14^ The yoiii'nal of Forestry. 



tioned have been much investigated, and are well understood by 

 scientific men, but they require the co-operation and combined 

 action of all nations to thoroughly stamp them out of civilization. 



However, there are enormous damages committed witliin the limited 

 area of the British Isles, and which more immediately concern us, by 

 insects that are quite as injurious to the plants they infest as any of 

 those voracious pests from which our colonies and foreign coun- 

 tries suffer so terribly. It is perhaps only now and again that any 

 particular insect becomes so numerous and deadly in its ravages as 

 to draw public attention to it, and, generally speaking, the amount of 

 ignorance upon the subject of insects and their habits amongst those 

 who have the care and cultivation of plants is truly astounding, when 

 we consider that the possession of a thorough knowledge of a plant's 

 enemies is so often of vital importance to its successful and profitable 

 cultivation. No doubt, some, such as gardeners, have profited by 

 experience, and are fairly well informed upon the nature and habits 

 of the noxious insects which infest "their crops, and when their plants 

 are attacked they are in general quite prepared to promptly apply 

 a safe and sure remedy : but the matter is very different with the 

 general run of farmers and foresters, who are notoriously deficient in 

 even the rudiments of a knowledge of such things ; for what reason 

 it is not easy to form a conjecture. It cannot be the importance of 

 gardening over the other kindred arts, as on that point we should ima- 

 gine they stand on a level ; neither can it be the comparative value of 

 the crops under the care of the farmer and forester, because these are 

 usually of much more value and consequence to their owners than 

 any garden crop grown in the open air; and we are unwilling to attri- 

 bute it to either wilful neglect or gross carelessness on their part ; so 

 that we must set it down to a want of opportunity of being tez^z/A^ to 

 know better. 



Y\o\\\ an intimate knowledge of both farmers and foresters, we are 

 aware, and must injustice say, that there is fast springing up amongst 

 them a strong desire to improve themselves upon this and all other 

 scientific matters connected with their daily vocations, and it only 

 requires the institution of proper scientific schools of agriculture and 

 forestry to give them an opportunity, of which they would only be 

 too glad to avail tliemselves, to acquire a thorough knowledge of the 

 science, as well as the practice, of both professions. 



The present movement against insects injurious to crops was 

 inaugurated at a special meeting of the Society of Arts, held on the 

 5th of June, at whicli there v\'as a large attendance of agriculturists 

 and others interested in the subject, and over which the Duke of 

 Buccleuch, one of the most experienced noblemen and extensive 

 landed proprietors in the country, appropriately presided. 



