REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I918 83 



kept for such injury is worth inuch in times when every effort should 

 be made to increase production. An estimate made in 19 13 placed 

 the approximate damage in this State to all farm crops at $20,000,000 

 annually. The figures should be considerably higher now. Further- 

 more there is need of discouraging unwise or misdirected efforts 

 against insects of little importance or the use of materials or methods 

 of doubtful efficiency. The Entomologist has constantly kept these 

 problems in mind and in working through farm bureau agents has 

 been able to do much in standardizing practices and increasing 

 production. 



The Entomologist has also served as collaborator with the Emer- 

 gency Entomological Service of the United States Bureau of Entomol- 

 ogy, thus assisting in improving conditions in the country as a whole 

 and at the same time bringing the state work into closer touch with 

 that of Nation, to the mutual advantage of both. 



Gall insects. The " Key to American Insect Galls " has been 

 carried through the press. It is the only comprehensive tabulation 

 of these interesting deformities and since it deals primarily with the 

 more obvious swellings or plant malformations rather than with 

 the minute and highly complex gall makers themselves, it will greatly 

 facilitate the study of the interrelations between plants and insects. 

 There was also brought together and tabulated in this bulletin data 

 which are of value in interpreting biological processes and are not 

 without their economic or practical bearing, since a number of species 

 comprised in this large group are pests of prime importance, notably 

 the Hessian fly and the wheat midge, the latter being much more 

 destructive in earlier years than at the present time. 



Some attention has been given to gall midges and a number of 

 interesting forms, including several new genera, have been described. 

 Lectures. The Entomologist has delivered a number of lectures 

 on insects, mostly economic species, before various agricultural and 

 horticultural gatherings, some of these being in cooperation with 

 farmers' institute or county farm bureau agents. Several lectures 

 have also been given under the auspices of local welfare associations. 

 Publications. Brief popular accounts of the more destructive 

 insects have been prepared as heretofore and widely circulated through 

 the county farm bureaus and the local papers. 



Owing to delay in printing, the report for 19 16 did not appear until 

 the current year and is the only Museimi bulletin on entomology 

 issued in the period covered by this report. A paper on " Insects 

 and Camp Sanitation " was prepared for the Journal of Economic 



