64 VICTORIA SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1901 



HEFORT 



OF THE 



ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



(James Fletcher, LL.D., F.L.S., F.R.S.C.) 



1900. 



Ottawa, December 29, 1900. , 



Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director of Dominion Experimental Farms, 



Ottawa. 



Sir,- — I have the honour to hand you herewith a report on some of the more 

 important subjects which haA^e been broiight officiall^^ before the Division of Entomology 

 and Botany during the past season. Owing to the large increase in correspondence 

 and the numerous species of insects and plants inquired about, it has been somewhat 

 difficult to decide what subjects could be most usefully treated of in the present report. 

 I have prepared articles upon those subjects concerning which I thought information 

 would be of most service to the farmers, fruit-growers and gardeners of Canada. 



Since the fitting up of a new room for the exhibition of specimens, many visitors 

 to the Central Experimental Farm have availed themselves of the opportunity of 

 consulting the collections which are now being gradually arranged and put into shape 

 for reference. Many valuable additions have been made during the year to both the 

 entomological and botanical collections. 



Considerable progress has been made in the studies of the life-histories of our native 

 insects, both noxious and beneficial, and a fine collection illustrating all stages of 

 their development is being gradually accumulated. During the past year many speci- 

 mens of inflated caterpillars have been prepared by Mr. Arthur Gibson, assistant in 

 the T>ivision, and are much admired by visitors. 



The experiments in growing grasses and other fodder plants have been continued 

 and are of great interest. 



The Apiary, as heretofore, has been looked after by Mr. John Fixter, the farm 

 foreman, and his report on that branch of the division work is printed at page 243. 



Correspondence. — ^From November 30, 1899, to November 30, 1900, the number 

 of letters, exclusive of circulars, received by the Division, was 3,017, and the number 

 of letters despatched was 2,847. 



Meetings Attended. — Meetings of farmers, dairymen, fruit-growers, &c., have been 

 .attended whenever official duties would allow of my absence from Ottawa. Addresses 

 were delivered at the following places : Granby, Que., February 20 and 21 ; Cowans- 

 ville. Que., March M and 15 ; St. Catharines, Ont, March 20 ; Danville, Que., 



16— 13^ 195 



