B. C. ENTOMOLOGICAL PROCEEDINGS, 1912. 51 



Probably there is no part of the world that has suffered more than 

 North America, particularly the United States. The annual loss due to 

 insect pests in the United States, as published by the authority of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture, now reaches the enormous 

 sum of $1,272,000,000. This is more than the entire expenditure of 

 the National Government, including pension roll and the maintenance 

 of the Army and Navy. 1 quote from the authority of Professor C. L. 

 Marlatt in the Journal of Economic Entomology, 1909, and the same 

 author in the Year Book of the Department of Agriculture of 1904. 



The question will naturally arise why the United States suflfer 

 more than other countries. The reason is easy 'jf explanation. It is 

 owing largely to the enterprise of the agriculturists and horticulturists 

 in searching the world for new varieties of fruits, cereals, plants and 

 vegetables. Hundreds of species not common to this continent, have 

 been brought in from other parts of the world, including the Orient, 

 the Mediterranean, Africa and as far north as Siberia. Australasia 

 also has contributed largely to the list of economic plants of great 

 value which have been brought into the States with the view of 

 increasing the value of the products of the soil. 



Many of these plants were infected with Scale and Boring insects 

 which are kept under control by predaceous insects in their native 

 country. Nearly all the predaceous insects fly, while the Scales adhered 

 closely to the plant and the Borers were safely concealed in the body 

 of the plants and trees, so that of course they were protected from the 

 attack of their natural enemies. This accounts for the importation of 

 pests, and not the parasites which hold them in check. 



Most of these importations occurred before the discovery of such 

 protective measures as fumigation with Hydrocyanic Acid Gas and 

 Carbon Sisulphide. In point of fact, there were no quarantine regu- 

 lations governing the importation of new varieties of plants until long 

 after many of them had been introduced into the United States. It 

 was not until after the discovery of the San Jose Scale that any 

 steps were taken to quarantine or inspect importations from the Far 

 East, which is now known to be the home of some of the most destructive 

 pests that afflict this country. 



Not until the San Jose Scale had been widely distributed in Cali- 

 fornia and several other States were any steps taken to bring this very 

 destructive pest under control and prevent the introduction of other 

 very serious pests. 



It is acknowledged by the highest entomological authorities that 

 over fifty per cent, of the noxious insects that prey upon plants and 

 animals in the United States have been imported from foreign countries. 



