64 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO 



the most complete in Canadian species which hasf ever been^brcught together. When 

 this collection is returned, it will become the nucleus of a collection at the Central 

 Experimental Farm at Ottawa. 



THE FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OJ THE;^ ASSOCIATION ^F ECONOMIC 



ENTOMOLOGISTS.* 



The fifth annual meeting of the Association of ' Economic^Entomologists was held at 

 Madison, Wisconsin, in the Science Hall of the University of Wisconsin, on August 14, 

 15 and 16, 1893. 



Sixteen members were present, as follows : President, S. A. Forbes ; Second Vice- 

 President, J. B. Smith ; Secretary, H. Garman; J. M. Aldrich, G. F. Atkinson, G. C. Davis, 

 C. P. Gillette, A. D. Hopkins, L. O. Howard, M. E.'TMurtfeldt, H. Osborn, C. V. Riley, 

 P. H. Rolfs, H. E. Summers, F. M. Webster and H. E. Weed A number of visitors 

 and members of other scientific associations were present during the sessions, making 

 rather a large attendance. 



The following papers were presented, among them several][from foreign entomologists, 

 and the discussions were of the greatest interest. 



The annual address of President S. A. Forbes reviewed the 115 economic articles 

 containing new matter published by members of the association since the last meeting. 

 These articles he grouped by subjects and by nature of outcome, thus .giving an admirable 

 idea of the work of the year in shape for the drawing of conclusions. He called attention 

 to a narrowness of view and consequent inadequacy in the treatment of general questions, 

 due to the want of comprehensive organization and systematic co operation. In his 

 opinion the methods of publication and enforcement of results now in general use, fall far 

 short of their final end. As a result the farmer has not responded to the suggestions of 

 the investigating entomologist as might be anticipated. He suggested that more attention 

 might be paid to describing the effects of insect work than to the insects themselves, 

 subordinating the account of the insects. He insisted that instead of making an entomol- 

 ogist of the farmer we should make a farmer of the entomologist. He suggested 

 distinguishing between the temporary and permanent presentation of facts in economic 

 publications, advising the preparation of special economic summaries or monographs of 

 all insects injuries to each of the various crops, and printing and distributing these 

 summaries in great numbers. Cooperation in this particular line was urged. Addresses 

 to Farmers' Institutes should be accompanied by a printed resume to be distributed among 

 those present. 



** But now," to quote the language of the address, " supposing full and accurate in 

 formation widely disseminated and in the actual possession of those for whom it is especi- 

 ally designed, we have next the most difficult tank of all ; to make sure that it will be prac- 

 tically applied. What shall we do and what advise to secure a common action in accord- 

 ance with known and admitted facts ? Shall we leave this to the individual and to the 

 coercion of neighborhood opinion, or, these failing, shall we look to the law and to agencies 

 established under the law 1 In short, are we practically individualists or socialists in our 

 leanings ? The official entomologist, I need hardly say, need not shrink from the word 

 socialism, for as a Government official be is himself a socialistic product ; as much so as 

 the experiment station or the public school. Without attempting here to debate so large 

 a question, I venture to express my own opinion that v<^e should look to the law and to 

 some regularly established system of inspection and penalty enforced by law to supple- 

 ment the spontaneous agencies of society where these fail to protect the industrious and 

 intelligent against the destructive consequences of neglect on the part of the idle and the 



*Through the kindness of Mr. L. 0. Howard, of the Division of Entomology, Department of Agricul- 

 ture, Washington, D.C., who has furnished us with an abstract of the official minutes and also proofs of 

 the full report, prepared for Jnsect Life, we are enabled to give this account ot the meeting, together with 

 some of the most generally interesting papers.— Ed. 



