70 ANNUAL IMPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1953 
agricultural colleges and experiment stations, industry, pest-control 
operators, and private individuals. This total exceeded by more than 
1,200 the number of identification- made in the previous fiscal year. 
A grant from the Pinellas Biological Laboratory. St org, 
Fla., enabled a Bureau niite specialist to make a survey of plant- 
feeding mites in that State. Some 5,000 mil*'.- were covered and col- 
lection- made especially from imported tropical plants and wild na- 
tive species. Material thus far prepared and studied indicates that 
the majority of the mites appear to be undescribed forms. 
Among the important works prepared in the Bureau is. An Intro- 
duction to Acarology. This is the first modern, comprehensive classi- 
fication of the mites and ticks to be published. It has been enthusias- 
tically received by mite specialists and entomologists generally both 
here and abroad. 
At the request of the Department of Defense, special research was 
conducted on the disease-carrying mosquitoes of a large number of 
specified foreign areas to supply sanitary and medical units with 
guides that will enable ready recognition of the medically important 
species. Pictorial keys designed to assure quick and accurate identi- 
fication of the mosquitoes in both larva] and adult stages were devel- 
oped for 12 of those areas during the fiscal year. The information 
for these 12 areas was included on 21 pictorial keys. 
ECONOMIC INSECT DETECTION AND REPORTING SERVICE 
COMPLETES FULL YEAR 
Fifty-two weekly issues of the Cooperative Economic Insect Report 
were distributed during the fiscal year. This report was inaugurated 
in May 1952. During the year the list of individuals requesting the 
report increased from 1,900 to 2,774. Total circulation jumped from 
2,200 copies to nearly 3,200. Information in these issues was obtained 
largely from State, Federal, private, and industrial entomolog 
each of whom voluntarily submitted his observations on existing and 
potential insect conditions through a State clearing office. Each of 
the 48 State- and the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii and the Com- 
monwealth of Puerto Rico has such a designated clearing office. 
Special iu 3CCl BUrveys, discussions of survey method-, and reports of 
insect conditions throughout the Slates were included in the weekly 
issues. Permanent record files were also maintained throughout the 
year. For the first time since L942 work was undertaken to bring 
up to date, by review of literature and record-, the note- on foreign 
Lose- 
CONTROL OF PLANT DISEASES 
Improved Methods Increase Barberry Eradication 
Accomplishments 
Work continued in 18 cooperating States to eradicate species <>f 
barberry and mahonia that are alternate hosts of the black Btem rust. 
of cereal I. from stem rut have ranged up to 200 million 
helfi in a single \ ear. 
Approximately L9 million barberry bushes were destroyed on 4,100 
properties in -.*><> counties during t he ii-<-:il year. Field crews covered 
20,300 square mile-. Rust observations were made by Bureau per- 
