Montana State Library 



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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



Bozeman, Mont£una, 

 January 1, 1937 



To His Excellency, 

 Governor Roy E. Ayers, 

 Helena, Montana. 



My Dear Sir: 



I present herewith the 26th report of the State Entomologist of 

 Montana. 



Injurious insects during the biennium just closed were never exceeded 

 in number and variety, we believe, during any like period in the agricultural 

 history of the state. In addition to the continuance of grasshoppers and 

 Mormon crickets as major crop pests, and a recurrence of the pale western 

 cutworm which destroyed several thousand acres of wheat, many other 

 insect species, which were either new as pests in the state, or made their 

 appearance in great numbers after several years of inactivity, attacked 

 various crops with demoniacal fury. The abundance of some of our worst 

 insects is directly related to a lack of precipitation. Dry years are unfavor- 

 able to fungus and bacterial parasites which normally keep many of these 

 pests in check. The drought forced more insects onto irrigated lands and 

 it was in the protection of irrigated crops that the greatest saving from 

 insect control work resulted in 1935 and 1936. 



One of the chief functions of the State Entomologist in recent years 

 has been to direct within the state insect campaigns supported in part by 

 the federal government. If the proposal now before the congress of the 

 United States, for a permanent fund of five million dollars to be used in 

 emergencies against insects of regional importance, receives favorable action, 

 even more extensive duties will fall upon this office. 



We wish to call your attention particularly to the problem of grass- 

 hopper damage to range grasses as presented in this report and to the 

 need for greater state support for research and control work in order to gain 

 the fullest advantage from federal funds appropriated for the control of 

 our major insect pests. 



Respectfully yours, 



A. L. STRAND, 



State Entomologist 



