vi PROCEEDINGS. 



survey our territory, district by district, and see that the claims of 

 the Society are placed before every man believed to be interested 

 in scientific work. Every teacher of Science, more especially every 

 teacher of the natural sciences, should be on our membership list. 

 The professional and business men who have become interested in 

 some department of science, the more progressive of our farmers, 

 fruit-growers and fishermen, all these should have an opportunity 

 of identifying themselves with the Institute's work. Men com- 

 petent to make reliable observations of natural phenomena, who 

 have at the same time both the inclination and opportunity to make 

 them, are not very numerous. The services of all such are needed 

 in the Society. An ideal to be realized would be to have a com- 

 petent observer in every important district of our territory who 

 would report upon any natural occurrence of scientific interest 

 in his district, for example, on the appearance of any insect 

 pest or other agency destructive to vegetation, or the occur- 

 rence of local earthquakes, or of unusual meteorological or 

 celestial phenomena. There is nothing new in the attempt to 

 realize something of this sort. The Education department of Nova 

 Scotia inaugurated a system for the purpose of making phenolo- 

 gical observations many years ago and the experience gained by 

 the department w*ould be invaluable in any atteniDt to organize a 

 corps of observers among associate members of the Institute. 

 Accordingly, I wish to be understood as speaking with diffidence 

 of what the possibilities in this direction may be. But whether it 

 is practicable to stimulate observation by organization of this kind 

 or not it is certain that we must make a systematic effort of some 

 kind in order to retain the interest and support of non-resident 

 members. It would probably not be difficult to largely increase 

 our membership. Our entrance fee is not formidable, and initia- 

 tion ceremonies are simple. The real problem is how to maintain 

 an interested and, in consequence, effective membership ; and this, it 

 seems to me, can only be done by keeping in frequent communica- 

 tion with members in one way or another. If we were a large and 

 wealthy society, able to issue a monthly or fortnightly journal to 

 all members, the problem would be solved. But our transactions 

 are issued much too seldom to have the desired effect. Hence some 



