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available for all. Such a bond I believe we have in the Association of Economic Ento- 

 mologists, whose members have an opportunity of meeting once a year a large number of 

 colleagues working in the same field, but upon different lines, with whom they can com- 

 pare experiences and particularly can discuss any difficulties which may have arisen in 

 the prosecution of their work during the year. 



It is for this special reason that ^ set so much value upon an informal style of meeting, 

 where the Association can, as it were, go into committee and a member can not- only bring 

 specimens for exhibition or identification, but can ask as many short questions as he likes 

 and receive answers at once, together with opinions and comments, if necessary, from all 

 present. Methods of applying and the most advantageous materials and proportions to 

 be used in the manufacture of insecticides, the discussion of new discoveries either of 

 materials or apparatus which may have come prominently before the public during the 

 year, the most convenient modes of collecting, mounting and preserving material for 

 study — all these seem to me to be subjects particularly appropriate for discussion before 

 our association, concerning which, too, information is so badly needea now that the very 

 progress of the science is seriously impeded by the want of it and which I think can not 

 so well be brought up before any other existing body. Now these matters, although small 

 in themselves, when neglected become ot great iraportance, from the negative results which 

 come out of them. I therefore took the liberty ot addressing a circular to each member of 

 the Association as well as to all economic entomologists of whom I could find the postal 

 addresses, requesting them to come to this meeting prepared to derive the greatest possible 

 advantage from intercourse with the eminent entomologists resident at Washington and 

 those others who would surely be gathered together here ; also at the same time to try to 

 make the meeting enjoyable to others by favoring us with short notes of their operations 

 during the year. 



I am pleased to announce that one of our foreign members, Miss Ormerod, has sent 

 us an interesting account of her work during the past year which will be read during the 

 meeting. 



Thanks to the kindness of Professor Eiley and the trouble taken by our secretary, Mr. 

 Howard, arrangements have been made that the visiting entomologists may take the great- 

 est advantage of the opportunities afi'orded by the meeting being held at Washington, and 

 I would suggest that all should impr ve this opportunity by examining and above all by 

 taking copious notes of the various entomological machines, so many of which 

 have originated in the Division of Entomology, under Professor Riley. To-morrow 

 a certain time will be devoted to the discussion of in.secticides and the machin- 

 ery for their application. I am convinced, af terj many failures, that success in treating 

 in.sects just as much depends upon having the proper apparatus as upon the insecticide 

 used, and I draw your attention now to this subject because of the exceptional advantages 

 offered here, not only from having the machines to examine, but also the able members of 

 the staff to explain their uses. For my own part I have found it quite impossible to judge 

 of and compare the merits of these, in many cases, expensive machines, by simply reading 

 the available descriptions, and I think we should make the most of this opportunity. My 

 only regret is that every economic entomologist in the country is not present. You will 

 see by the printed programme which has been submitted to you that there are papers up- 

 on many important subjects and arrangements have been made by which our meetings 

 shall not clash with those of either of the other bodies before which entomological papers 

 are to be read, so that there is nothing to prevent members wishing to do so from being 

 present at the reading of all these papers during this week. By a mutual arrangement with 

 the president of the Entomological Club of the A. A. A. S. authors have been requested to 

 submit papers of economic interest to this Association, whilst those of a scientific or syste- 

 matic nature will come before the club or the section of biology. 



I trust, gentlemen, I may not be considered presumptuous if I make use of the oppor- 

 tunity which you forced upon me when you elected me to this honourable position at the last 

 annual meeting, to lay before you some ideas which have occurred to me by which we can 

 make our work more useful and also secure better facilities for making it popular through- 

 out the country. Why is it that the botanist, the chemist and the geologist do not elicit 



