February, '12] WASHBURN: presidential address 33 



THE RELATIONS OF THE STATION ENTOMOLOGIST TO 

 HIS ENVIRONMENT 



F. L. Washburn', Entomologist, Stale Experiment Station, University of Minnesota, 



Minneapolis. 



1. The Econoyriic Entomologist and General Conditions Surrounding 

 his Work: 



At the very beginning it must be said that the Economic Entomolo- 

 gist occupies an anomalous position among professional workers. He 

 is not a scientist in the strictest sense of the term, nor is he a systemat- 

 ist, and he certainly is not a farmer, whom it is his duty to serve, but, 

 partaking somew^hat of each of these classes, he is looked at askance 

 by all three. Reviving certain ancient terms, we might say the "egg- 

 sHcers" of Johns Hopkins have no use for him, the "species makers" 

 at Washington would hardly receive him with open arms, and the 

 farmer, as you know, looks wdth suspicion upon anything not suffi- 

 ciently connected wdth the soil to warrant his stamp of approval. 

 We find the entomologist, then, a man "betwixt and between." 

 His cousin, working on entomology in an institution not given over to 

 economic questions, can choose the problem to which he feels especially 

 called, while the station entomologist has to be ever ready to 'solve 

 riddles, not of his own seeking always, but questions of all kinds which 

 are thrust upon him, frequently quite unexpectedly, and in such 

 numbers that they cannot be solved in a life time. 



On the other hand, the work of the scientist is not, by any means, 

 appreciated' in the practical world of today among such a large class 

 as is the work of that one who makes use of a few facts determined by 

 the former, applying them in a way advantageous to the public. 



The successful economic entomologist of today is essentially a 

 practical man, keenly observant, wdth a knowledge of botany and 

 general agriculture, a judge of human nature, a good mixer, a good 

 speaker, and, perhaps we should add, a good politician, in the cleanest 

 interpretation of the term. He is, w^thal, systematic in his work, a 

 careful note taker, just and generous to his fellow workers. 



Finally, these qualifications must rest upon a good foundation in the 

 way of preparation for the work. He publishes what he thinks he 

 knows, sometimes publishing too quickly, be it said, for he frequently 

 has cause to change his views after his earlier conception has been 

 frozen in cold type. He makes mistakes, — Heaven protect us from 

 the man that does not! With all the printed matter on entomology 

 coming to his desk, he may fall into the habit of skimming superficially 



