140 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



would perish. Accordingly a plan was made to secure collections of 

 native lepidopterous larvae each summer from as many localities within 

 the gipsy moth infested area as possible. The necessary instructions 

 concerning the kinds of collections desired, and the information to be 

 recorded by each collector was sent to each foreman and inspector 

 throughout the territory and some of the State officials were interested 

 to forward material. This arrangement was worked out in detail. 

 The men were supplied with shipping boxes and mailing tubes and these 

 containers were promptly returned to them as soon as they were emp- 

 tied at the laboratory. In midsummer we have frequently received by 

 mail fifteen containers daily with this class of material alone. As a re- 

 sult of this opportunity to utilize the services of these men without 

 interfering with their regular duties, a large amount of valuable data 

 has been secured from a territory which covers about one-half the area 

 of the New England states. Incidentally an enormous number of 

 records of parasitism by native Hymenoptera and Diptera have 

 been obtained and as this work is carried on year after year, the facts 

 concerning the increase or decrease in abundance of the native insects 

 in this region together with similar facts as to their parasites will be 

 extremely useful. 



It has been found desirable to secure accurate records of tempera- 

 ture and humidity from a number of selected localities for use in con- 

 nection with some of the experiments. Self-recording instruments 

 which require attention weekly have been installed and in many cases 

 these are attended to by inspectors or foremen without interfering with 

 their regular work. 



If special information is desired from any part of the area, it can 

 usually be obtained without delay or friction by utilizing men who are 

 employed by some section of the work. This arrangement is valuable 

 in saving time, effort and money, and also serves to increase the inter- 

 est of the men in the work as a whole. 



Perhaps it may not be out of place to add that it takes more than a 

 system to make any organization successful. One of our ex-presidents 

 of the United States, when addressing a class in Civil Government at 

 Harvard University a number of years ago, stated that anyone could 

 devise a good system of government but that it takes a smart man to 

 make it work. Many of the best laid plans of work fail because of the 

 ever present human element which is often the dominant factor. 



Any enterprise in insect suppression cannot be successful if this fact 

 is ignored. If men are assigned to do those things for which they are 

 best quahfied and in which they are most proficient, much will be ac- 

 complished. The misplaced man is dissatisfied both with himself and 

 his job and is a prolific source of discontent in any institution. 



