130 THE EEPOKT OF THE No. 36 



sections farmers had to abandon their farms on account of the repeated total 

 destruction of their crops by locusts, and the number of abandoned farms in 

 some parishes caused serious apprehension. We have been carrying on experiments 

 in the control of locusts by means of poisoned baits and decided to carry on the 

 work on a larger scale during the past season. In certain parishes we were 

 fortunate in having the co-operation of the parish priests, who were of great 

 assistance in bringing about co-operative effort on the part of the farmers. We 

 have been able to demonstrate to those farmers the value of poisoned baits and 

 the change that has been wrought is most satisfactory. Serious losses year after 

 year had disheartened these farmers to the extent in many cases of compelling 

 them to abandon their farms as I have remarked. Now they have found the 

 means of controlling the locusts at a comparatively low cost and of saving their 

 crops, and the saving in the aggregate has been very great during the past season. 

 The farmers have not only returned to their farms, but those who had remained, 

 although disheartened, now see a brighter prospect and will improve their farms 

 on account of the possibility of removing the cause of the depression. 



Mr. Strickland described to us yesterday his work on the control of Cut- 

 worms in Alberta, and I do not think that this subject requires further discussion 

 on my part. He described very clearly how by his investigations and demonstra- 

 tions to the farmers he was able to prevent serious losses which otherwise would 

 have occurred in Southern Alberta. 



I have only mentioned a few cases. In such manner our work has been of 

 direct assistance in the movement for increased production. Similar work has 

 been carried out at all our field laboratories and from headquarters, and each 

 of the Provincial Departments of Agriculture who maintain an entomological staff 

 has been increasing the activity in their efforts. 



This increased assistance has created a greater demand for such assistance 

 and we are now finding that as the farmers and fruit-growers realize that this 

 work has been done for their direct benefit there is an increased call for assistance. 

 It is the creation of that demand which will enable us to carry out to a greater 

 degree the objects we are striving to obtain, namely: to bring ourselves in touch 

 with a larger number of people whom we are able to assist by the information 

 we are securing. All must feel that we are making the best use of our abilities 

 in this time of great crisis. 



During the past year we have discovered several new pests in Canada. Pro- 

 bably the most important of these is the Pear Thrips, T ceniotlirips pyri, which 

 Ht. Treherne reported from the Victoria district on Vancouver Island, British 

 Columbia. The serious nature of this pest will be realized from the fact that in 

 California it is estimated to cause an annual loss of about ten million dollars on 

 prunes alone. At present it appears to be confined to a very small territory 

 near Victoria, but we fear its spread to other sections. Mr. Treherne also re- 

 ported the occurrence of the Currant Bud Moth, Eriophyes rihis, at Duncans on 

 Vancouver Island in British Columbia. This pest has evidently been imported 

 from Great Britain, where it is one of the worst pests of black currants occurring 

 there, as I know from personal experience. Every step will be taken to prevent 

 the spread of these two new and serious fruit pests. 



We referred, in our session yesterday morning, to the increased organization 

 of entomology which had taken place in Canada and I spoke of the formation 

 of the Entomological Society of Nova Scotia, for the organization of which great 

 credit is due to Professor Brittain. Before the outbreak of war the Council of 

 your Society had under consirleration the improvement of the organization of 



