REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 159 



been devoted to clovers and other fodder plants; these lie immediately in front of 

 the poultry house. Early last spring a distribution of seeds of grasses for trial was 

 made to farmers in all parts of the Dominion : over 1,000 packets were sent out to 

 110 different individuals. With the seeds a letter of instructions was sent and a blank 

 form for filling in data as to lime of sowing, flowering, etc. I am sorry to say that 

 vei-y few reports have been so far received, which is much to be regretted; for 

 farmers all over Canada are buying large quantities of grass seed every year much 

 of which is quite useless to them. If these reports were made, we should have exact 

 data from all provinces which could be tabulated and would then be of great economic 

 value. 



A large addition has been made to the collection of plants in the Arboretum 

 and Botanical Garden, details of which will be found on page 34 of this report. 



There has been much correspondence concerning Weeds, particularly from the 

 North-west and Manitoba, where farmers seem to be alive to the importance of de- 

 stroying these agricultural marauders which drain the soil of its nourishment and 

 choko out the crop. A special collection, separate from the large hortus siccus, is 

 being prepared of the weeds of the farm, as well as a reference collection of the 

 seeds of weeds for examination and comparison. 



Meetings. — I have during the year attended nine agricultural meetings to deliver 

 addresses upon subjects connected with my department: — 



1. Dairymen's Association of Western Ontario, London, Ont. 



2. Farmers' and Dairymen's Association of New Brunswick, at Fredericton, N.B. 



3. Central Farmers' Institute, Toronto. 



4. Meeting of fruit growers of Lincoln Farmers' Institute, St. David's, Ont. 

 5-7. District of Bedford Dairymen's Association, Cowansville, Que., followed by 



two meetings of horticulturists on the following days at Knowlton and 

 Waterloo, Que. 



8. County of Carleton Farmers' Institute at March Corners, Ont. 



9. Township of Fitzroy Farmers' Institute at Galetta, Ont. 



Acknowledgments. — I beg again to express my thanks to my many correspon 

 dents who have rendered me much valuable assistance in making observations and 

 sending me prompt notice of the occurrence of injurious insects. I am more and 

 more convinced every year of the value of being in constant correspondence with 

 those actually engaged in the cultivation of the soil. If suggested remedies are suc- 

 cessful, the very best must be discovered and made known as widely and as quickly 

 as possible ; if they fail, the reason of this must be found out, and if useless, farmers 

 must be warned against them, so that neither labour, time nor money may be lost which 

 might be better employed. I have again to acknowledge many courtesies extended 

 and valuable reports received from colleagues, oflScial entomologists and botanists 

 in other countries, amongst whom I would particularly name Prof. Eiley, the 

 United States Entomologist; Miss E. A. Ormerod, of England ; Dr. J. A. Lintner, of 

 New York; Dr. J. Eitzema Bos, of Holland; Mr. P. Turner, of New South Wales, 

 and Mr. C. French, of Victoria, Australia. 



An object which has attracted much attention in my office is a wall case given 

 by Prof. Fernald, Secretary of the Massachusetts Gypsy Moth Committee, illustrating 

 by means of beautifully mounted specimens the life history of the Gypsy Moth 

 (Ocneria dispar, L.), which has been the cause of so much loss in the New England 

 States. 



For identification of difficult species I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness 

 to the following specialists: For Coleoptera, Mr. Albert Fauvel, of France, Dr. John 

 Hamilton, of Allegheny, Pa., Dr. George H. Horn, of Philadelphia, Pa., and Mr. W. 

 H. Harrington, of Ottawa; for Lepidoptera (Noctuidce) Prof. J. B. Smith, of New 

 Brunswick, N. J.; (^Microlepidoptera) Prof. C. H. Fernald, Amherst, Mass.; for 

 Coccidce, Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell, Las Cruces, New Mexico. 



For botanical specimens: Prof. J. Macoun, Ottawa; for microscopic fungi, Mr. 

 J. Dearness, of London, Ont., and Prof. B. D. Halsted, of New Brunswick, N. J. 



To all of whom I here respectfully tender my heartiest thanks. 



