April, ’18] 
PARKS: EXTENSION ENTOMOLOGY 
163 
These orchard spraying demonstrations admit of prearranged plans 
which are always carried out as scheduled. This is possible because 
one knows in advance what orchard insects to expect and when the 
spray must be applied. Consequently, the county agents and our co- 
operators on the farms know approximately when we shall be with 
them for supervising the spraying. 
That part of the project covering the work with staple crop insects 
is subject to a moment’s change. We are unable to anticipate in ad¬ 
vance outbreaks of such staple crop insects as army worms, sod 
web worms, or army cutworms, and can combat them only as they ap¬ 
pear. However, that part of the project covering staple crop insects 
calls for definite work for each month from March to December, and is 
prepared with a view to working in advance of outbreaks as much as 
possible. For example, the educational work in the field to reduce the 
injury from Hessian fly that will result in 1918, was started during 
March and April, 1917. At that time farm visits were made in sec¬ 
tions where the Hessian fly is abundant and the farmers’ attention 
called to the absence of Hessian fly in fields where good practices 
against the fly were used in seeding the wheat crop the previous autumn; 
likewise the abundance of overwintering fly in volunteer or early 
sown wheat. These visits bear fruit the following summer when these 
farmers prepare their ground for wheat. Owing to advance knowledge 
about the egg-laying places of grasshoppers in western Kansas, poison¬ 
ing next year will commence in May, which is about two months before 
complaints come in from the farmers and before the insects have scat¬ 
tered. 
Wherever advance information can be obtained it will help the ex¬ 
tension entomologist to plan the yearly project and enable him to out¬ 
line a program which, when followed out, will accomplish the most 
good with the least expenditure of funds. This should be the hub 
about which his project activities are centered. With this information 
at hand it is possible for the extension entomologist to install system 
into his work, and he is able to be on the ground in advance of an insect 
outbreak. Working his plan then consists in administering a “ serum 
treatment” both to the farmer and his farm. It is too much to expect 
that the result will be to “ immunize” against insect outbreaks, but 
if the entomologist is successful in carrying out his plans it will do much 
to reduce their frequency and violence. 
President R. A. Cooley: Do you wish to ask Mr. Dean any ques¬ 
tions about this paper? 
Mr. Herbert Osborn: I would like to just make one remark—• 
