1916] Entomology ifi the British Empire 13 



the Entomological Section. The Entomological Section is 

 part of the Technical Division of the Ministry of Agriculture. 

 The Consulting Agriculturist, Mr. G. C. Dudgeon, who is 

 also an entomologist, is head of the Technical Division. The 

 Director of the Entomological Section is Dr. Lewis H. Gough, 

 who is assisted by Messrs. G. Storey and E. W. Adair. In 

 addition a staff of Egyptians under Dr. Gough's direction has 

 charge of the inspection and fumigation of imported plants, 

 which are treated at the port of entry. The fumigation of 

 citrus trees, with a view to controlling Aspidiotiis aonidum, 

 which is a severe pest of oranges in the Delta region, is carried 

 on by the Government fumigation brigades. Among the 

 tropical fruit pests may be mentioned the pyralid moth 

 Ephestia cautella, which seriously injures dates in some sections, 

 and the butterfly Virachola livia, which attacks pomegranites. 

 In Egypt one meets in a striking manner the difficulties 

 which confront the entomologist who has to deal in tropical 

 countries with native agricultural labourers. These difficulties 

 necessitate the control of insects, as far as possible, without the 

 use of poisons or spray pumps. The native agricultural 

 labourer is very ignorant and very careless and cannot be 

 entrusted with poisons or with machines that are not entirely 

 fool-proof. This accounts for the manner in which the annual 

 campaign against the pests of cotton, the cotton worm and the 

 boll worm is conducted by the Administrative Division. The 

 regulations governing these campaigns provide for the hand- 

 picking of the egg masses of Prodenia litura on the cotton 

 leaves, and the reduction of the numbers of the boll worms 

 is attempted by ordering and enforcing the destruction of all 

 cotton bolls at a certain date each year after the final picking. 

 Incidentally, it may be mentioned that persons who have been 

 imprisoned for contravening the cotton worm laws are con- 

 demned to carry out these control measures. The pink boll 

 worm of cotton Gelechia gossypiella was introduced into 

 Egypt a few years ago with disastrous results, and methods 

 for the control of the Gelechia larvae in cotton seed on a com- 

 mercial scale are now being investigated; at present the treat- 

 ment of seed, the destruction during the winter of cotton 

 sticks and wood stored for fuel is required by law. 



