ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 201 
dissolution, the proposed law was not passed. Again, in 1849, a 
law was suggested by M. Richard, a distinguished naturalist, 
which included the useful proposal of an entomological com- 
mission of three to five members for each prefecture. ‘This was 
referred to the Committee of Agriculture. 
In 1851 another attempt was made to introduce the bill in 
modified terms, but this time the coup @etat interfered with its 
progress. All these attempts show that it was not indifference 
to the importance of the subject that has prevented the substitu- 
tion of a fresh law for the impracticable law of Ventose. In 
1872 M. Ducuing introduced a projet de loi, which was really the 
basis of the projet introduced in May, 1876, by MM. de la 
Sicotiére, Grivart, and the Comte de Bouillé. It was taken into 
consideration on the 21st of March, 1878, and referred to a 
committee. The first reading was on the 10th of December, 
1874; the second on the 5th of January, 1875. M. Ducuing died 
before the end of the session, and before his report on the 
amendments was completed. ‘The projet presented in May, 1876, 
by MM. de la Sicotiére, Grivart, and the Comte de Bouillé 
includes the spirit of the amendments. In the ‘exposé des 
motifs” they state that their only:aim is to give legislative power 
and executive force to those views of which every one has long 
recognised the importance. ‘They give several facts and figures 
as to the amount of damage done, and urge that the importance 
of legislative interference in such a matter has been recognised 
since 1796. They propose to extend to all harmful insects the 
law of Ventose IV. The chief provisions of their projet are that 
the destruction of the insects shall rest with landowners and 
tenants; the prefect, after consulting the conseil-général, shall 
notify the times to be selected for the destruction, as well as 
the methods to be employed for the different species. Arrange- 
ments are made for public lands, roadsides, and land bordering 
on railways. The maires and commissaries of police are to see 
the law carried out. In case of neglect the authorities are 
to have the work done and recover the cost from those who 
should have done it; and the fines are to range from ten to 
twenty-five francs for a first offence. The carrying out of the 
law is to be left with the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce ; 
it is to extend to Algeria. 
(To be continued.) 
