17 



gress iu this modified form. Ou my assiimptioa of my prescufc of5Qce, iu di.scnssing 

 this matter with the acting entomologist, I was put in possession of these facts, l)iit 

 was surprised to liud, upon examination of the appropriation bill, that, iu some way 

 which I can not at this time explain, the restricting clause had been again inserted 

 after it had been considered certain that it would be removed. The result is that 

 the Department now finds itself iu the same condition in which it was last year, and 

 tiie only hope of Government help in this matter will rest in securing independent 

 legislation the coming winter. The Department will urge strongly either the passage 

 of an independent resolution or the addition of a clause to the appropriation bill 

 ■which will set aside enough funds for this jjurpose, and we hope for your earnest co- 

 operation in this direction. 



Your Board should pass further resolutions and place them iu the possession of the 

 Senators and members of Congress from your State, urging such legislation, and in 

 this way some action may possibly be brought about. 



I have entered into this matter at some length in order to place strongly before you 

 the fact that the Dejiartment has in no way been blind to the importance of the sub- 

 ject and that the interests of California have not suffered at its hands, as well as to 

 show you definitely the impossibility of taking such action as you suggest at the 

 present time, and to indicate, moreover, that efforts to obviate this state of affairs have 

 been by no means wanting. 



Meantime, however, I may express myself as strongly of the opinion that it will 

 not do for California fruit-growers to tamely await Government aid in the way of the 

 importation of parasites. I have seen myself that the Icerya can be overcome by 

 persistent toil, and am quite inclined to indorse the sentiments expressed by Pro- 

 fessor Riley upon page 164 of the December number of Ixsect Life, a copy of which is 

 sent you by accompanying mail. I would also call your attention to Professor Riley's 

 latest article upon this insect, Avhich you will find in the Annual Report for 188d, a 

 copy of which has doubtless already reached your office. 

 Yours, respectfully, 



Edwix Willits, 

 Assistant Secretary. 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



American Insecticides in India. 



A copy of your valuable periodical Insect Life, Vol. I, No. 9, has to-day been sent 

 to me. Ou page 293 you remark as follows : 



•'It has for some time seemed to us that the scale insects of the coffee plant which 

 do so much damage in Ceylon and other parts of India could be successfully treated 

 with the remedies which we have found iu this country so valuable against the scale 

 insects of the orange, namely, the kerosene soap emulsions, aud we hope soon to bring 

 this before the attention of the British Government." 



You are probably not aware that kerosene emulsion has already been tried ou Green 

 Coffee-scalo (Lecanium viride) in South India, and that so far as the experiments 

 went it was found to be successful. Arrangements are being made for further experi- 

 ments, and it is confidently hoped that this insecticide, with which Dr. Riley's name 

 is so honorably associated in America, will prove of equal service in India. An ac- 

 count of what has been done in the matter of the introduction of kerosene emulsion 

 and other American insecticides into India will appear in my forthcoming report, 

 which has been iu type for some months, anl which will x»robably be published before 

 this reaches you. A copy of the complete report, which deals with the whole investi- 

 gation of Indian economic entomology, undertaken by the trustees of this museum, 

 will be forwarded to you as soon as it appears. — [E. C. Cotes, Indian Museum, C^il- 

 cutta, India, May 22, 1889, 



