Every other subject that might be considered on this occasion must be
subordinate to the one great question of co-operation. With the large
increase of actual workers in our favorite field, distributed all over
the country, the necessity for some co-operation and co-ordination
must be apparent to every one. Just how this should be brought about
or in what direction we may work toward it, will be for this
association in its deliberations to decide. Nor will I venture to
anticipate the deliberations and conclusions of the special committee
appointed to take the matter into consideration, beyond the statement
that there are many directions in which we can adopt plans for mutual
benefit. Take, for instance, the introduction and dissemination of
parasites. How much greater will be the chance of success in any
particular case if we have all the different station entomologists
interested in some specific plan to be carried out in co-operation
with the national department, which ought to have better facilities of
introducing specimens to foreign countries or to different sections of
our own country than any of the State stations.
Let us suppose that the fruit growers of one section of the country,
comprising several States in area, need the benefit in their warfare
against any particularly injurious insect of such natural enemy or
enemies as are known to help the fruit growers of some other section.
There will certainly be much greater chances of success in the
carrying out of any scheme of introduction if all the workers in the
one section may be called upon through some central or national body
to help in the introduction and disposition of the desired material
into the other section. Or, take the case of the boll worm
investigation already alluded to. The chances of success would be much
greater if the entomologists in all the States interested were to give
some attention to such lepidopterous larvæ as are found to be affected
with contagious diseases and to follow out some specific plan of
cultivating and transmitting them to the party or parties with whom
the actual trials are intrusted. The argument applies with still
greater force to any international efforts. I need hardly multiply
instances. There is, it is true, nothing to prevent any individual
station entomologist from requesting co-operation of the other
stations, nor is there anything to prevent the national department
from doing likewise; but in all organization results are more apt to
flow from the power to direct rather than from mere liberty to request
or to plead. The station entomologist may be engrossed in some line of
research which he deems of more importance to the people of his State,
and may resent being called upon to divert his energies; and with no
central or national power to decide upon plans of co-operation for the
common weal, we are left to voluntary methods, mutually devised, and
it is here that this association can, it seems to me, most fully
justify its organization. And this brings me to the question of