87 
efforts more or less aggressive measures have been made possible, At 
the present time a proposition is on foot to establish an organization 
under the Ministry of Public Lands similar to the Division of Entomol- 
ogy in our own Department of Agriculture. Up to the present time 
the authorities having the public lands in charge, both of the Central 
Government and the several provinces, have accomplished the result in 
the following way: Competent scientific men and specialists have been 
requested to prepare publications on injurious insects, and where these 
individuals have desired pecuniary aid to enable them to publish inde- 
pendent observations in this line the funds have been granted. As an 
example of this, the large three- volume work of Theo. KOppen was 
published in this manner during the eighties. In addition, efficient 
specialists have been sent out by the central department to conduct at 
certain points series of observations upon the life histories and habits 
of injurious species. These investigations have been in part at the 
expense of the General Government and in part at the expense of the 
authorities of certain sections, and at the request of the governors of 
provinces and scientific and agricultural societies. The reports obtained 
from these different sources have been published and distributed to all 
those interested. In this manner a large number of the most injurious 
insects have been successfully studied, and many unknown facts in 
their life histories have been brought out. Among these investiga- 
tions may be especially mentioned one conducted in 1879 on the life 
history and habits of Anisoplia austriaca, by Lindeman, Portschinsky, 
Tarochewsky, and Metschnikoff, and incidentally to this the damage 
done by Cephus pygmwus and Cecidomyia destructor was studied by 
Portschinsky and Lindemann, and a series of special bulletins pub- 
lished bearing upon these two insects. In 1880 Chlorops tcemopus and 
Plusia gamma were studied by the same observers, and at the same 
time a voluminous report was prepared treating of the insects injuri- 
ous to the culture of sugar beets in the districts Woronesch, Kharkow, 
Kursk, and Podolia. Among the more important insects studied was 
Cleonus punctiventris, the natural history of which was incompletely 
known at the time. In the same year two of the joint-worms, known 
as Isosoma no.riale and I. hordei, were studied by Portschinsky. Dur- 
ing the years following investigations were conducted in other prov- 
inces upon Hydroecia nictitans and Clwtocnema hortensis by Philipjew, 
while still later tobacco insects were studied in the province of Bes- 
sarabia, particular attention being paid to Thrips solanacearum. At the 
same time observations were made by Kbppen upon injurious locusts 
and a few other insects in the country of the Don Cossacks. In 1891 
an important general work treating of the insects injurious to Russian 
agriculture was published. Investigations relative to insects injurious 
to gardens were undertaken throughout the greater part of south- 
eastern Russia, in some of the central districts, in the Caucasus, Bes- 
sarabia, and part of Turkestan. Thorough investigations have also 
