148 The Joitrnal of Forestry. 



and from our own knowledge of the vast amount of injury and loss 

 the country suffers annually from the depredations of insects, we believe- 

 matters will never be properly remedied until the Government actively 

 interferes to compel the ignorant and careless to take the precautions 

 which the intelligent and thoughtful are ready to do of their own 

 accord. 



The amount of State interference, and the manner in which it 

 ought to be carried out, must be left to the wisdom of the Govern- 

 ment and the necessity of the case ; but Ave are of opinion that a 

 properly qualified State Entomologist should be appointed (such as 

 has been done years ago in the United States of America with the 

 best results, conspicuously so in the State of Missouri), with a proper 

 staff of assistants distributed all over the country, each having a 

 district assigned to him, such assistants, or local officers, to act as 

 Inspectors of Insects in their respective districts, and to make 

 regular reports to the Chief Entomologist of the noxious insects 

 and the injuries inflicted by them in the district, and to act as 

 superintendents of any operations the Government may consider 

 necessary to rid a district of noxious insects, also giving all necessary 

 information to those whose crops are suffering from the ravages of 

 insects, about the proper remedies, and the best way to apply them. 

 The Chief Entomologist to investigate and report upon all cases of 

 injury committed by insects submitted to him ; to advise the local 

 officers in all important points in regard to the nature and habits of 

 any insect preying on plants in their district, giving a clear and 

 accurate description of the insect, its habits, and the mode in which 

 it inflicts injury upon plants, and the best method for its prevention 

 and extermination ; all of which should be published in a handy form, 

 and distributed by the local officer throughout the district where the 

 insect has appeared. The Chief Entomologist to collate and summarize 

 all the local reports and official investigations, and publish the same 

 in an annual report for general distribution. 



The details of such a plan as we have here indicated can be easily 

 worked out, and we believe it is the best method of meeting a serious 

 national want ; and if our authorities desire to study the interest 

 of the nation, they should act promptly in establishing an efficient 

 supervision of the injuries inflicted by insects on the vegetation of the 

 country. 



The extraordinary lateness of the present season has been the subject 

 of general remark, and if it has been prejudicial to early crops, the 

 later growth appears to have been much benefited by being prevented 



