REPORT 



OF THB 



ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST 



(James Fletcher, LL.D., F.R.S.C, F.L.S.) 



Dr. W. Saunders, 



Director, Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to hand you herewith a report on some of the most import- 

 ant subjects which have been brought officially under my notice during the past season. 



Many other subjects which have required attention have already been treated of 

 at sufficient length for present purposes in former reports of the Division, or are as yet 

 incomplete. The correspondence during the year has been large and of a varied char- 

 acter. There were 1,920 letters received and 2,110 sent out. During the past year I 

 have had several opportunities of attending meetings in different parts of Canada, and 

 of studying in the field some of the important problems connected with the protection 

 of crops from their insect and fungous enemies. 



The experiments with grasses and fodder plants, native and exotic, have been con- 

 tinued and have proved of great interest to visitors. This part of the work of the division 

 is in the charge of Mr. Berthold Nothnagel, who has shown great interest in his work 

 and is untiring in his efiorts to explain to all comers the value and nature of the expe- 

 riments which are being carried on. 



The Awnless Brome Grass having proved to be very successful in all parts of the 

 Dominion, about 600 1-pound samples were last spring sent out to farmers in all the 

 provinces. Such reports as hav^e been received up to the present are, almost without 

 exception, enthusiastic in their praises of this valuable grass. A special interest has 

 been added to it lately by the discovery that it is particularly well suited for cultiva- 

 tion on alkaline patches where little else will grow. 



During the year several thousands of specimens of plants and insects have been 

 sent in for identification from naturalists in all parts of the Dominion. From these col- 

 lections several valuable additions have been made to the Experimental Farm museum. 



Meetings. — Whenever pfficial duties would permit of my absence, every opportunity 

 has been taken of attending farmers' meetings to meet farmers and to deliver addresses 

 on the work of the Division. 



In January last I attended the convention of the Eastern Dairymen's Association 

 at Brockville, Ont., from 6th to 8th of January. The following week I went to St. Mary's, 

 Ont., and was present at the convention of the Creameries Association, lith to 16th of 

 January. From 20th of January to February 2nd I was in Nova Scotia and New Bruns- 

 wick, attending meetings of farmers and fruit growers. The annual meeting of the 

 Fruit Growers' Association of Nova Scotia was held at Wolfville on 20th and 21st of Jan- 

 uary. The annual meeting of the Nova Scotia Farmers' Association was attended at 

 Middleton on 26th, 27th and 28th. On my way back to Ottawa I stayed off at Sussex, 



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