BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 657 



object lesson which will impress growers and will lead to the general 

 adoption of an adequate system of direct control. A further effort 

 may very properly be made to reintroduce the natural enemies and 

 parasites of the white fly, discovered by Mr. Woglum in India, but 

 it does not seem wise to do this under the present appropriation. The 

 investigation of the use of hydrocyanic-acid gas in fumigating citrus 

 trees in California terminated at the close of the fiscal j^car 1909-10, 

 and a very satisfactory report was issued. The recommendations 

 in this report have been generally adopted in southern California, 

 but certain new problems have arisen owing to variations in results 

 under different conditions, and there has been much demand during 

 the two years intervening for a continuation and further rounding 

 out of this investigation. This is gratif\dng as indicative of a keen 

 interest in the subject and as an expression of approval of the value 

 of the investigation already completed. It is therefore planned that 

 this w^ork be resumed, and that other special and related insect prob- 

 lems in southern California be taken up incidentally. 



One of the most important problems of the year is the investigation 

 of the Mediterranean fruit-fly, long recognized as one of the worst 

 fruit pests in Australia, South Africa, and other countries where it 

 has become established, and which has been found in the Hawaiian 

 Islands and bids fair to be introduced into California. The im- 

 minence of the danger has led to an especial appropriation to be 

 expended during the year and particularly for an attempt to control 

 the fly in the Hawaiian Islands, thus limiting the danger of introduc- 

 tion into California. The territorial government of Hawaii has 

 already made an appropriation, and is engaged in active work in 

 cooperation with agents from the State of California paid by the 

 State. It is planned to put an expert of the Bureau of Entomology 

 in charge of the work and to prosecute as vigorously as may be all 

 possible measures of control. 



In bee culture the problem of successful wintering will be the next 

 one to be attacked by the bureau. Preliminary work will be done 

 during the coming fiscal year in this direction. The work upon bee 

 diseases and the other lines of investigation indicated will be 

 continued. 



In the absence of a national quarantine and inspection law, such 

 inspection work as can be carried on must necessarily be along the 

 same lines as heretofore. Where such inspection can be determined 

 to be of service in preventing the introduction of the gipsy moth 

 and brown-tail moth direct irom Europe into new points in New 

 York, the expense of this service can probably be provided for under 

 the appropriation for preventing spread of moths, but all further 

 expense must necessarily be defrayed by individual States. The 

 bureau will act as a general notifier and consulting agent, but beyond 

 this its powers are limited.^ 



PLANS FOR WORK RECOMMENDED FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 



30, 1914. 



I beg to recommend that you consider the desirability of estimat- 

 ing for an addition of $37,500 to the sum appropriated for the fiscal 

 year 1913 in your estimates for 1914. It is suggested that this sum 



' See footnote, page G49. 

 70481''— AGB 1912 42 



