196 LETTERS TO DR. FLETCHER [CHAP. xix. 



I not being aware how ill he was at the time. He had a 

 great opinion of the lime, and I think it does immense good, 

 but still, if too fresh or if too thickly applied, dire are the 

 consequences. Even if the heaps are left standing a little 

 while on the field, the chances are the spots will be poisoned. 

 But I always use it in our garden. When we came here 

 about twelve years ago it could be had as a gift, but 

 when I wanted some a few weeks ago it cost about 75. the 

 cart load, and was only sold to me as a favour, there is 

 such a run on it. One of the market gardeners said he 

 could not do without it, and it is splendid for getting rid of 

 the diseased growths in cabbage and turnip known as 

 " Club root " or " Finger and Toe." But withal it does not 

 do to trust the application to hands without heads. You 

 will find reports (or rather notes in some of my different 

 Reports) about quantities used. 



I hope you will be able to come over, there are so many 

 points it would be so pleasant to talk over, and Croydon is 

 only a little way off by rail. It would give me great pleasure 

 to make your sister's acquaintance. 



July 19, 1886. 



Lately I had good specimens of a Hippobosca, H. 

 Struthionis, Janson, which is doing harm in South Africa to 

 Ostriches at an up-country station. It appears to be a 

 very curious instance of the migration of a parasite, as 

 M. Lichtenstein (if I remember right, or M. Offer) thinks it 

 may have been caught so to say by the Ostriches from the 

 Quagga. It is very interesting as a quadruped pest on a bird. 



March 15, 1887. 



I was so very much gratified to receive your kind letter 

 this morning, that I will reply as soon as I possibly can. 

 Your Entomological Society of Ontario is the one of all others 

 that I desire to belong to. I shall think it a real honour, one 

 made still more welcome by the kind and courteous manner 

 in which you notify I am likely to be permitted to have such 

 a distinction [honorary membership]. Your society seems 

 to me a pattern, a thorough example of what a Society 

 should be, so truly scientific, and using its knowledge for 

 the general benefit. I shall be proud to be allowed to add 

 its title to my titles prouder still to have the approba- 

 tion and cordial friendship of its President, and its late 

 President. 



You have encouraged and gratified me very much by 

 what you kindly say about my Hessian fly pamphlet; 

 very few of our English Entomologists care for subjects of 



