THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 265 



breeding pools since his announcement of his first experiment a year ago. 

 Mr. Smith in discussion mentioned two cases where this remedy had been 

 applied effectually on Long Island. Mr. Webster thought that further 

 experimentation was needed on the line as to the office of mosquito 

 larvae in destroying organic matter in water, which might otherwise be- 

 come offensive. 



The Secretary read a paper by Dr. Ritsema Bos, on " Phytomyza 

 affiuis, Fall., as a Cause of Decay in Clematis." The larvae of this little fly 

 he had found to produce a disease spot on the stem a little above the 

 level of the ground, causing the subsequent drying up of the stem. He 

 found two generations of the fly each year, and advised the cutting off and 

 burning of decaying stalks in early summer. Messrs. Hopkins and Gar- 

 man reported similar appearances in potato stalks and the terminal twigs 

 of apple, which were probably due to a closely allied insect. 



Mr. Smith read a paper on " Farm Practice and Fertilizers as Insecti- 

 cides." The nature of the paper is well indicated by its title. A number 

 of instances were pointed out where variation in farm practice produces 

 excellent insecticide results, and others in which commercial or artificial 

 fertilizers destroy subterranean insects as well as invigorate the crop. 

 The intelligent use of fertilizers combined with other intelligent farm prac- 

 tice, in his opinion will in the future prove the main reliance of the farmer. 

 He showed, however, that the phosphates form a group of fertilizers 

 which have no insecticide value. 



Messrs. Carman and Webster discussed this paper, and agreed that 

 the main beneficial results in the use of artificial fertilizers are due to the 

 increased vigour of the plant, enabling it to better resist the attacks of 

 insects. They doubted the primary insecticide effect of these compounds. 



The above papers were all read at the first session of -the Association, 

 on the afternoon of August 14. At the second session, on the morning of 

 the 15th, letters were read from certain foreign entomologists regretting 

 their inability to attend the meeting. 



Mr. Garman presented a paper on the " Preservation of Larvae for 

 Study." He drops the larva into water heated to the boiling point, leav- 

 ing it for 15 seconds. Then, when the body wall is somewhat rigid, he 

 takes it up with the forceps, and with a fine sharp scissors cuts a slit 

 along the underside of the body, dropping it into the water again for a 

 few seconds longer. It is then transferred to 50% alcohol, and in 12 hours 

 to 70%, and in 12 hours afterwards to 95%, for permanent preservation. 



