Twenty-Second Report 

 of the State Entomologist 



HOW INSECT PESTS ARE FOUGHT IN MONTANA 



WHAT THK LAW HKQIIKKS OF THE STATE E>TOMOL(>GIST 



The original law providing for a State Entomologist, passed 

 in 1903, includes the following statement:' "When it becomes 

 known to the State Entomologist that an outbreak of an insect 

 has occurred in any part of the state, it shall be his duty to go 

 to the scene of the outbreak or send a suitably qualified assist- 

 ant. The State Entomologist or said assistant shall determine 

 the extent and seriousness of the outbreak and when necessary 

 publish or make public demonstration of the best remedies to 

 be employed." 



The county insect pest law, passed in 1921. contains the 

 following statement:- "The board of commissioners of any 

 county in the state where there are any insect pests are hereby 

 authorized and empowered to appoint some suitable person or 

 persons whose duty it shall be, acting under the direction of the 

 state entomologist, to poison, kill, catch and exterminate insect 

 pests within such counties." 



From the above quotation it is seen that it is the duty of 

 the State Entomologist or his assistants not only to keep in 

 touch with and to control minor insect outbreaks all over the 

 state but also to direct the larger control campaigns in which 

 county funds are used to wholly or partly meet the cost of field 

 operations in actually fighting insects. 



HOW THE LAW WORKS OFT I> PRACTICE 



In the past these two laws have worked out very well in 

 practice. Instances of insect damage, if at all severe, are either 

 discovered by the State Entomologist or his assistant or are 

 quickly reported by county agents or individual farrners. The 

 State Entomologist or his assistant visits the locality and, if 

 the damage is restricted to a single farm or community, control 



^See Chapter 72, Revised Codes of the State Entomologist Law, No. 914. 

 -See Revised Codes of the County Insect Pest Law, No. 4503. 



