220 entomological news. [November, 



DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 



Edited by Prof. JOHN B. SMITH, ScD., New Brunswick, N. J. 



Papers for this department are solicited. They should be sent to the editor, Prof. John 

 B. Smith, Sc.D., New Brunswick, N.J. 



The meeting of the Association of Economic Entomologists at Boston, 

 August 19th and 20th, was a very enjoyable occasion for those present, 

 and among them were some who, like Dr. S. H. Scudder, are not fre- 

 quent attendants. On the other hand, a number of those who, like Dr. 

 Fletcher, had been regular attendants at previous meetings were unfortu- 

 nately detained from this. 



The program was so well filled that it was necessary to hold an evening 

 meeting on both days, although from this should be deducted an afternoon 

 spent at and near Maiden as the guests of the Gypsy Moth Committee, in 

 inspecting the work done in the direction of exterminating this moth. 



As an introduction to this pest, Mr. E. H. Forbush, the field director, 

 made an interesting statement of the recent work of the Committee, which, 

 as a report of progress, is very encouraging. There does not seem to 

 remain any doubt of the fact that this insect can be actually exterminated; 

 provided, and this provision is an exceedingly important one — sufficient 

 funds are available just when and where needed. Every entomologist 

 will readily see the importance of this, for with an insect that breeds as 

 rapidly as this moth and has so few natural enemies, a year's neglect of 

 one center may be sufficient to put back the final date of extermination 

 for several years. It is an unfortunate thing that not once since the begin- 

 ning of the work has there been appropriated the full sum asked for by 

 the Committee, made available at the time when it was most needed. 

 This has been unfortunate, because it has really increased the cost of the 

 work by a very large per centage. A colony that could be cleaned out 

 for a few hundred dollars one year, but is neglected because other colo- 

 nies are more threatening, will cost as many thousands the year following. 

 A number of the visitors at Maiden, who were familiar with the work of 

 the Committee through its publications, were utterly astonished when the 

 practical side was witnessed in operation. There was an opportunity to 

 see the work done by the spraying machines, including the action cf the 

 " monitor " nozzle, devised by Mr. E. W. Ware, who is in charge of the 

 mechanical department. The operation of burning over infested ground 

 by means of a lighted oil spray was also witnessed. The guides in charge 

 of this excursion gave the members an opportunity of viewing the worst 

 infested spot, and most of them had their first opportunity cf seeing living 

 gypsy moths, a few late females being yet engaged in ovipositing. The 

 work of this Committee is entitled to the highest praise, and it was the 

 unanimous judgement of the members present that if those in charge of 

 the work be given full swing and sufficient means to carry out their plans, 

 the thing for which the Committee was created will be accomplished in 

 the not too distant future. 



Incidentally it was possible to observe the eggs and larval stages of the 



