December 8, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



745 



vestigations of the same kind in the tobacco 

 districts of several other states. 



In discussing the work of the Bureau of 

 Entomology considerable space is devoted 

 to the Mexican cotton boll weevil, in the 

 work against which this bureau has had the 

 active cooperation of the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry. It is also cooperating with the 

 Louisiana Crop Pest Commission and the 

 Texas Experiment Station. The subject of 

 dissemination of the weevil through cotton 

 gins has been very carefully investigated, 

 and important results have been obtained, 

 resulting in recommendations to the gin- 

 ners calculated to greatly reduce this 

 danger. 



Of recent years important work has been 

 done by the Bureau of Entomology in the 

 introduction of the fig fertilizing insect of 

 South Europe, the introduction of a para- 

 site of the black scale so injurious to citrus 

 and olive crops in California from South 

 Africa, and the introduction with success 

 in the southern states of a parasite of the 

 San Jose scale from China. Useful insects 

 are also sent abroad at the request of for- 

 eign departments of agriculture. 



Fruit growers in California and other 

 states testify that their operations have 

 been rendered much more profitable 

 through the information derived from the 

 investigations of insects injurious to fruit. 

 The insects damaging forests, injuring 

 stored fruits, carrying diseases, affecting 

 live stock, and injuring field crops have all 

 been the subject of study by the ento- 

 mologists of the department. 



In 1902 the Bureau of Entomology un- 

 dertook once more a systematic effort to 

 introduce the culture of the domestic silk- 

 worm into the United States. Guaranteed 

 eggs were purchased in Italy, skilled reelers 

 were brought over from France, and mul- 

 berry trees were distributed to persons de- 

 siring to experiment. 



Much emphasis is laid upon and consid- 



erable information is given as to the saving 

 frcm insect losses resulting from the work 

 of the Bureau of Entomology. The actual 

 loss to agriculture through injurious in- 

 sects is almost beyond computation. 



The work of the Bureau of Biological 

 Survey includes the determination of the 

 boundaries of the natural life zones of the 

 United States and the corresponding crop 

 zones. The chief purpose is to ascertain 

 the boundaries of natural life zones with a 

 view to aiding the farmer in selecting crops 

 best adapted to his locality and in avoiding 

 crops unsuited to it. 



One section of the Biological Survey is 

 engaged in the study of birds and their 

 various relations to man, especially to de- 

 termine whether birds damage crops, 

 whether they protect insects either injuri- 

 ous or beneficial, and to what extent they 

 feed upon weed seeds. Thousands of 

 birds' stomachs are examined in gathering 

 facts on this subject. 



Other duties of the Biological Survey 

 are the supervision of game protection and 

 introduction assigned to the Department 

 by Congress. Through cooperation with 

 the Department of Justice and with game 

 officials throughout the United States 166 

 violations of the Laeey Act were investi- 

 gated and 49 convictions have resulted. 

 Railroad and express companies have lent 

 cordial cooperation in securing a more 

 rigid observance of the game laws. 



In discussing the work of the Division 

 of Publications the secretary points out 

 that the terms of the law requiring the 

 department to diffuse information of value 

 to agriculture are mandatory, and the most 

 economical and available means of diffu- 

 sion is through publication. He maintains 

 that this work has been conducted with due 

 regard to economy, and that every precau- 

 tion has been taken to lessen the waste in- 

 evitably attendant upon any system of 

 gratuitous distribution. Of the more than 



