€8 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



unobtainable by most careful experiments made in New York ; while I have this season 

 proved, much to my dissatisfaction, that the reverse may be equally true, for I can not 

 secure the results in actual practice with bisulphide of carbon against cabbage maggots 

 which Mr. Slingerland obtained in his experiments. Yet Mr. Slingerland undoubtedly re- 

 corded only what he found, and sooner or later the reason for the failure in New Jersey 

 will be discovered. Each worker must therefore study his own field most carefully." 



He next took up the question of how to control the publication of entomological 

 matter in newspapers in order to prevent the dissemination of erroneous statements, and 

 mentioned the difficulties that he encountered in his efforts to do so. He then referred 

 to the impossibility of keeping track of everything that is published on economic ento- 

 mology, referring not only to bulletins and reports, but also to the articles published in 

 agricultural journals and newspapers, and asked whether there might not be some feasible 

 way of interchanging among the members of the Association, records of all articles con- 

 taining original or useful information. He also suggested that some arrangement should be 

 adopted for the interchange amongst the members of specimens of injurious insects and 

 their work, and also the formation of a central collection of economic entomology. 



He then dealt with the subject of legislation against insect pests and referred to the 

 difficulty of arousing public opinion sufficiently in order to secure action. He also dwelt 

 upon the importance of having some kind of inspection of trees and shrubs grown in 

 nurseries before they were sent broadcast over the country, 



" Perhaps I have spoken enough of problems and of difficulties — he went on to say — 

 and should mention some of the accomplishments, some problems solved. Unfortunately 

 there are none. Progress there has been in many directions, and of the most encouraging 

 kind, but no striking successes, no epoch-making discoveries. We have not yet suc- 

 ceeded, for instance, in dealing more satisfactorily with grasshoppers ; but it is decided 

 progress to learn that in a single State several hundred ' hopper-dozers ' are in use under 

 the direction of the entomologist and that the State has realized the importance and 

 necessity of this kind of work. Our good friend and fellow-member. Dr. Otto Lugger, 

 has certainly succeeded in securing respect for his profession and a reduction of his preach- 

 ings to practice. 



" Chinch bug work continues in a number of States; but we are not much nearer a 

 final decision concerning the actual value of the Sporotrichum as a destructive agent. 

 The chief objection to it seems to be that it requires the intelligent co-operation of the 

 weather to secure the best results, and the weather is notoriously unreliable except in so 

 far that you may count with reasonable certainty that it will not be as you want it. 



" In this very State of Massachusetts we have a striking example of a destructive 

 increase of an imported pest — the gypsy moth — and an interesting experiment in the 

 direction of its destruction by the State. There are to be two papers on this subject, I 

 am informed, and there will probably be a discussion on the principles concerned in the 

 matter of dealing with imported pests. But I will take the liberty of offering just a few 

 remarks here, not on the methods employed, but on the general principles involved. Un- 

 der our scheme of government the individual States jealously reserve to themselves all 

 matters of internal interest, and the Federal authorities are excluded from all save a 

 fairly well-determined class of subjects. But no State seems to owe any duty to its 

 neighbors, and Connecticut cannot force Massachusetts to protect it from an invasion by 

 any Massachusetts pest, nor can it claim damages for any resulting injury. Each State 

 is thrown upon its own resources for the protection of its own citizens. Connecticut took 

 no steps to restrain the spread of the pear midge, and New York and New Jersey, 

 though they are sufferers by the neglect, can make no complaint ; but these States 

 have in turn left the matter to individual effort, and Pennsylvania and Delaware, when 

 their turn comes, will most likely adopt the same policy of non-interference. There is 

 nothing, in other words, to prevent the spread of this insect over the entire United States 

 except the limitations imposed by nature itsel?. Just what they are remains to be seen. 



" Massachusetts owes no duty to other States to protect them from the gypsy moth. 

 She owes a duty to her citizens only, to the extent that her citizens in a legal way them- 



