October, ’23] 
FOREST ENTOMOLOGY IN UNITED STATES 
415 
which is now known as the Bioclimatic Law, a law of life and climate as 
related to geographical distribution of plants and animals, life and climate 
zones, etc. To this work Dr. Hopkins expefcts to devote the rest of his 
life. 
As to his school education, Dr. Hopkins has often regretted that it 
was limited to the common schools of his native county but for 57 years 
he has been a student and investigator with nature as his teacher and 
feels that, although yet a student, he has gained knowledge and ex¬ 
perience equaled by few college graduates. 
Forest Entomology in America. Forest entomology in the United 
States was relatively new. Intensive investigation of forest insects 
being only about a quarter of a century old and so different from the 
forest entomology in Europe, not only in the types of insects involved 
but also in the environmental conditions which govern the forests, an 
almost entirely new problem was to be solved. Furthermore, the value 
of forest and forest products, as compared with other agricultural crops, 
was still too small a proportion of our national resources and income for 
it to receive its full share of support, although our forests, by virtue of 
their just right, are demanding an ever increasing amount of attention 
and concern. Nevertheless, in spite of this comparatively sho r t period 
of research and relatively poor support, much has been done by forest 
entomologists under the lead of Dr. Hopkins in this country and it is 
only fitting that what has been accomplished should be recognized in 
this country as abroad. During the past twelve years many of the Brit¬ 
ish colonial forest entomologists have visited the United States Bureau 
of Entomology to study methods of combating forest insects. 
The destructiveness of forest insects in the United States was early 
realized by Dr. Hopkins and other forest entomologists and foresters. 
However, it was found difficult to overcome the popular opinion that 
barkbeetles were secondary in attack as in Europe and to educate people 
into realizing their serious primary nature. In the United States certain 
barkbeetles (species of Dendroctonus ) are absolutely primary and con¬ 
centrate on the largest and best timber. They cannot be combated 
in the same manner as can insects that attack only weakened trees. 
But Dr. Hopkins was of the opinion from the first that forest insects 
« 
could be controlled! 
The investigators of forest insects in the United States have been 
considerably retarded in their efforts and progress by lack of financial 
support. The appropriations for forest insect control have never been 
equal to those for the control of insects injurious to other crops. Leav- 
