CONVENTION OF AMERICAN A(}KI('ULTTJKAL COLLEGES, 383 



the iiit'thods uned on lu'ld und >j,ardt'ii ('r(ii>s arc nut prolitablr. The most inipoi-tant 

 |)oiiit is that the methods sliould l)e inexpensive, and fortunately sucli methods have 

 l)eeu found in tlie control of certain forest insects, especially insects injurious to tan 

 hark. Trees infested with the pine-bark beetle should be cut between (lctoV)er and 

 May. In the control of forest insects tjood results may be had from trirdling trees 

 to serve as trap trees. 



The importance of laboratory and field \v<jrk in economic entomohjgy was em})ha- 

 sized by E. P. Felt, who argued in favor of accurate laboratory experiments, by 

 means of Mhich many details of life history and habits may be worked out more sat- 

 isfactorily than under field conditions. All methods of investigation, however, 

 should be combined, and it was urged that the data obtained from untrained 

 observers may often prove quite reliable and valuable. The same speaker also 

 described several record devices, notably cards for recording data relating to speci- 

 mens, and arrangements for tiling entomological correspondence. 



C. ]M. Weed read a paper on Keeping Pvutomological Notes, descril)ing the usages 

 in vogue in New Hampshire, and exhibiting tile boxes for holding bottles of alco- 

 holic material, and also boxes for holding leaf galls and other coarser material. 



J. B. Smith read a paper on The New Jersey Ideal in the Study and Report upon 

 Injurious Insects. The speaker argued that farmers desire practical information, 

 and do not care for technical details. The entomological bulletins should be educa- 

 tional, l)ut should not contain material relating to synonymy or even descriptions of 

 new species. The feeding haliits of insects should be described, likewise the nature 

 of injury caused by them and the reason for the application of the recommended 

 treatment. Attention should also be called to the relation of the treatment to cultu- 

 ral methods and the life history of the insects. Laboratory results should be con- 

 firmed by field investigations. At the New Jersey Station no insectary is main- 

 tained; a few breeding cages are kept in the laboratory, but most observations are 

 made in the field. 



A. F. Burgess discussed the necessity of uniform methods of inspection of nursery 

 stock. Attention was called to the fact that the San Jose scale is the direct cause of 

 most inspection laws, and to the necessity of studying the source of infestation. 

 Infested city lots and neglected orchards frequently furnish great difficulties in the 

 control of the San Jose scale. Fumigation with hydrocyanic-acid gas was shown to 

 be perfectly effective in destroying the scale, and not injurious to fruit trees when 

 applied in the proper manner. Fumigation was hehl to l)e far more satisfactory than 

 inspection, since it is impossible to detect all cases of infestation by San Jose scale, 

 woolly aphis, or crown gall. The proportions of cyanid of potash, sulphuric acid, 

 an<l water used in various States were presented in statistical form and the 1:1:3 

 formula was recommended. 



SECTION ON COLLEGE WORK. 



In this section tw( > subjects were discussed : The Mission of the Land-Grant Colleges, 

 and Short Courses. The first subject was introduced by W. O. Thompson, of Ohio, 

 in a paper setting forth (1) the history of the movement bringing the land-grant col- 

 leges into existence, and (2) the writer's interpretation of the first and second Mor- 

 rdl Acts, based partly on the discussions in Congress l)earing on those acts. Briefly 

 stated, the writer's conclusions were that those favoring the establishment of the 

 land-grant colleges were of the opinion that some other form of education than the 

 classical may be liberal; that it was the intention of these men to give a liberal as 

 well as a practical education, implying that industrial education is liberal; that pre- 

 cedence was to l)e given always to agriculture and mechanic arts, and that military 

 instruction was intended to occupy a subordinate position. In his opinion the act 

 of ]8i)0 did not indicate a change of mind on tlie part of Congress regarding the 



