li MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION Bui. 133 



destroying a large proportion of the seedlings. The following species 

 were sent in during 1919 or have been collected in earlier years: 

 Epitrix suhcrinita, Phyllotreta albionica, Phylloti^eta pusilla, 

 Psylliodes punctulata, Crepidodera helxines. Epitrix sivbcrinita 

 was the species most injurious during the past season. 



SERIOUS LACK OF FUNDS. 



Requests for information concerning insects and aid in con- 

 trolling them have increased to such an extent that a full time 

 assistant is now employed the year around. During the summer 

 months this assistant goes about the state demonstrating methods 

 of control and organizing control campaigns in counties where 

 serious insect outbreaks occur. The services of this assistant are 

 in constant demand throughout the summer and many thousands 

 of dollars have been saved to the farmers of the state as a result 

 of his work. During the winter months talks are given at farmers' 

 meetings and at county agent conferences. Considerable time is 

 also given to preparing information on insect control, making por- 

 table exhibits of insect life history, and developing the collection of 

 state insects. 



The total appropriation for the work of the State Entomologist 

 is now only $3300 a year. The salary of the assistant entomologist 

 is $2000, leaving only $1300 for traveling expenses, student labor, 

 scientific journals and supplies. 



During the past summer the demand for aid in controlling 

 grasshoppers was so great that our funds for traveling expenses 

 were exhausted by midsummer and many requests for aid were 

 refused because we had no means of getting about the state. The 

 condition was so serious that a request for funds was made to the 

 special session of the legislature. A bill carrying an appropriation of 

 $5000 was introduced by Senator Featherly and was passed by the 

 Senate. The bill was not approved by the House Appropriation 

 Committee and was consequently killed. 



If this money had been provided thousands of dollars' worth 

 of crops could have been saved last summer, and by scouting during 

 the fall breeding grounds could have been located and the eggs or 

 young 'hoppers destroyed. As the situation now stands we are 

 facing what promises to be one of the worst grasshopper years in 

 the history of the state, we are threatened with an invasion of the 



