of economic entomology, a paper stored with most valuable historical 

 data and rich in illustrations of methods for different periods of history. 

 Last year Professor Webster furnished us an address full of thoughtful 

 suggestion as to the problems that confront the entomologist of to-day. 



The entomologist of the present bears a very different relation to the 

 public than he did a quarter of a century ago. New knowledge and 

 new responsibilities have come to him; whereas then his opinion was 

 presented and received as a gratuitous matter to be experimented with 

 if convenient, his dictum now carries the force of authority, and often 

 has the support of State and Federal law. Instead of an entirely 

 gratuitous service, he commands compensation, sometimes ridiculously 

 meager, it is true, but nevertheless such as to obligate him to faithful 

 performance. The economic entomologist, then, comes to his work as 

 to a definite task; it must be to him not only a privilege, an oppor- 

 tunity, but a sacred and imperative duty, entailing special preparation 

 and devotion. 



What the range of this duty may be is perhaps open to discussion, 

 certainly in its performance we have seen varied interpretations based 

 on inclination, public demand, local necessities, but mainly a response 

 to certain well-defined requirements. Some features of this question I 

 propose to discuss with you here, and may announce rny theme as "The 

 duty of economic entomology." We will doubtless all agree to the 

 proposition that the end and aim of our science is to enable the public 

 in general to contend intelligently with the numerous insects that inter- 

 fere with their well being. The essential work to accomplish this end 

 is, however, open to discussion. It seems to me that its accomplish- 

 ment must rest on several quite distinct lines of effort: 



(1) Acquisition of knowledge of life and habits and direct remedies. 



(2) A knowledge of distribution and methods of prevention or control. 



(3) Education of people to appreciation of this need and to intelligent 

 methods of application. 



DUTY IN INVESTIGATION. 



Most obviously the first duty of the entomologist is the acquisition 

 of new knowledge. Wherever situated, it is not enough that he should 

 simply restate for the benefit of his constituency the facts that have 

 been gathered in the past. New problems are constantly arising and 

 each locality has, from the conditions pertaining to it, special problems 

 for study. 



In lines of investigation, however, there is much room for choice, and 

 with a multitude of problems presenting themselves, one of the first 

 and most important duties is the selection of the proper subject or sub- 

 jects for study. Here a knowledge of what has been done, both locally 

 and generally, becomes most essential, and no more profitable time can 

 be spent than that given to reviewing the available knowledge. 



While certainly such selection should be made as promises valuable 

 economic results to the particular territory covered, I firmly believe that 



