8 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. IX, 



Lounsbury was made Chief of the new Division of Entomology 

 of the Union Department of Agriculture with headquarters 

 at Pretoria. The work of this Division comprises, in addition 

 to the dissemination of advice on insect problems and the 

 carrying on of investigations, the administration of government 

 regulations concerning (1) the suppression of locusts, (2) the 

 inspection of nurseries (3) plant and fruit imports, and (4) 

 restrictions on the conveyance of plants and fruit. At Pretoria 

 Mr. Lounsbury has Mr. Claude Fuller, former Entomologist 

 for Natal, as Assistant Chief and is also assisted by Mr. D. 

 Gunn and several inspectors. The following branch laboratories 

 are also maintained: Capetown, with Mr. C. W. Mally in 

 charge; Bloemfontein, Mr. J. C. Faure in charge of investiga- 

 tions in the Orange River Colony; and New Hanover, Natal, 

 with Mr. C. B. Hardenberg in charge. In addition to the 

 staffs at these laboratories, plant inspectors are stationed at the 

 following ports of entry for plants and fruit: Capetown, 

 Johannesburg, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth. 

 The agricultural situation in South Africa is peculiar owing 

 to the fact that agriculture is not yet the basic industry of the 

 ■country. The greater part of the agricultural lands is devoted 

 to live stock, and the cultivation of the land is proceeding 

 gradually. Nevertheless, the climatic conditions are eminently 

 suitable to the cultivation of deciduous and citrus fruits with 

 the result that progress in this direction is being made. 



The development of a fruit-growing industry has naturally 

 demanded a vigilant policy in the matter of preventing the 

 introduction and spread of foreign fruit pests and the policy 

 has been to restrict importations of nursery stock and to foster 

 local nurseries. On this account nursery inspection constitutes 

 the prominent feature of the work of the Division of Entomol- 

 ogy. This work and the inspection of imported nursery stock 

 and fruits and regulation of the transportation of home grown 

 fruit is carried out under the Agricultural Pests Act of 1911. 



To retard the spread of the codling moth which was 

 introduced into the country, apple, pear and quince fruits 

 may not be transported into certain areas. Equally stringent 

 measures were adopted to prevent the spread of San Jose 

 scale {Aspidiotus perniciosus). Undoubtedly the control of 

 locusts constitutes one of the most serious problems in South 

 Africa. Of the two species of migratory locusts the brown 



