LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
XI 
being enlarged during the third year of its labors, the work was divided, 
and it was decided that Mr. Eiley should take charge of that in the 
Southern States relating to insects affecting cotton, while Messrs. 
Packard and Thomas should continue that in the Northwest relating to 
the Eocky Mountain Locust, and, in addition, prepare two bulletins, 
one by the former on the Hessian Fly, and one by the latter on the 
Chinch Bug, two insects of vast importance to the western farming 
community. These have been prepared, as also an elaborate one by 
Mr. Eiley on the Cotton-worm, containing the results of his labors in 
the South. The p resent report deals more particularly with the second 
phase of the locust question, and in transmitting it we recommend to 
your consideration, and to that of Congress, our conclusions in the 
closing chapter and our recommendations in reference to encouraging 
settlement, the building of railroads, the advisability of broader schemes 
of irrigation, of judicious burning, of co-operation with the Dominion 
Government in its efforts in the same direction, and particularly of a 
permanent system of observations and warnings, to be carried on under 
the auspices of the Chief Signal Officer. 
The interest felt in the work of the Commission has resulted in a con- 
stantly increasing number of letters asking information on the subjects 
with the study of which we are charged, and an extensive correspond- 
ence with parties in all parts of the country has consequently been car- 
ried on at headquarters, in addition to the more special work of the 
Commission. 
We take this occasion to thank you for the cordial encouragement 
and assistance which you have given us in our labors. 
With some pride in the knowledge that events have fully justified the 
conclusions and predictions ^\ e have been able to make from year to 
year — based as they were upon the comparatively limited observations 
which time and means have allowed — and with the conviction that the 
carrying out, so far as practicable, of the suggestions in this and our 
previous report on the subject, will tend to a material abatement of the 
national evil which we have been studying, we have the honor to remain, 
Very respectfully, your obedient servants, 
CHAELES V. EILEY, 
A. S. PACKAED, Jr., 
CYEUS THOMAS. 
Hon. Carl Schurz, 
Secretary of the Interior. 
