28 B.C. Entomological Society. 



until they are actually doing serious damage and have become well established. 

 A small infection, if immediately noticed, can generally be stamped out without much 

 trouble or expense. 



The reason that a pest could become well established in this country is, I think, 

 obvious ; the general public, particularly the farmers and fruit-growers who are most 

 concerned, do not realize the importance of economic entomology, and consequently 

 talie but a passive interest in the great work the Department of Agriculture is doing 

 for them on this subject. It carries on investigations in all branches of agricultural 

 science, and issues its bulletins and circulars when necessary or desirable, giving the 

 growers information and advice on the various problems before them; but it lies 

 with the growers to act upon such information and advice, which they no doubt do 

 in matters which they understand and appreciate, but how many realize the impor- 

 tance of economic entomology to themselves? To appreciate the importance of this 

 subject one must have at least an elementary training iii the study of insect economy. 



Amongst the later generation of farmers and fruit-grovcers we find more people 

 with a business training who apjjreciate the importance of economic principles, and 

 who are anxious to obtain the best possible results for their investments and labours ; 

 they make use of the information and advice provided to the best of their ability, 

 but in the case of insect pests most of them have not the elementary knowledge, 

 nor the powers of observation, necessary to make use of the advice to their best 

 advantage. 



To be successful in this important branch of his work the farmer and fruit- 

 grower mu.st in the first place take an active interest in insect-life; they must learu 

 to recognize the more common insects that they meet with every day, and learn the 

 metamorphoses of insects generally ; they should also develop their powers of obser- 

 vation sufficiently to be able to notice a small Insect at rest on a leaf, flower, or fruit. 

 Once a man has acquired a slight knowledge of insect economy, he cannot help but 

 be greatly interested in the subject ; once a practical interest is taken by the farmer 

 and fruit-grower, there will be little danger of a serious pest escaping notice for any 

 length of time. They may not recognize the insect, but they would be all the more 

 likely to take notice of it on that account, and have it identified at the earliest 

 opportunity, and there would be very few growers reluctant to sjiray and use other 

 preventive and remedial measures. 



Man has a natural love for nature which he seldom realizes, and which in later 

 years is all too frequently entirely superseded by the all-absorbing hunt for the 

 elusive dollar. It would be thought strange if a child did not love the flowers, birds, 

 and butterflies; it is the natural instinct of a child to be iutei-ested in nature; yet 

 very little effort is made to develop the child's natural instincts to a practical purpose. 

 I think an effort should be made to get the children in the schools practically 

 interested, by giving them, say, one hour a week for instruction in botany and 

 economic entomology, not dry scientific matter which would be all Greek to them, 

 but teach them to recognize the common flowers, weeds, and trees. The same with 

 the common insects ; explain their metamorphoses to them and their economic impor- 

 tance; teach them to place the insects in their proper order, according to their 

 structural peculiarities ; give them a very elementary and popular training in these 

 subjects, and in later years we will have a great number of people in this country 

 with a fair knowledge of plant and insect economics, and also tend to develop- 

 systematic and economic entomologists, who are greatly lacking in this country. 

 Induce the older children to form field-naturalist clubs in each district and assist 

 them in every way possible with instruction and advice. This country needs 

 systematic and economic entomologists, and needs them badly; we cannot have too 

 many of them, and they are not made in a day. Let us get busy to attain this end; 

 it will incalculably benefit our groat Dominion. 



