IS MONTANA BULLETIN 150 



(Iciilcrs ;iii(l cIcNjiiors in the State, asking if any dockage had occurred 

 (Ml .Montana grain due to being reported "sample grade because of live 

 weevil" or if they knew of the occurrence of the weevil in this State. 

 With but two exceptions the answers received were unanimous to 

 tlie effect that no grain weevils existed here. Many grain dealers in 

 business here for from fifteen to twenty years reported that to their 

 knowledge no sucli infestations had ever occurred. However, two 

 small infestations of this granary weevil accompanied by a less im- 

 portant species (Laemopliloeus pusUlus Schon.) were brougbt to our 

 attention, one in northern Montana and the other in the southern part 

 of the State. No dockage on Montana grain has been suffered and it 

 would seem that the danger from weevil injury is small. The rigorous 

 winters, coupled with preventive measures where small infestations do 

 develop in some of the heated warehouses, etc., will no doubt take 

 care of the situation. 



GROWTH OF THE WORK OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Until 1914 when county agricultural agents were first placed in 

 several of the counties, although the state entomologist law had been 

 in force for ten years there was no organization through which the 

 office charged with the control of injurious insects could get its work 

 done in an effective manner over the State generally. Until that time 

 the State Entomologist had to depend very largely upon his own 

 individual effort. As the appropriation for insect pest control M^as 

 then very small the number of farmers and others reached, w^ho really 

 needed various kinds of information, was few. With the advent of the 

 county agents, however, the machinery was set uj) at least in a portion 

 of the counties through which the information at hand on the control 

 of Montana pests could l)e disseminated with much better results. Over 

 five thousand farmers coojierated with the county agents on grasshop- 

 ])vv control alone during the summer of 1021 and many more than 

 that numl)er during the past season. 



To liring about a reasonable degree of uniformity in the recom- 

 mendations for tlie control of insect pests, loose-leaf record books con- 

 taining tlie best information on the life histories and control of our 

 common insect i)ests have brcn furnished iIk^ county agents. This book 

 contains the experience of ilic culoinologists of the Department of 

 Entomology accumulated during a considera])le number of years and 

 the information is in harmony willi 1lic lu'st practices followed in 

 other parts of llif couiitry. 



