38 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



rious forms, but it must be confessed that the number of such cases is remark- 

 ably small. Too frequently in popular talks and newspaper articles the ex- 

 ceptional cases are referred to at such length and in such terms, that the 

 impression given is that all injurious forms can be controlled in such a man- 

 ner. So far is it contrary to the facts of the case that man must depend 

 largely upon other means of saving his crops. I do not wish to leave the 

 impression that parasitic and predaceous insects do not perform a very im- 

 portant function in holding injurious forms in check. I know that facts 

 point otherwise, but we must not fold our arms and lull ourselves by the sweet 

 Cflusion that all will be well with our crops, for the parasites will look after 

 the insects which would do injury. 



Reference must be made to the great interest that has arisen with regard 

 to Mosquitoes and the Cotton Boll-weevil across the border. With regard to 

 the latter insect, we Canadians, can do nothing directly, as cotton is not 

 grown within our borders, but we should not be uninterested spectators in a 

 struggle against an insect which threatens the cotton industry of the United 

 States. We have cotton mills in Canada, and are dependent to a large extent 

 for our raw supplies on the »Southern States. A reduction of the cotton crop 

 there would mean a rapid rise in the price of cotton goods in this country. 

 We also know that Great Britain would suSer very heavily by a shortage of 

 the cotton crop in the United States. 



The Department of Entomology at Washington has been called upon for 

 help in the fight with the Cotton-Boll-Weevil, and Dr. Howard is now con- 

 ducting the campaign. A large appropriation has been placed at his dis- 

 posal, and the outlook is quite encouraging. 



It has been shown that with new cultural methods the weevil can be con- 

 trolled. That the apparent evil may turn out a blessing is very probable. 

 It may lead to a better system of cotton growing, which is desirable in many 

 parts of the South. \ 



The Mosquito question is one that is largely discussed in the Eastern and 

 Rputhern Atlantic States, for these troublesome pests have always been most 

 annoying and deadly in the neighborhood of the Great Cities of the coast. 

 The Entomologists have shown by patient investigation that malaria and yel- 

 low fever are due to the bites of certain mosquitoes, viz., Anopheles puncti- 

 pennis and Stegomyia fnsciata. In the case of malaria the insect becomes 

 infected by sucking the blood from an infected human being. The malarial 

 organism, having thus entered the stomach of the mosquito, passes through 

 certain changes of its existence in the body of the insect, and at the end of 

 about eight days reaches the poison gland. After this time, if the mosquito 

 bites another human being, the malarial organism is introduced into the cir- 

 culation of the latter, and malarial fever follows. The organism causing 

 malarial fever (the Plasmodium malaria) is the true parasite, and so far ^s 

 we know finds the conditions necessary for its existence only in the human 

 blood and this species of mosquito. 



On to the relation between Yellow Fever and Stegomyia fasciata, I need 

 not now enter into a discussion, for Dr. Howard dealt very fully with this 

 subject in his address at our last Annual Meeting at Ottawa. 



Although the Yellow Fever Mosquito is not with us, the Malarial Mos- 

 quito, and several other species are far too common in early summer in some 

 localities, where they make life a burden by their continuous tormenting 

 stings. (Fig. 7). Individually and as a Society we might do much to im- 

 prove the conditions of living in mosquito-infested districts. We might 

 emulate our friends across the line and form a Mosquito Extermination So- 

 ciety. This Society should enlist in its membership all persons interested 



