The amount of legislation in different countries that has of late
years been deemed necessary or sufficiently important, in view of
injurious insects, is a striking evidence of the increased attention
paid to applied entomology; and while modern legislation of this kind
has been, on the whole, far more intelligent than similar efforts in
years gone by, many of the laws passed have nevertheless been unwise,
futile, and impracticable, and even unnecessarily oppressive to other
interests. The chief danger here is the intervention of politics or
political methods. Expert counsel should guide our legislators and the
steps taken should be thorough in order to be effective. We have had
of late years in Germany very good evidence of the excellent results
flowing from thorough methods, and the recent legislation in
Massachusetts against the gypsy moth (_Ocneria dispar_), which at one
time threatened to become farcical, has, fortunately, proved more than
usually successful; the commission appointed to deal with the subject
having worked with energy and followed competent advice.