34 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



who know how much the safety of their crops depends upon the absence 

 of the ravages of the insect hosts, and who know that ' knowledge is power,' 

 will set themselves to work to obtain a practical knowledge of Entomology, 

 in order that, when they find their wheat or any other crop affected, they 

 may themselves be able to discover the cause of the injury, and apply the 

 proper remedy. The Entomological agriculturist who himself lives on the 

 spot, and sees the smitten crops day after day, will be far better able to 

 cure the disease (if the disease be a curable one) than the cleverest agri- 

 culturist knowing nothing of Entomology would be capable of doing, even 

 after consulting the cleverest Entomologist who knows nothing of agricul- 

 ture. It is a most necessary part of the education of the agriculturist, that 

 he should be well acquainted with Entomology, and know his friends from 

 his foes. Some assume that all insects are hostile, and are to be indiscri- 

 minately destroyed — about as sane a proceeding as though an ignoramus 

 Avere to pluck up his crop as soon as it appeared above ground, under the 

 impression that what was then making its appearance was only weeds. We 

 can hardly imagine that any one could possibly be so ignorant as this ; but 

 is the ignorance of those who destroy their insect friends one iota greater?" 



In 1862, when I was elected a corresponding member of the Entomo- 

 logical Society of Philadelphia, I communicated to Mr. Cresson, the 

 secretary, the importance of forming a cabinet of insect architecture in 

 connection with the extensive collections of the Society. I subsequently 

 wrote a short article on the importance of forming a collection of this 

 nature, and on the 6th May, 1863, Mr. Cresson wrote : " We have already 

 started our collection of insect architecture, and if you can contribute any 

 specimens to it we will be very thankful." And on the 15th June, 1863. 

 he further adds : " The cabinet of insect architecture recommended by 

 you has been fully started, and the progress already made bids fair for a 

 large collection." 



Now. 1 wish to urge the Entomological Society of Ontario to form a 

 similar collection, as it is a most instructive and useful branch of Entomo- 

 logy, serving, when the specimens are properly determined and named, to 

 trace the parent insect to its early mode of working, besides infusing a 

 more correct system of study, and arriving at facts. All the old Entomo- 

 logists took the greatest trouble and care in describing the habitations of 

 insects, and why should we. at this advanced age of Entomological science, 

 confine ourselves to the collecting and study of insects only. Systematists 

 may go on writing books describing insects, larvae, and their habitations 

 -and such, no doubt, are very proper and necessary but I hold that a 



