10 THE REPORT OF THE 



No. 19 



«t>-operation were what was most needed in this matter, and, in the same way that farmers did 

 not nowadays thresh their own grain but had this done for them by men who made a special 

 business of doing it. he looked forward to the time when expert sprayers who knew their busi- 

 neas, would travel from place to place spraying orchards for the various insect enemies. By 

 this means, better work would be done and at a smaller cost than if each fruit grower did his own 

 work. Fruit growers must remember that :;he application of these remedies was no easy matter 

 which could be attended to by an untrained man. The Ohio and Ontario work were one huge 

 experiment which was being keenly watched by scientific men and political economists. It was 

 not a matter of the prosperity of a few individuals and the protection of their orchards, but of 

 the discovery of a practical means of saving one of the most important industries of the country. 

 This was not to be calculated by a few thousand dollars but by millions, as any one could see 

 who would consider the amount of capital invested in orchards in Canada and the United States 

 and then visit the dying neglected orchards. 



It was a matter of congratulation that Prof. Webster was present ; he is one of the most 

 kighly esteemed of the scientific workers in entomology in the world and has taken up this 

 matter ; nor was the Province of Ontario less fortunate. Mr. Fisher's enthusiasm and his 

 peculiar adaptability for the delicate and diflicult work which he had undertaken were appar- 

 ent to all. The speaker trusted that these gentlemen would continue their important 

 experiments in the directions which they had explained to him, and he felt convinced that 

 substantial advance would be the result of another year's investigations. The Society had 

 mvited Prof. Webster to be present ac this meeting, knowing that his advice and suggestions 

 would be of extreme value. Mr. Fisher has been for some years a member of our Society, and 

 we all know how reliable he is. 



Professor Webster, of Ohio, was next called upon to address the meeting. He said that 

 the problemthey had to solve in Ohio was exactly the same as in Ontario, and it was the most 

 tremendous the world had ever had to face as regards insects. He was constantly asked for a 

 dieap, easy and perfect remedy, but such was not to ba had ; however nearly it approached per- 

 fection it could not be easy nor could it be very cheap. Machinery was required which could 

 not be produced in a day, but would be the result of long-continued experiments and constant 

 smprovements. He had not yet been able to find a good sprayer ; the best so far made [it was 

 gratifying to hear] was made in London, Ontario, by the Spramotor Co., but it was capable of 

 improvement. In time, no doubt, we shall get what we want. It was the same with insecticides ; 

 we have not yet found out the very best materials and their combinations. 



We know that countries differ, and that fruits which flourish in one region cannot be suc- 

 cessfully grown in another. And so it is with insects ; they vary very much in numbers and in 

 mjuriousness in different localities ; some, for instance are destructive in Southern Ohio which 

 do no harm in the northern part of the State. What people expect us entomologists to do is to 

 provide them something that can be put in an orchard at no cost, and with no attention will kill 

 all the noxious insects and not affect the beneficial ones. 



(He then described the construction of fumigating houses, and stated that they liad made 

 4hem with slatted floors so that the deadly materials could be shoved under without danger.) 



In addition to good apparatus, trained men were also wanted in order to do the work 

 properly, just as skilled men were required for driving an engine. Such men should be provided 

 with good machinery and then go about the country. They could do the work far better and 

 much cheaper than untrained men ; there was an opening here for a paying occupation. And 

 it was one in which almost continual employment could be obtained ; for instance, in July there 

 would be the spraying of vineyards with Bordeaux mixture, later on the fall treatment for scale, 

 all winter the same treatments, in the spring spraying for codling-moth, plum curculio, etc., 

 then Bordeaux mixture, and so on — something to do nearly all the year round. 



