Just what that directing influence is to be is the question
of the hour, not only in the broader but in the special sense. The
same question, in a narrower sense, had arisen in the case of the few
States which employed State entomologists. In the event, for instance,
of an outbreak of some injurious insect, or in the event of any
particular economic entomological question within the limits of the
State having such an officer, the United States entomologist would
naturally feel that any effort on his part would be unnecessary, or
might even be looked upon as an interference. He would feel that there
was always danger of mere duplication of observation or experiment,
except where appealed to for aid or co-operation. This is, perhaps,
true only of insects which are local or sectional, and is rather a
narrow view of the matter, but it is one brought home from experience,
and is certainly to be considered in our future plans. The favor with
which the museum work of the national division was viewed by you at
the meeting last November and the amount of material sent on for
determination would indicate that the building up of a grand national
reference collection will be most useful to the station workers.
Pages:
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121