14 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



cheap, readable and concise, sufficiently illustrated, and systematically arranged. It contained 

 descriptions of larvfe, pupte, and perfect insects, with the dates of their appearance and the 

 localities, known to the author, in which they could be found. It also gave the names of the 

 food-plants of the larvte. 



In 1859 Dr. Breckenbridge Clemens wrote to Stainton from Easton, Pennsylvania, and 

 •said : " With us (in America) everything has yet to be done." He also told of efforts that the 

 authorities of the Smithsonian Institution were about to put forth ; and he predicted a bright 

 future for American entomology. His prediction has been amply fulfilled. 



In all probability Stainton's work was well known to the founders of our own society which 

 is now in the 38th year of its existence, and which has done so much good. Some of the ori- 

 ginal members of the society are still among us. Long may they live ; and may their influence 

 be felt in ever-widening circles ! 



I do not doubt that there are many to-day, especially among the young, who are, as yet, 

 mere collectors. They stand, so to speak, within the vestibule of the Palace of Science, and 

 they should receive a hearty welcome, and be encouraged to go forward, for there are noble 

 apartments, well-furnished, open before them, and the farther they go the better they will be 

 entertained . 



The collector will soon wish to leavn the Jiames of his captures, and then the proper posi- 

 tion of each with regard to the others, and so Systematic Entomology will engage his atten- . 

 tion. I would, therefore, urge parents and teachers to encourage a taste for Natural History 

 in the young people under their care ; and I would adopt the words of Warwick James Price 

 and say, Here's to the school-boy — 



" Who one day in seven , 



Slips off to the country to find it a heaven. 

 And reads in the sunshine, the fields and the brooks, 

 A wisdom the truest, not printed in books."* 



The tyro in entomology in this city has a very great advantage in being able to examine 

 the Society's collections, in which a vast number of our Canadian insects are correctly arranged 

 in their orders, tribes, families and genera, and are beautifully kept by our curator, Mr. Alston 

 Moffat. 



But I need not say that the Entomological Society of Ontario has far higher objects in view 

 than those that appertain to Recreative Entomology and Systematic Entomology, Let any 

 one examine its thirty-one annual reports, and he will find that what is known as Practical or 

 Economic Entomology has received from it a vast amount of attention. It has investigated the 

 habits and traced the life- histories of creatures that affect our growing crops, our stores and 

 home-supplies, our live-stock, and our domestic and personal comfort ; and it has spread most 

 valuable information as to the best methods of dealing both with our insect friends and insect 

 foes. There is much that comes under the head of Practical or Economic Entomology to inter- 

 est us all. 



The subject of the Agency of Insects in the Fertilization of Blossoms has been brought be- 

 fore us by such writers as Percy Groom and Grant, Allen ; and many interesting enquiries in 

 this direction present themselves. For example : How is it that the Quebec farmers have to 

 send elsewhere for their Red Clover Seed ? They can grow fine crops of Red Clover hay— why 

 do they not raise the seed ? The answer may be given as follows : — 



The insect that affects the fertilization of the Red Clover is the Humble Bee. On the ap- 

 proach of Winter all the Humble Bees perish, except one or two impregnated females from 

 every nest. These creep into snug refuges and hibernate. The winters in Quebec are severe, 

 and linger long ; and the few Humble Bees that survive them do not commence operations till 



* "The Munsey," July nnmber, 1896. 



