The study of entomology is extremely interesting and the every-day business man rarely understands its importance. The finding, breeding and distribution of parasites of insect pests vitally affects the world’s food supply. The entomological name of the leaf-hopper family is _Hemiptera_, and Dr. Sharp, an authority on the subject, has said: “There is probably no order of insects that is so directly connected with the welfare of the human race as the hemiptera; indeed if anything were to exterminate the enemies of hemiptera, we ourselves should probably be starved in the course of a few months.” It has been estimated by competent authority that the damage done in the world each year by the hemiptera, in spite of all their parasites, is conservatively $600,000,000. Were it not for the parasites, it would only be a year or two at most before every green leaf and spear of grass would disappear from the face of the earth. The direct influence of the practical application of this science to the production of sugar is readily apparent. Pathology is almost equally important. In former years when cane failed to grow strong and sturdy and did not yield much sugar, the planter usually attributed the difficulty either to lack of water, poor soil, cool weather, too much rain or insufficient cultivation of the field by his manager, when in fact the trouble was due to none of these causes. He would personally oversee the operations of the following year, but with no better results. [Illustration: EXPERIMENT STATION] [Illustration: PLANTATION SCENE IN HAWAII—LIGHT-COLORED FOLIAGE IS SUGAR CANE] When the roots of the cane became matted, stuck together and turned black, when a thick gum exuded from the stalk and leaves, preventing the plant from drawing proper nourishment from the air, it was thought that these troubles arose from climatic or local conditions, while in reality the plant was sick and needed a doctor. Today, under the new régime, whenever the plant shows any symptoms of ill-health, the pathologists are called in to eradicate the disease by scientific treatment. Insect pests and plant diseases are generally brought into a country through planters sending to other cane-raising countries for new varieties of cane for seeding purposes that they think may produce more sugar than their own. Great trouble and heavy loss have been occasioned in this way and, as a consequence, the United States government has established a strict quarantine, allowing plant life to be landed only after rigid examination and when it is clear that no danger exists. Another example of the work of the entomologists may be of interest: