PARASITES IN INSECT CONTROL-—-HOWARD 413 
jurious insects, but it holds equally well for their parasites. Now, 
as it happens, with very many important parasites life is not 
simple—it is vastly complicated—and it results that an almost com- 
plete knowledge of its normal environment must be gained before 
we can expect successful introduction and acclimatization. 
The question has been proposed to me by Doctor Metcalf as to 
what proportion of an appropriation should be used for parasite 
work. This question necessitates a complicated and somewhat 
devious reply. A great deal of money has been spent uselessly; and, 
again, good results have been gained with little money. The intro- 
duction of Prospaltella berlesei into Italy cost the Italian Govern- 
ment nothing. It was sent over by our Federal Bureau at Wash- 
ington. The introduction of Aphelinus mali into France, Italy, 
New Zealand, Australia, several countries in South America, and 
South Africa cost these countries nothing; all were sent there di- 
rectly or indirectly from Washington, with the exception of the 
South African introduction, which was made by a South African 
student at Cornell University. 
The Hawaiian work has been very expensive in actual outlay. The 
Sugar Planters’ Association must have spent some hundreds of 
thousands of dollars in this productive work. But this expenditure 
has been very well worth while, since the continuation of profitable 
cane growing on the islands has been the direct. result. 
But no part of the earth which does not have the very simple 
native fauna and flora of Hawaii, which does not have its equable 
tropical or subtropical climate, and which does not consist of islands 
rather limited in size, can expect with any degree of certainty to 
achieve results at all closely approaching these. And even from 
Hawaii many expensive expeditions have been fruitless. 
California has spent in years past large sums of money with no 
appreciable results; not only that, but in at least one instance has 
hurt herself by introducing and liberating a parasite which proved 
to be hyperparasitic upon a beneficial primary introduced and es- 
tablished at a much later date. In fact, insect control in California 
was greatly hampered for nearly 20 years by a general reliance on 
the expected success of much work which was carried on by unscien- 
tific enthusiasts. It may as well be placed on record that all Cali- 
fornia parasite importation work as it was then carried on would 
have been stopped by Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, under 
the Federal law of March 3, 1905, had not Harry S. Smith, a highly- 
trained expert of the Bureau of Entomology, taken charge of the 
work for the State under Prof. A. J. Cook, Commissioner of Horti- 
culture. 
The complications of work of this kind on a large continental area 
in the temperate zone have been shown vividly in the work carried 
20837—27——28 
