12 PROTECTION OF PLANTS, 1918-19 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS: 



METHODS OF STUDYING ECONOMIC INSECTS 



Prof. W. Lochhead, Macdonald College 



Criticism is sometimes made of the character of the undergraduate instruction 

 in Economic Entomology on the ground that students on graduation are unable 

 to conduct investigations in the "field-stations" without considerable suggestion 

 and supervision. To my mind this criticism is somewhat unfair. The same 

 criticism might readily be made against graduates in Engineering, Medicine and 

 Law. The undergraduate has been busy learning the fundamentals, and has not 

 had time to make much direct application of his knowledge. Those students 

 who are fortunate enough to get employment during the summer vacation in 

 field or station work acquire a certain amount of valuable training in the conduct 

 of investigations under supervision, but it should be understood that the power 

 to conduct independent research is developed mainly in the period after graduation 

 and after considerable experience. 



It should be borne in mind also that the majority of the field-stations have 

 special problems to solve, involving frequently specific methods of investigation. 

 It is manifestly unfair, therefore, to expect a raw graduate to jump in and carry 

 on the work like an experienced worker. 



When one reviews the literature of Economic Entomolog\' one is somewhat 

 astonished to find so few articles devoted to methods of investigation and study. 

 Occasionally one comes across a bulletin where the methods and devices used in 

 the experiments are described, but such bulletins are only too rare. 



The most complete American guide to collecting, killing, preserving, pinning, 

 mounting, and rearing insects is Dr. C. V. Riley's bulletin, entitled "Directions 

 for Collecting and Preserving Insects" published by the Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, in 1892. Professor Comstock's "Insect Life," published in 1897, 

 also contains much valuable information relating to these same matters, and 

 both works should be freely consulted by the entomologist. Most of the informa- 

 tion given in these treatises is still up-to-date and requires but few amendments. 

 During the last twenty years, however, the study of economic insects has been 

 carried on more intensively as well as extensively, and the requirements of the 

 investigators have stimulated the production of many rearing devices which are 

 not described in the publications mentioned above. 



This paper is an effort to gather together in one article the details of 

 of devices used by some of our best economic entomologists in their investiga- 

 tions, with the hope that young workers, even older ones, may find them sugges- 

 tive and helpful. 



