1904 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 27 



and insect investigation in Assiniboia; he is an enthusiastic and capable 

 man in his department, and an excellent collector. He has helped special- 

 ists in Entomology very much by procuring varieties, havjng, for instance, 

 been the discoverer of Apantesis Quensctllii, var. turbans. 



Mr. Willing was educated in Ontario, and then went to the Northwest 

 where he spent ten years on a farm and in ranching. He thus acquired 

 a thorough knowledge of the country and became well prepared for his 

 duties as inspector of weeds and insects throughout the Territory. Hap- 

 pily in that part of the Dominion the farmers are ready to accept and profit 

 by the methods taught them by their instructors. In Ontario, on the con- 

 trary, the farmers have little respect for Entomologists and do not appreci- 

 ate the value of their suggestions. The Northwest settlers came to the 

 meetings from all directions to hear what he and Mr. Willing had to tell 

 them and were anxious to learn all they eould regarding such matters 

 as the proper methods of fallowing, times for sowing, means of fighting 

 weeds and insects, etc. He met with many young men in the Northwest 

 who had come from the older Provinces with the intention of spending a 

 year or two in the new country. It usually ended in their remaining there, 

 and in almost every case they were doing well. Among these men he found 

 a keen appreciation of this scientific work, and an eagerness to learn all 

 they could about it. The farmers generally derived much benefit from the 

 very good work that Mr. Willing was carrying on. He was also advanc- 

 ing the knowledge of plants and birds and insects in the schools, building 

 up the Natural History Society, and in one way and another developing 

 scientific methods and causing the farmers to adopt them. Dr. Fletcher 

 concluded by saying that he was anxious to let the Society know how valu- 

 able a work Mr. Willing was carrying on in the Northwest, and how much 

 it was appreciated there, and he also wished to express the gratification that 

 all the members present felt that Mr. Willing should have undertaken so 

 long a journey in order to participate in our annual meeting. 



INJURIOUS INSECTS OF THE SEASON 1904. 



Bt Prof. W. Lochhead, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. 



It is clear that the damage done by insects in 1904 has been below 

 normal. The Pea Weevil, the Hessian Fly, and the Codling Moth, which 

 wrought much damage in previous years, have not been very much in evi- 

 dence this season. The causes which operated in the controlling of insect 

 pests are difficult to understand. So far as 1903 and 1904 are concerned, 

 however, we feel pretty certain that the climatic factors have had very much 

 to do with the control of the number of injurious insects. The summers 

 were cold and wet, which condition acts strongly on larval life. Sudden 

 changes of temperature and moisture are very hurtful to larval existence, 

 and it would seem that these causes were the main ones in controlling the 

 injurious insects this season. 



Insects of the Orchard. 



Our Fruit Station experimenters do not report much injury from fruit 

 insects this season. As a rule they term it an "off year". From Trenton, 

 Mr. Dempsey reports that the Green Apple Aphis, the Pear-tree Psylla, the 

 Plum Curculio, and the Codling Moth could readily be found, but no seri- 



