REPORT OF THE EXTOMOLOGIST AXD BOTANIST 65 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



The Colorado Potato Beetle. — Spraying with the poisoned Bordeaux mixture for 

 this insect, and for the Potato Hot at the same time, beginning in the first week of 

 July and repeating three or four times. 



The Cucumber and Potato Flea-beetle. — Spraying with the poisoned Bordeaux 

 mixture. 



The Turnip Aphis. — Hoeing out the colonies or spraying them as soon as they 

 appear with Kerosene Emulsion. 



The Turnip Flea-beetle. — Dusting the young plants when the beetles are seen to 

 be abundant, with Paris Green 1 lb. in 50 lbs. of land plaster or sonie other dry powdery 

 diluent. Deferring sowing turnips until the 15th or i!Oth June. 



HISTORICAL RESUME. 



At tlie time the Division of Entomology and Botany was organized it was thought 

 wise, for a short time at any rate, that the two subjects of Entomology and Botany 

 should be entrusted to a single officer and the writer of this report was appointed to 

 take charge of the work. As soon as circumstances allowed, a beginning was made in 

 forming reference collections of insects and plants and the present collections of the 

 Division have been gradually accumulated since that time. As a nucleus to both of 

 these collections, the above named presented his private collections consisting of about 

 three thousand species of Canadian plants and a general collection in all orders of 

 insects. A beginning was made in preparing the Arboretum and Botanic Garden, at 

 that time connected with this Division, for i:)lanting out, and also the land was got reads' 

 for the Experimental Grass Plots, which are now such an interesting feature of the 

 Central Experimental Farm. During 18S8 a large number of native plants and grasses 

 were collected in the Ottawa District, seeds were procured from botanical gardens, 

 botanists and seedsmen in all parts of the world, from which such were obtain- 

 able, and these were grown in seed beds for subsequent removal to the botanical 

 garden or the ornamental grounds. In 1895 the practical work of the Arboretum 

 and Botanic Garden was, at the request of the Entomologist and Botanist, trans- 

 ferred to the Horticultural Division, as was originally intended, and which was 

 a much more convenient arrangement because Mr. W. T. Macoun, who was then Fore- 

 man of Forestry, had men under his control and was in a better position to look after 

 the iH^cessary labour, such as cultivating, planting, tidying up, &c., than was the case 

 with the Botanist who had only one man whose time was fully occupied with the grass 

 and fodder experiments. 



In the first years of the farm work the insect enemies of the small grains demanded 

 much attention and a great deal of work in connection with the life-histories of these 

 insects was carried on and published in the annual reports. The enemies of fodder 

 crops were also studied at that time and good service was done in making known the 

 practical remedies for the Clover Seed Midge, the Pea Weevil, &c. Many growers 

 followed the instructions given and reaped great advantage. The Turnip Flea-beetle 

 was for a few years from 18S7 till about 1890, a very serious pest of the turnip grower, 

 two or three sowings being often necessary. After many experiments it was found 

 that the loss could be saved by what have now become the standard remedies for this 

 insect, viz.: dusting the young plants just after they come up with one pound of 

 Paris green in 50 lbs. of land plaster, and the agricultural remedy of sowing at such 

 date, about the middle of June, as will enable the young plant to make its true leaves 

 in between the broods of the beetle. When sown too early or too late the seed leaves 

 are destroyed to the great detriment of the crop. 



Insects of the vegetable garden were also studied on account of the great losses 

 due to the attacks of the White Cabbage Butterfly, root maggots, and various kinds 

 of cutworms. Practical remedies for all of these by which enormous savings may be 

 made have now been devised and are the common property of all who will consult the 

 reports of the Experimental Farms and make use of the suggestions there given. 



