REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1918 13 
aphis, summer leaf feeders and the wheat midge and recording the 
most recent developments. 
The main purpose of the undertaking was to secure early and accu- 
rate reports of insect activities from all over the State, to summarize 
the information thus obtained, distribute it promptly, and thus 
effect material reduction in the serious losses annually inflicted by 
these pests. Particular emphasis was laid upon the initial signs of 
injury in order to promote control before much damage had been 
caused. The more important crops received first attention, specially 
the insect enemies of potatoes, such fruits as apples, pears, peaches 
and cherries, cereal and forage crops and truck and garden crops. 
It is impossible, from the nature of the case, to give exact figures as 
to the value of the service. The mere fact that a close watch was 
kept for such injury is worth much in times when every effort should 
be made to increase production. An estimate made in 1913 placed 
the approximate damage in this State to all farm crops at $20,000, 
ooo annually. The figures should be considerably higher now. Fur- 
thermore there is need of discouraging unwise or misdirected efforts 
against insects of little importance or the use of materials or methods 
of doubtful efficiency. The Entomologist has constantly kept these 
problems in mind and in working through farm bureau agents 
has been able to do much in standardizing practices and increasing 
production. 
The Entomologist has also served as collaborator with the Emer- 
gency Entomological Service of the United States Bureau of Ento- 
mology, thus assisting in improving conditions in the country as 
a whole and at the same time bringing the state work into closer 
touch with that of the Nation, to the mutual advantage of both. 
Gall insects. The ‘‘ Key to American Insect Galls’’ has been 
carried through the press. It is the only comprehensive tabulation 
of these interesting deformities and since it deals primarily with the 
more obvious swellings or plant malformations rather than with 
the minute and highly complex gall makers themselves, it will 
greatly facilitate the study of the interrelations between plants and 
insects. There is also brought together and tabulated in this bulletin 
data which are of great value in interpreting biological processes and 
are not without their economic or practical bearing, since a number 
of species comprised in this large group are pests of prime importance, 
notably the Hessian fly and the wheat midge, the latter being much 
more destructive in earlier years than at the present time. 
Some attention has been given to gall midges and a number of 
interesting forms, including several new genera, have been described. 
