February, '12] WASHBURN: PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 51 



own work, that the institution must be a unit, and that we frequently 

 have to sacrifice what seems to be our right for the good of all. There 

 are occasions, however, when an entomologist is privileged, and per- 

 haps, obhged, to fight for a legislative appropriation. This is dis- 

 agreeable to the highest degree, but seems to be, sometimes, almost a 

 duty, if one has his work at heart. 



1"^. The Relation of the Entomologist to Commercial Interests: 



By commercial interests in this connection I refer particularly to 

 those concerned in the manufacture of insecticides or spraying machin- 

 ery. Manufacturers are quite prone to be overgenerous in donating 

 to entomologists samples of some manufactured article, with a request 

 that it be tested, and a report made upon the results of the test. In 

 our department in Minnesota we avoid absolutely such a relationship, 

 for it is very evident that a favorable report is expected, which will be 

 used later on as an advertisement. Is not this experience practically 

 the same in all stations? 



The necessity of avoiding the advertising of anything in our state 

 publications is too evident to be commented upon. In doing this an 

 entomologist at once opens himself to criticism, as you know. It is 

 sometimes, however, difficult to avoid publicly referring to some arti- 

 cle which we have found to be, from our standpoint, the best there is 

 for its advertised purpose. Individuals, of course, have to use their 

 judgment as to what attitude they take in such cases. 



Under this caption we might also discuss whether an entomologist 

 is in duty bound to serve professionally all citizens and business inter- 

 ests by giving up a considerable amount of his time to any one party. 

 I refer to requests on the part of business houses for treatment of 

 their store rooms or mills or even private houses which are infested 

 with an insect or insects. It would seem that, should he respond 

 freely and without charge to every firm so calling upon him, he would 

 be so crowded with work of a personal nature, and of benefit to only a 

 few individuals, that his regular legitimate work, which is primarily 

 along agricultural lines, would suffer. Here, again, each entomologist 

 has to decide, from the conditions of his own environment, and the 

 conditions surrounding individual cases, as to the position he takes in 

 this connection. 



13. The Relation of the Entomologist to the Inspection of Nursery and 

 Foreign Stock: 



Many of us have in our charge the inspection of nurseries, and to 

 this inspection has recently been added the work of inspecting foreign 

 stock imported into our various states. This varies in amount and 



