DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 205 



FIELD CROP INSECT INVESTIGATIONS. 



It is proposed to make two sections for this work : 



(a) A Southern section will have special charge of the insect enemies 

 of cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane, and will include the work now 

 being done under the specific boll weevil appropriation. The boll 

 weevil work will be carried on in the same general lines now in prog- 

 ress for 1903. The agents engaged in the cotton boll weevil work can, 

 however, from time to time, make studies and achieve valuable results 

 with other insect enemies of cotton, and also of the other Southern 

 staples mentioned. 



(5) A Northern section will be devoted to the study of insect enemies 

 of cereals and forage plants, a field of the greatest importance, which 

 heretofore we have been able to cover only in a very fragmentary way 

 by the occasional employment of special field agents to make investi- 

 gations of particular insect pests of such plants. We hope to emjiloy 

 an expert investigator who shall devote his entire time to this field of 

 inquiry, and to equip him with sufiicient assistants and funds to carry 

 out desirable investigations. 



FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS. 



Two sections are recommended for this field of inquiry: 

 (a) A Northern section relating to the deciduous orchard fruits, 

 which shall include the work now being done in the Northwest on 

 the codling moth, and in addition work on all the other insect enemies 

 of the apple, as well as the other deciduous fruits of America. 



(6) A Southern section devoted to the study of the insect enemies 

 of citrus and other tropical fruits. This last field, formerly a very 

 important one in the entomological work of the Department, has been 

 practically neglected for several years, with the exception of the 

 investigations made in California by the writer in 1000. It is desired 

 to have a capable expert take charge of a continuous investigation of 

 the insect enemies of all subtropical and tropical fruits, and give 

 such direction and superintendence to work in the new tropical pos- 

 sessions as shall be required of this office. The importance of the 

 subjects warrants the devotion of a sufficient sum to this work to 

 enable practical field investigations to be made and the publication 

 of the results in the form of bulletins and circulars. 



SMALL FRUIT AND TRUCK CROP INSECT INVESTIGATIONS. 



This field of investigation has been actively covered in the past by 

 this office, but it is possible to very much extend the work bj' placing 

 it more directly under the control of the present expert in charge, 

 and make it possible, by the establishment of lai-ger experimental 

 grounds, to carry out the investigations systematically and over the 

 entire field. Among the special subjects on which investigations will 

 have to be made in the near future are the insects injuriously affect- 

 ing the sugar beet, a work that is necessary on account of the rapidly 

 growing importance of this industry. 



It is intended during the year 1904 to complete investigations which 

 have already been carried on for a number of years on certain of 

 the most destructive and troublesome insects affecting small fruits, 

 particularly strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and some similar 

 crops. 



