MISS ORMEROD'S SUGGESTIONS. 9 



nothing to Government, seeing that I, a private indi- 

 vidual, have now for eight years, without the slightest 

 assistance, carried on the work in England. 



The great mistake is in waiting until attack is un- 

 usually destructive, and then consulting those who, 

 though eminently skilled in classification of insects, have 

 no idea or well-founded knowledge of the points of 

 agricultural treatment or forestry which must be brought 

 to bear on the insects in some special stage of their life. 

 Likewise (as occurred not long ago) to advise reliance 

 011 the insectivorous animals of England for help in 

 India or Ceylon is a decided mistake. 



If, from the long experience which I have now had of 

 gaining information on insect attacks and forming it into 

 readable shape, you think any suggestions on my part 

 would be of service, I should be most happy to give any 

 attention in my power to the subject. But, meanwhile, 

 I may most truly say that if the crop, or timber, or fruit 

 growers of India were furnished with plain and com- 

 prehensive accounts of the history and habits of the 

 common insect pests, accompanied by woodcut figures, 

 so as to convey the appearance of the pests without 

 wearisome description of details, that all this would be 

 a national benefit, soon paying the outlay hundreds of 

 times over. With renewed thanks, I am, dear Mr. 

 Balfour, yours very truly, 



ELEANOR A. OKMEROD. 



P.S. Pray make any use you may think fit of this ; 

 it will give me pleasure for it to be of any service. 



E. A. 0. 



