—57— 



borrowed from Riley's Reports in almost every instance— certainly none 

 are original. There is no evidence that any of the Insects are now, or 

 are likely to be injurious in Nebraska, and the matter seems to have been 

 produced merely to fill space. For an agricultural newspaper, in answer 

 to complaints received the articles are good— as the publications of an 

 Experimeni Station they are entirely absurd. 



As stated, Mr. McMillen does not record a single original observa- 

 tion, yet he states that all have been carefully verified, and the inference 

 from the context is that he himself has verified them. It need only be 

 mentioned that he records the result of the work of a number of careful 

 and scientific observers for a long series of years to show that that is im- 

 possible. Phylloxera alone would require more time to veny]' than the 

 Experiment Stations have been established and also would require a high 

 grade of skill in a trained observer. 



Of course, as a compilation from the best sources no criticism can 

 be made of the matter so far as scientific accuracy is concerned. Mr. 

 McMillen as an Entomologist is entirely unknown to us— so far as we 

 are aware it is his first appearance ; it is to be hoped his future work will 

 be of a different class. 



So far as we have been able to learn, a large proportion of the State 

 E.xperiment Stations have now appointed Entomologists — in most in- 

 stances men who as such are absolutely unknown ; who have had no 

 Entomological training whatever, and whose knowledge is measured by 

 what they can find in Packard's Guide. Many of them may do excellent 

 work nevertheless and we only hope that they will not, simply to print 

 something, follow Mr. McMillen's example and reprint the work of others 

 in such shape as to suggest it is at least partially their own, to those who 

 know nothing of the sources drawn from. 



Note by the Editor. 



The above critique is not editorial nor do we entirely agree with its 



sentiment. 



The Hatch Bill says it shall be the duty of the Experiment 

 Stations " to conduct original researches or verify experiments." But 

 the first and the all important object of the Hatch Bill is "to aid 

 in acquiring and diffusing among the people of the United States use- 

 ful and practical information on subjects connected with Agriculture." 

 And with this in view every source of knowledge is properly made use of. 

 Every means of destroying insect enemies must be brought to the atten- 

 tion of the people. The government may have already paid for the 

 knowledge, but the knowledge has never generally reached the people : 

 and if the Experiment Stations accomplish this end, the money used for 

 this purpose is not by any means wasted. Of course due credit must 



