INVESTIGATION OF INTRODUCTION WORK. 51 
the employment of these agents in the work of introducing the para- 
sites of the gipsy moth and brown-tail moth. The arguments in 
favor of this proposal were duly considered by the superintendent 
of the Massachusetts work, who decided for many reasons to con- 
duct the introduction experiments along the lines just described 
and not to call in the assistance of the California people. In his 
third report, submitted January 1, 1908, Mr. Kirkland expressed 
the situation as follows: 
In spite of all the thought, energy, and skill that have been brought to bear on this 
most important problem of introducing the natural enemies of the moths—a problem 
entirely novel in the field of entomology—it was apparent during the winter of 1906-7 
that several of our influential citizens had expected immediate results from the 
importation of the parasites, and were beginning to get restive because such results 
had not been obtained. Several expressed a doubt if everything possible was being 
done to secure the successful introduction of the parasites. Others became enthusi- 
astic over the specious proposition put forward by a certain western horticulturist 
(not an entomologist), who offered to suppress the gipsy moth in Massachusetts by 
means of parasites for the sum of $25,000, ‘‘no cure, no pay.’’ This state of affairs 
was no doubt a natural outcome of the desire to avoid a repetition of the great damage 
to property caused by the moth in past years. Again, men without any technical 
knowledge of entomology or of the life histories of the parasites, not realizing the diffi- 
culties in securing, shipping, breeding, and disseminating these beneficial insects, 
and equally ignorant of how long it takes an imported insect to become established 
even under the most favorable conditions, might well be pardoned for expecting 
almost immediate results from the introduction of the relatively small number oi 
parasites—small indeed in comparison with the tremendous numbers of the moths. 
Coming before the legislature during the session of 1906-7, this 
group of Boston citizens stated that it was their opinion that the 
work with parasites was not progressing with sufficient rapidity, and 
asked the legislature to appropriate funds and to instruct the super- 
intendent to secure additional counsel and advice in the matter to 
determine whether the work was going on in the right way. The 
legislature agreed and appropriated the additional sum of $15,000 to 
enable the superintendent to secure such advice. 
It was first suggested that he consult only with certain California 
men who had had experience in importing parasites of scale insects. 
He, however, considered that consultation with men whose experi- 
ence had been confined to a single group of insects, not to the same 
group as the gipsy moth and the brown-tail moth, while possibly 
helpful, would not be broad enough to throw any great light on 
the Massachusetts problem. To use his own words— 
It seemed much wiser and certainly more thoroughgoing, since this entire work 
might be called in question at any time, and in view of the large amount of money 
Massachusetts was expending in securing parasites, to consult not with the trained 
entomologists of a single State, but with as many entomologists of national or even 
world-wide reputation as possible. In other words, that a large number of entomolo- 
gists of the highest possible scientific standing, and particularly those having practical 
experience in dealing with parasitic insects, should be invited to visit Massachusetts, 
