46 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



a whole is demonstrated by its frequent use each day. 

 From it a bibliographical catalogue of the scale insects 

 of the world has been prepared, and is ready for the 

 printer. 



The nursery inspection law, passed by the Legislature of 

 11)02, has removed the work of nursery inspections from the 

 list of duties of the entomological division of the station ; 

 but the appointment of the associate entomologist of the 

 station as inspector has enabled him to make the service of 

 the station available to many who were not previously aware 

 of the opportunities it offers for assistance in diiEculties they 

 meet, and it has also enabled him to learn more of the en- 

 tomological problems which need investigation in the State 

 than could possibly have otherwise been the case. 



Insects of the Year. 



No serious insect outbreaks have been observed during the 

 year, though many kinds have made their presence felt. 



The brown-tail moth has continued to spread, and in the 

 more central portion of its distribution has become ex- 

 tremely abundant. So serious is it in some places that city 

 and town authorities have taken up the work of gathering 

 and destroying the tents during the winter months, as a 

 partial method of relief from the sufferings which would 

 otherwise be caused from the irritation on the human skin 

 produced by the hairs of this insect during the following 

 summer months. A bulletin has been prepared on this in- 

 sect, and published by the State Board of Agriculture. 



The gypsy moth has increased in numbers, until in some 

 places it is nearly as abundant as it has ever been. In gen- 

 eral, however, it has not as yet made its presence seriously 

 felt, though a 3^ear or two more is all that will be necessary 

 for it to fully re-establish itself throughout its original 

 territory. 



The San Jose scale is now present in over one hundred 

 cities and towns, and is rapidly spreading, though fortu- 

 nately the number of food plants on which it thrives so as to 

 endanger the life of the plant appears to be small. During 

 the fall it was found on California privet, arbor- vitee and 



