have expert knowledge only of the common insect and 

 fungous pests of this country. A publication, therefore, for which 

 Professor Quaintance's address may furnish the basis, is very much 

 needed. 



The classification of foreign injurious insects would perhaps be 

 more useful to the inspectors and quarantine officers if it were based 

 on countries and food plants. The inspector, then, knowing the 

 country of origin and the character of the plants, could determine 

 at once the known injurious insects which he would have to be on 

 the watch for. A systematic classification of such insects could 

 also be included, following the plan adopted by Professor Quain- 

 tance. 



Mr. Marlatt added that a publication of this kind must neces- 

 sarily be based on known injurious insects. It should not be over- 

 looked, however, that the injuriousness of an insect in a foreign 

 country (and this, was alluded to by Professor Quaintance) is not 

 necessarily a measure of its possible economic importance if estab- 

 lished elsewhere. The San Jose scale, for example, as found by 

 Mr. Marlatt in northeastern China, was an insect of little impor- 

 tance on native plants and fruits, presenting a very scattering and 

 insignificant infestation. The wide horticultural exploration con- 

 ducted later by Mr. F. N. Meyer in northern China and Man- 

 churia resulted in his importing quantities of fruit twigs and trees 

 for the Department of Agriculture. Much of this material was 

 infested with the San Jose scale, but most scatteringly and giving 

 no indication whatever of the tremendous power of damage which 

 this scale insect has developed in this country. Many other illus- 

 trations of the same sort will occur to most entomologists, and they 

 simply emphasize the need of not only looking out for the known 

 injurious species, but making the most careful inspection to detect 

 any new form, however unimportant it may appear on the imported 

 plants. This is particularly true of all plant stock imported from 

 countries which have not been in close commercial relationship 

 with this country and Europe. Practically all the scale insects, 



