201 



have been so far noticed by digest in this record, with no particular rule^ 

 so far as I can see, in the selection. This is perhaps inevitable under- 

 present arrangements. Complete and satisfactory digests of all, if in- 

 telligent and critical, imply a far greater force than is at present at 

 Professor Atwater's command, and it is doubtful whether, even with 

 increased facilities, they could be satisfactorily made without the assist- 

 ance of the different specialists. 



Under these circumstances it would seem wiser to devote all the en- 

 ergies of the Bureau to digests of the similar literature of other coun- 

 tries, which would be of immense advantage to our people and to the 

 different station workers. Judging from the recommendations aud 

 resolutions of the general association this is the view very generally 

 held, but except in chemistry and special industries, like that of beet 

 sugar, very little of that kind of work has yet been attempted. 



What is true of the station publications in general is equally true of 

 special publications. As Entomologist of the Department I have been 

 urged to bring together, at stated intervals, digests of the entomolo- 

 gical publications of the different stations. Such digests, to be of any 

 value, however, should also be critical -, but it is at best a thankless 

 task for any one to be critic or censor even of that which needs correc- 

 tion or criticism, and also difficult to maintain the judicial and imper- 

 sonal attitude which should characterize official expression, in face of 

 the severe criticism that some publications provoke. Moreover, to do 

 this work intelligently would require the increase of the Divisional 

 force, which at present is more advantageously employed; for, as already 

 intimated, I should have grave doubts of the utility of such digests. 



I believe, however, that the Division should strive for such increase 

 of means as would justify the periodic publication, either independ- 

 ently or as a part of the Department record, of general and classified 

 indexes to the entomological matter of the station bulletins, and should 

 work more and more toward giving results from other parts of the 

 world. This could perhaps best be done by titles of subject and of 

 author so spaced and printed on stout paper that they could be cut and 

 used in the ordinary card catalogue. The recipient could cut and sys- 

 tematically place the titles as fast as received. 



As to the character of the matter of the entomological bulletins, it 

 will inevitably be influenced by the needs and demands of the peo- 

 ple of the respective States, aud while originality should be kept in 

 mind, there must needs be in the earlier years of the work much re- 

 statement of what is already well known. That some results have been 

 published of work which reflects no particular credit upon our calling 

 is a mere incident of the new positions created. Yet we may expect 

 marked improvement from year to year in this direction, and without 

 being invidious, I would cite those of Professor Gillette on his spraying 

 experiments and on the Plum Curculio and Plum Gouger, as models of 

 what such bulletins should be. 



