15 



contains within its thirty pages a wonderful amount of conciso information regardin^j our 

 commonest insect pests and the best way to deal with them. If any intelligent farmer or 

 gardener will faithfully carry out the directions given, he will reap an abundant reward 

 in the saving of a very large percentage of his crops or I'ruits, and he will at the same 

 time gain a practical knowledge of insects that will stand him in good stead all the days 

 of his life. If Mr. Fletcher had done no other work, and we all know how much valuable 

 work he is always doing, the preparation of this little treatise would amply justify his 

 appointment as Dominion Entomologist. 



1 hope that I have not wearied you with so much pi actical entomology to-night, but 

 there is no doubt that our department of science is just now more concerned with eco- 

 nomic rather than with technical investigations. An evidence of this may be found ia 

 the record of the proceedings of the meeting of economic entomologists held at Wash- 

 ington in August last, under the presidency of our colleague, Mr. Fletcher. It was a 

 remarkable meeting, both as regards the number of distinguished scientists who were 

 present, and the ability and usefulness which characterised the large number of papers 

 read and the discussions that resulted from them. I trust that a full account will be 

 published in our forthcoming annual report. 



Since our last annual meeting many publications on economic entomology have been 

 issued fi-om the press, for the most part in the form of bulletins prepared by the ento- 

 mologists attached to the Experiment Stations in various States of the Union. They are 

 too numerous to mention in detail, but are always useful and interesting, and in many 

 cases most valuable contributions to the knowledge of the subject. The Division of 

 Entomology at Washington must not be overlooked when referring to work of this 

 kind. Besides the ])ublication of Insect Life, which is by far the best periodical of its 

 kind that we have ever seen, many valuable papers on both scientific and practical 

 entomology have been issued. 



About ten years ago (in 1881) what was then called the United States Entomo- 

 logical Commission, consisting of Mes.srs. Eiley, Packard and Thomas — three very emi- 

 nent men — issued a work by Dr. Packard on " Insects Injurious to Forest and Shade 

 Trees," (Bulletin No. 7), a goodly volume of 275 pages, well illustrated and replete 

 with valuable information. Recently a revised and much enlarged edition of this work 

 has been issued by the Department of Agriculture at Washington, bringing the original 

 work more nearly down to date, and furnishing, as far as is possible, a complete manual 

 on the subject. The new volume is more than three times the size of the former edi- 

 tion, consisting of no less than 950 pages, illustrated by over 300 wood-cuts and 40 

 plates, 12 of which are coloured. Some idea of the extent of the work, as well as of 

 the importance of the subject, may be formed when I mention that descriptions are 

 given of over 300 species of insects that affect the oak, and the names of nearly 150 

 more are mentioned ; 61 are described as attacking the elm., and 30 more mentioned ; 

 151 described that affect the pine, and a list of 20 more given; and so on for a large 

 number of other trees. Economic entomologists for the most part devote their atten- 

 tion to the insects that attack fruit trees, crops and vegetables, as these most directly 

 affect the public; but surely no more important matter can be studied than the preser- 

 vation of our forests, which are annually being depleted for the purposes of commerce, 

 as well as by fire and inrects. It is high time that more attention was paid to this 

 matter, and that people generally should be aroused to the dangers that will surely 

 result if we allow our country to be stripped of its woods and forests. In some coun- 

 tries of Europe, notably in Germany, a very rigid oversight of the forests is maintained 

 by the Government, and no wanton or careless destruction is permitted. In connection 

 with this, they encourage scientific men to devote their studies to the insect enemies of 

 the trees, and ar; a result some magnificent books have been published. Chief among 

 these are the grai:d work of Eatzeburg, and the perhaps less widely-known publications 

 of Kaltenbacb. Along side of these Dr. Packard's book will assuredly take its place. 



Miss £. A. Ormerod, we are happy to say, continues her valuable work in Eng- 

 land with unceasing devotion and industry. It is gratifying to know that the diffi'ulties 

 which led to her resignation of the oflSce of Consulting Entomologist to the Royal 



