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JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



[Vol. 8 



ters of insect control, such as correspondence, lecturing and newspaper 

 writing, they should now be largely reheved of these extras. There 

 has grown up a strong tendency toward confusing extension work and 

 experiment station work. The farming public has needed help and the 

 station has been the natural place to go for it. Yet the federal acts 

 by which the experiment stations are endowed do not authorize exten- 

 sion work. When the results of investigations are published, the 

 experiment station's responsibility ceases and the investigator, paid 

 from federal funds, who turns aside from his studies to lecture to 

 farmers, to write for the farm papers or to aid farmers by correspond- 

 ence, if he does so to the extent of reducing the effectiveness of his 

 researches, is not only infringing on the law, but reducing the efficiency 

 of the organization. The situation has been met in the past by having 

 the specialist's salary paid in part from state funds over which federal 

 authorities have no jurisdiction. This has resulted in interruptions 

 and delays with which we are so familiar. The most serious effect has 

 been perhaps a reduction in efficiency in research workers. There 

 has grown up a tendency to accept and adopt standards which are 

 lower than can be attained by allowing investigators to pursue their 

 studies without eerious distractions. 



In conclusion, emphasis should be placed on the fact that the passage 

 of the Smith-Lever Act and the events which have grown out of it 

 are of the greatest importance to economic entomologists. A new era 

 of far-reaching developments seems to be indicated. In the past, 

 entomological work has not received the public recognition that its 

 importance merits, largely- because of widespread popular ignorance 

 of the subject, and if entomologists will be quick to see the significance 

 of the new extension movement and to act, the scientific interests 

 which we represent may be greatly benefited. 



The most immediate result should be an increased demand for well- 

 trained young economic entomologists. Many new positions should 

 be opened during the next few years as the extension funds become 

 available and this will affect teachers and research men as well as 

 extension workers. This is clear when we stop to think that, in pre- 

 paring men for the extension service, the teaching department will be 

 called upon not only to teach entomology to the men who will become 

 the count}^ agents, but to train those who will serve as extension 

 entomologists of which there should be eventually many. 



Having one or more trained observers out in the state much of the 

 time will put the college in touch with problems that require attention 

 and will suggest fines of research. These problems will naturallj^ be 

 the ones that the farmers are interested in and a greater measure of 

 sympathy and cooperation between the farmer and entomologist should 



