REPORT OF THE SOCIETY 11 



student of that University I am glad to welcome its distinguished represent- 

 atives. It is many years since I was at Cornell, but there are many members of 

 their excellent teaching staff whom I remember with pleasure — Professor At- 

 kinson, Dr. Rowlee, Professor Comstock and his inestimable lady — these have 

 helped a great many of us and have left a lasting impression for the very hospit- 

 able welcome always given Canadians. I was only speaking a short time ago 

 about Mrs. Comstock and I made the remark that she was the only American 

 lady I knew who could ever attempt to run a salon. 



This society accomplishes a great work in that it brings together a large 

 number of distinguished individuals. When these specialists meet and exchange 

 views, they brush away some of our mental cobwebs and give us new views, 

 and after they have gone we want to go to work with redoubled energy. We 

 welcome the opportunity of meeting these specialists, for frequently conventions 

 are held so far away that it is difficult for members of this institution to attend 

 them. It is an inspiration to meet others working along the same lines, so we 

 welcome this gathering of experts, both for its influence on those members of our 

 staff who are engaged in similar lines of work, and for the opportunity it offers 

 to our senior students to gain new viewpoints. 



Since last meeting there have been some changes which I should like to 

 refer to as briefly as possible. We had here formerly Botany and Entomology 

 under one Department, but last fall these have been placed in separate depart- 

 ments. In small institutions it is difficult to arrange for full specialisation. 

 We have not reached the standard of Cornell University in graduate study and 

 specialization, but the governors of McGill University are going to encourage 

 research work in agriculture, which is a great advance. We are getting dem- 

 ands from the Dominion Department of Agriculture and other institutions 

 for experts, research men and teachers, who shall be better trained and better 

 able to work independently on particular problems. We also feel that those 

 engaged in teaching should be not only w^ell grounded and know their special 

 subject, but also be able to teach it, and hence we are paying more attention 

 to pedagogical aspects, and have also endeavoured to teach the writing of art- 

 icles for newspapers. 



Such visits as those of our friends are most acceptable for bringing inspir- 

 ation to this work and for giving the students an opportunity of hearing men 

 distinguished in the fields of Plant Pathology and Entomology, 



The "Piece de Resistance" of this evening's programme is the address by 

 Professor Whetzel, so I shall say no more, except to again welcome you very 

 heartily. 



