1915 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 33 



prevent the introduction and spread of any serious insect pest. These powers were 

 secured by The Destructive Insect and Pest Act, and since its enactment regula- 

 tions have been passed which have as their direct object the prevention of the 

 introduction of the San Jose Scale, the Gipsy and Brown-tail Moths, Potato Tuber 

 Moth, Mediterranean Fruit Fly, and Woolly Aphis, and as their indirect objects 

 the prevention of the introduction and spread of numerous other insects whose 

 presence can be detected by inspection or death caused by fumigation. The passage 

 of this Act enabled us to add to the entomological staff gradually a number of 

 trained officers as Inspectors and Field Officers. Additional men have been 

 appointed on the outside staff in connection with the next important development 

 of the Dominion work. 



With so extensive a territory to serve involving a great diversity of climatic, 

 soil, topographic, and cultural conditions, with a pressing need for original 

 investigations by trained men of our more serious insect pests in the regions where 

 they occurred, involving the most important feature of all, namely, direct contact 

 with the men whose problems we were studying and whom we desired to assist, an 

 immediate extension of our work along definite and obvious lines was necessary; 

 field or regional laboratories in different parts of the country were required. The 

 first of these was established in the Niagara Peninsula in 1911 for the study of 

 fruit insects. Additional field stations have been established each year until there 

 are now nine stations from the Atlantic to the Pacific* each in charge of a trained 

 entomologist, and the problems that are being studied cover the whole nange of 

 applied entomology. 



The value of the work of the Dominion field officers in various parts of Canada 

 cannot be overestimated. In most cases they are carrying on pioneer work, studying 

 problems in provinces in which no previous entomological investigations have been 

 carried on, and thus assisting in a most highly important manner in the develop- 

 ment of entomological work in hitherto neglected fields. Such missionary work is 

 undoubtedly the most necessary and at the same 'time the most valuable kind of 

 endeavour to which our efforts can be devoted, and great credit is due to the men 

 who are ploughing the virgin soil. 



As a result of this development along special lines hoth in regard to adminis- 

 trative work and the investigation of entomological problems the Entomological 

 Service was separated from the Experimental Farms Branch in April last and 

 raised to the status of an independent Branch of the Department of Agriculture. 

 The sanction of Parliament to increased appropriations, which are now more in 

 accord with the needs of the country, is encouraging evidence of a desire to afford 

 the means whereby the entomological service of the Dominion shall be in a better 

 position to meet the requirements of the situation. Our greater ability to assist 

 the agriculturists, foresters and others demanding our help in preventing: the in- 

 troduction of insect pests, and in controlling by natural and artificial means the 

 spread of those already within our borders, has been the stimulating factor in our 

 development, and I venture to think that the grounds for Dr. Bethune's earlier 

 reproach which I have quoted have been already removed. 



*The Dominion Entomological Field Stations are established at the following points: 

 Bridgetown; N.S.; Fredericton, N.B.; Covey Hill, Que.; Vineland Station, Ont.; Strath- 

 roy, Ont.; Treesbank, Man.; Lethbridge, Alta.; Agassiz, B.iC.; Vancouver, B.C. 



