X Proceedings. {January gth.igi 2, 



different parts of the country. But the fact which to my mind 

 is of the greatest interest is that in Canada it is possible to 

 witness a gradual disturbance of the natural conditions by the 

 bringing under cultivation from a previously wild and virgin 

 state thousands of square miles every year. Insect life is 

 quickly responsive to a disturbance of the natural balance which 

 exists prior to the invasion of man into new territories. Insects 

 previously existing on native wild plants when provided with 

 large quantities of available food in the form of newly-planted 

 crops multiply very rapidly, and assume an economic import- 

 ance of a very serious nature. Further, owing to the rapid 

 development of the country and its colonization, large quantities 

 of vegetation, fruit, ornamental and other trees are imported in 

 annually increasing quantities, with the possibility of the intro- 

 duction of insect pests from other countries, which on being 

 introduced may prove to be more serious in their ravages than 

 in their native country. Instances of these phenomena will be 

 mentioned in the following account in which I have endeavoured 

 to describe briefly the means which are being adopted in Canada 

 to prevent the introduction of insect pests, and to control or 

 eradicate those pests already existing within the Dominion. It 

 may be of interest to refer briefly to the early work which was 

 carried on against insect pests. 



History, 



No work of an official nature had been carried on prior to 

 the confederation of the provinces in 1867. The Canadian 

 Entomological Society had encouraged the study of injurious 

 insects since its foundation in 1863, and in 1868 it published 

 the first number of " The Canadian Entomologist^' which served 

 to record the results of such studies. In the following year the 

 Society received a grant from the Council of the Agricultural 

 and Arts Association for the formation of a collection and the 

 publication of a work on "Insects Useful or Prejudicial to 

 Agriculture and Horticulture." Accordingly the " First Annual 

 Report of the Noxious Insects of the Province of Ontario" was 



