News and Notes. 289 



ment of Agriculture, held at Washington, D. C, February 26 to 

 March i, the following subjects were discussed: Methods of con- 

 ducting investigations in the field and laboratories ; methods of 

 disseminating information based on the results of investigations, 

 in/cluding popular and technical publications, dorrespondence, 

 etc. ; field demonstrations and instructions on the practical details 

 of controlling and preventing depredations by tree-killing and 

 wood-destroying insects ; methods of promoting the science and 

 practice of forest entomology ; the services already rendered by 

 the Branch of Forest Insects, the services to be rendered in the 

 future, and the relation of the Branch to other branches of the 

 public service and to private interests. 



In the discussion of results so far attained it was shown that 

 information on the habits and life history of the Dendroctonus 

 beetles (a group of the most destructive insect enemies of living 

 timber of North America) has been determined and that the 

 practicability of the methods recommended for their control and 

 the prevention of their ravages has been proven by a large 

 number of successful demonstrations conducted during the past 

 six years in co-operation with private owners, the Forest Service, 

 and the Department of the Interior. It was also shown that the 

 published information on the relation of insects to North Ameri- 

 can forests covers a wide field, both in the line of general infor- 

 mation on the entire subject and specific information on the more 

 important insects and problems. It was estimated that a general 

 application of the information already determined and dissemi- 

 nated would save tens of millions of dollars annually to national 

 and private interests in the prevention of waste of forest re- 

 sources and manufactured crude and finished forest products. 

 It was also shown that the results of original investigations, as 

 published in the technical series of bulletins of the Bureau, have 

 secured for the Branch of Forest Insects favorable recognition 

 and comment among entomologists of this and other countries. 

 In the discussion of the interest manifested it was stated that 

 twenty years ago there was practically no interest in the subject 

 and the idea of any practical means of controlling the depredations 

 of insects in North American forests was not only foreign to the 

 thoughts of foresters and private owners but any suggestion of 

 such a thing was ridiculed. At present there are probably no 

 forest officials who do not know something about the importance 



