191 



than usual, arid a new attack upon tomatoes was obser^'cd by Mr, W. J. Baj-lay, 

 of New Edinburgh, in which the plants were cut oif by being girdled by the 

 punctures of the Buffalo Tree-hopper (Ceresa bubalus.) 



Some injuries reported to have been done to potatoes by the Colorado Potato-bug 

 in the west proved to be due to two of the Blister-beetles {Epicauta Fennsylvanica, 

 De G,), in Manitoba and Epicauta maculata (Say), in British Columbia. This hitter is 

 a very serious pest. Mr. C. F. Cornwall writes from Ashcroft, B.C. : " I send you 

 epecimens of what we call the grey beetle. It is a most destructive insect pest in 

 this neighbourhood, generally putting in an appearance by the middle of May and 

 lasting till the middle of August. It an-ive;< in enormous numbers very suddenly. 

 In cool weather it is sluggish, and can be brushed from the vegetation into an old 

 coal-oil tin or other receptacle. It is only in this way that it can be prevented from 

 regularly eating up such things as beet-root, spinach, Windsor beans, potatoes, &c. 

 I have seen many acres of field potatoes with the haulms actually stripped of every 

 green leaf by this beetle." 



Hops in Prince Edward county were attacked by a species of Gortyna, the eggs 

 of which are laid on the young shoots, and the young caterpillars after a while drop 

 to the ground and attack the plant at the collar, just beneath the surface of the 

 soil. I am now at work on this peat with the valuable assistance of Mr. S. J. Cotter, 

 of Norfchport. The Hop Aphis occurred in small numbers in Ontario and up the 

 Fraser River in British Columbia. 



A new pest of turnips and radishes in the North -West Territories and Manitoba 

 I have reported on at length in another page of this report. 



Some false reports with regard to the supposed danger of spraying with Paris 

 Green I have thought it well to notice, and Mr. Shutthas kindly analysed with great 

 care some apples procured for the purpose, which prove conclusively that there is no 

 danger in this practice; but, on the contrarj', great advantage to both the grower 

 and the conyumer of fruits. Many of the pests of the orchard and garden can be kept 

 in check only by this useful, cheap and well-known material. With proper care 

 there need be vevy little danger in any wa}^ from its use ; and from its possible absorb- 

 tion by any plant there certainly is none whatever. It has been found useful during 

 the past year, not only in fighting the innumerable orchard pests, but has been used on 

 a most extended scale in the State of Massachusetts, where a moth introduced twenty 

 years ago as a producer of silk, and known as the Gypsy moth, has gradually increased 

 until it has now spread over about 50 square miles as a perfect scourge. The Govern- 

 ment of the State has appointed a commission to try and exterminate this pest, 

 and in 1890 appropriated $50,000. In 1891 the work was put under the direction 

 of a competent entomologist, Prof. Fernald, and further large appropriations of 

 money were made. Prof. Fernald writes to me that the work is going on very 

 satisfactorily, and that the State is making a magnificent fight with this moth, and 

 that they have the advice of the ablest and wisest entomologists in the country. Up 

 to the present the appropriations voted by the State of Massachusetts since 1890 

 amount to $175,000. 



The value of Paris Green as an insecticide is now recognized all the world over, 

 and it is largely used in England, Germany, France, Australia and India. 



DIVISION OF BOTANY. 



Some work has been done during the year in augmenting the number of shrubs 

 «nd trees in the arboretum and in growing native plants from seed. A mngnificent 

 collection of seeds of wild plants from the Norlh-West Tei-ritories has been 

 received from Mr. T. N. Willing, of Calgary, N.W.T.; and Dr. J. E. White, of 

 Toronto, has also sent seeds of many rare plants fo^nd in Ontario. Mr. J, R. Ander- 

 son, statistician of the Department of Agriculture in British Columbia, has sent a 

 collection of living roots of ferns from his province, and has also rendered muct 

 assistance in sending me specimens and information concerning injurious insects. 

 Prof. Macoun has again sent some seeds of rare plants for cultivation. Some of the 

 above were sown last autumn and the rest will be planted this spring. 



Fungous diseases have received such attention as I could find time for The 

 ammoniacal solution of Copper Carbonate was found perfectly satisfactory lor the 



