CHAP, ix.] ANNUAL REPORTS 67 



As the consultation enquiries were kept up during winter 

 as well as summer, I found the work, carried on single- 

 handed, at times very fatiguing. But so long as there 

 appeared to be a call for it, I have tried to do what I could. 

 Now, however, the necessities of the case have (as a matter 

 of course) been gradually changing. Year after year in- 

 formation has been sent, gradually completing the histories 

 of most of our worst insect pests, and now additional 

 information is rare (as is to be expected after twenty-four 

 years' observations) on points of great agricultural im- 

 portance. 



" I claim no credit to myself in the work ; but those who 

 will look over the names of the contributors, given with 

 their information, will see how deeply indebted I am to 

 them, and to other good friends, who have placed their 

 experience and great knowledge at the public service. To 

 them, and to all who have assisted me, and to some who 

 have allowed what began as agricultural communications to 

 ripen into valuable friendship, I offer my grateful thanks 

 and my deep appreciation of their goodness, and I trust 

 they will believe that if, as I well know, much of my work 

 has not been so well done as it would have been in better 

 qualified hands, at least I have earnestly tried to do my 

 very best." 1 



On the publication of the above-mentioned report, I 

 received many kind letters from friends, and I was much 

 gratified by the press allusions on the matter. These, 

 obviously, it would not be desirable for me to do more 

 here than just allude to generally, with my thanks. 2 



1 Preface to "Twenty-fourth Report of Observations of Injurious 

 Insects." By E. A. Ormerod, LL.D., p. vii. 



2 See Appendix B. 



