40 THE EEPORT OF THE No. 36 



Latchewan, and combined with the bo4;anical work such entomological propaganda 

 as he was aible, all enquiries respecting the control of insect pests being referred 

 to him. 



In the Province of Alberta there existed some years ago the North-West Ento- 

 mological Society, which had for one of its objects the dissemination among the 

 agriculturists of information relating to the control of insect pests, and its Presi- 

 dent, Mr. P. B. G-regson, of Waghorn, was particularly active in this aspect of th6 

 Society's work. I do not think the society exists at the present time, although 

 there are several entomologists in the province, of whom Mr. F. H. Wolley-Dod 

 is well known on account of his work in ]S[octuida\ The Provincial Department 

 of Agriculture of Alberta has not taken any steps in the direction of educational 

 or other work regarding the control of insect pests. 



No action has been taken by the Provincial Government of Prince Edward 

 Island regarding entomological work. 



In briefly touching upon the various phases of the progress of applied ento- 

 mology in the provinces nothing has been said concerning a numlber of agencies 

 not entomological, all of which have helped in the general development of ento- 

 mological work among the agriculturists. Such agencies are the Farmers' Insti- 

 tute meetings, agricultural fairs, demonstration orchards, district representatives, 

 the more recent "Better Farming" special trains; all of these varied activities, 

 tlirough the zeal of those who have charge, have and will have in an increasing 

 measure a potent influence in developing our science. 



No one is more conscious of the rambling nature of the foregoing account 

 than its writer, but if the description appears to lack co-ordination, like the soli- 

 tary efforts of those who have been the jjioneers in our work in Canada, you cannot 

 fail to observe the single motive which runs through all the efforts — an unquenchable 

 desire to place scientific knowledge at the disposal of those who will profit by its 

 application to the advantage of the country at large. Entomologists are sometimes 

 wont to resolve themselves into two main classes: the systematists, who collect and 

 classify, and the economic entomologists, who study how to control species affect- 

 ing man in his varied activities. Occasionally I have heard the former section 

 speak somev/h.at disparagingly, even scornfully of those who apply their knowledge 

 to every day life; on the other hand, a reversal of such opinions is sometimes 

 heard. We reed not concern ourselves with the opinions of those who collect 

 insects as they would stamps or ohina, but T would remind those systematists who 

 are inclined to hold aloof from the practical application of their science that to 

 the work of economic entomologists they owe almost entirely that large measure 

 of respect with which entomologists and entomological work is now regarded by 

 the general public. The prevention and eradication of diseases carried by insects 

 and the control of insects which liave devastated our forests and crops and de- 

 populated whole districts is regarded as work indispensable to national develop- 

 ment. Such work has led people to appreciate the value of entomological work 

 to humaniiy at large, and incidentally to recognize that there is no ground for 

 ihe assumption that a man with a net is to be pitied, or, as in one instance that 

 came to my knowledge, confined to the local gaol as insane. Applied entomology 

 is, as its name a5>plies, science with practice. It was preceded by the study of the 

 science for its own sake, and such a study must necessarily furnish the basis for 

 all entomological work tliat is to }>e of practical value. The pioneer- of applied 

 entomologv in Canada were all men who loved the science of entomology primarily 

 for its own sake, and not on account of the practical value of the knowledge they 



