REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST 191 
SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 
strong poison before the flowers open, and again in September, as the eggs of the second 
brood are laid in August and the caterpillars feed through the autumn months, giving 
moths the following spring, if our form behaves in the same way as the species is said to 
do in England. 
The other caterpillars received were cutworms, the species being Scopelosoma tri- 
stigmata, Grt. These caterpillars appeared in the strawberry beds nearly a month later 
than the above ; though they were not nearly so abundant, they did some injury, and the 
occurrence is worthy of record. When mature, this caterpillar is nearly an inch and a 
half in length, and in general appearance is a smooth, cylindrical noctuid larva, in 
colour a velvety seal brown, shading toa crimson brown beneath, the centre of the venter 
being greenish. The head is dark reddish brown, with the exception of a broad upper 
margin of pale brewn across the top, and reaching down the sides of the face to the 
ocelli. There are inconspicuous dorsal and lateral stripes, paler in colour than the 
dorsum, also a pale substigmatal band. Under the lens the whole skin above this band is 
seen to be covered with streaks and blotches of a darker brown than the skin. The 
thoracic shield is darker than the body and rather conspicuous, The anal shield is 
yellowish brown. The thoracic feet are shiny dark brown, and the prolegs are conco- 
lorous with the venter. The caterpillars entered the earth for pupation on June 23, 
and the moths appeared on September 17. In British Columbia this caterpillar has 
been found at Kaslo, by Mr. J. W. Cockle, feeding on wild raspberry. The usual remedies 
for cutworms may be applied if this species should again prove troublesome. Probably 
the most convenient in strawberry beds would be the poisoned bran mash. 
VEE seis A RY . 
The apiary, as in the past, has been under the sole management of Mr. John 
Fixter, whose report I append herewith. The season, on the whole, has not been a 
remunerative one for bee-keepers in most parts of Canada, although good yields are 
reported in some sections. In the Experimental Farm apiary the honey crop was fairly 
good and of excellent quality. The same experiments which have been carried on in 
the past, have most of them been repeated again during 1902, owing to the extreme 
interest which was evinced in them by visitors to the Central Experimental Farm. 
Experiments to prove that bees do not injure unbroken fruit were again carried out and 
with like results to those obtained last year, viz., that no injury is done by these useful 
insects. 
During the past four years attractive exhibits of honey, mostly extracted and put 
up in neat glass jars, have been sent to various exhibitions. These have all been pre- 
pared by Mr. Fixter, and I learn from the commissioners of the different exhibitions 
that these exhibits drew much attention. The following exhibits were prepared: For 
Omaha, Nebraska, in 1898 ; for Paris, France, in 1900 ; for Glasgow, Scotland, in 1901 ; 
for Buffalo, United States, in 1901 ; for Wolverhampton, England, in 1902; for Cork, 
Treland, in 1902 ; for Osaka, Japan, in 1903. Exhibits have also been prepared for the 
Ottawa annual exhibitions for some years past. 
Mr. Fixter attended the annual meeting of the Ontario Bee-keepers’ Association at 
Woodstock, Ont., and took an active part in the proceedings. He has also done good 
educational work in explaining the habits of bees and the way to care for them to large 
numbers of visitors who have come to the Experimental Farm during the past summer. 
He has, besides, delivered addresses upon bee-keeping to farmers and public school 
teachers and scholars when excursions have been held to the Experimental Farm. | 
