330 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



ESSIG GOES TO STATE UNIVERSITY. 



]\Ir. E. 0. Essig, Secretary of the State Horticultural Coniniission, 

 and editor of the Monthly Bulletin, has resigned his position in this 

 Coramission to accept a place in the Entomological Department of the 

 State University at Berkeley. 



Few know as well as does the writer of Mr. Essig 's ability as an 

 investigator, or his exceptional power of work — genuinely hard work — 

 where every energy is concentrated on any labor in hand. Few appre- 

 ciate so thoroughly the value of his service to science and the State, and 

 the consequent loss to the Commission, as he takes his departure. 



Mr. Essig, as an undergraduate in college, accomplished much out- 

 side his regular college duties, which were never neglected. He did 

 especially fine work in entomology. 



Immediately upon graduation he was appointed count}'' horticultural 

 commissioner of Ventura Count.y, where he was brought face to face 

 with the citrus mealy bug, which was devastating the citrus orchards 

 to the tune of thousands of dollars. In the study and control of this 

 pest he made a phenomenal record. This work attracted wide attention 

 by its originality and success. His contributions to the Pomona College 

 Journal of Entomology possessed rare merit, were beautifully illus- 

 trated by original drawings, and did much to give that periodical its 

 Avide circulation, prestige and favor. Dr. G. Harold Powell, in a recent 

 conversation with Governor Johnson, strongly commended the scientific 

 arrangement and management of the offices of the Commission under 

 the present administration. The thorough organization of the office 

 and work was in no small degree- due to Mr. Essig. I need not refer to 

 the ]\Ionthly Bulletin. That has told its own story, and has won gen- 

 erous praise and general favor. Mr. Essig 's ability and promptitude 

 in issuing reports and in identifying insects and advising regarding 

 their control, has received general appreciation. We anticipated a 

 great demand for his "Injurious and Beneficial Insects of California," 

 and published a greatly enlarged edition, yet this was exhausted in a 

 few months. Thousands of requests for this work could not be granted, 

 and thus a second edition is nearly ready for the press. The University 

 authorities have kindly consented to grant Mr. Essig time to supervise 

 the publication of this improved edition. 



Mr. Essig kindly offered to remain in the Commission unless I con- 

 sent to the change, which I do with great reluctance, yet am con- 

 strained to do so, as I am assured that his duties will remain much the 

 same, and I am sure that his energies will in no sense be abated in the 

 line of purely economic entomology, and that he will still serve the 

 ranchers to the limit of his strength and alnlity. 



I have thought, ever since assuming the duties of this office, that the 

 best economy would be served by consolidating all the agricultural 

 activities of the State under one official like the United States Secretary 

 of Agriculture. There would also be a great saving in handing over 

 all research work even along purely practical lines to the State Uni- 

 versit}^ This determined me to suggest and consent to the transference 

 of Prof. H. S. Fawcett from this Commission to the Department of 

 Mycology of the State University. I believe that this transference of 

 ]\Ir. Essig trends in the same direction, and am thus the more reconciled 

 to the change. — A. J. Cook. 



