1884.J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



183 



from under one end of which there protrudes 

 a cotton-like substance forming a tuft about 

 four times as large as the scale, in which the 

 eggs of the insect are lodged. In a short time 

 there issue from this egg-nest a multitude of 

 minute yellowish white lice which distribute 

 themselyes over the branches and locating on 

 the succulent portions pierce the tender bark 

 with their sharp beaks and subsist upon the 

 sap. These yodug lice soon become station- 

 ary, gradually increase in size and reach ma- 

 turity towards the end of the season. They 

 chiefly affect the under side of the limbs and 

 branches. 



Bemedics. — The branches may be rubbed 

 with a stiff brush or broom which will dis- 

 lodge many of the insects and then washed 

 with a liquid made of soap, diluted with lye 

 or solution of washing soda, or with an emul- 

 sion of coal oil made as follows : " Take one 

 pint of ceal oil and agitate vigorously with an 

 equal quantity of milk until the compound as- 

 sumes a creamy appearance, when it should 

 be diluted with about ten times its bulk of 

 water and applied with a brush or syringe. 



This pest has occurred in many localities in 

 "Western Ontario, also in Michigan, New 

 York and Pennsylvania. 



That cosmopolitan butterfly known as the 

 painted lady ■P//ra»)ieis cardui has been very 

 abundant the past season in most of the 

 Northern United States. From Mr. Burrows 

 I learn that in Manitoba the larva) appeared 

 in such countless hosts as to cause much 

 alarm, and reports were current of these hav- 

 ing injured some of the growing crops. This, 

 however, is improbable, as it devotes its at- 

 tention mainly to devouring thistles; occa- 

 sionally specimens have been found feeding on 

 mallow, holly hock, wild sunflower, burdock 

 and several other plants, none of which, how- 

 ever, are of any economic value. 



A lively interest is being awakened in refer- 

 ence to the insects inhabiting our Northwest 

 Territories and British Columbia, of which 

 we as yet know comparatively little. Captain 

 Gamble Geddes, of Toronto, has made excur- 

 sions to several of these distant points and 

 brought home many varieties. From the 

 Moose Mountain district in the Province of 

 Assinaboia a number of interesting specimens 

 have been received, collected by Miss F. M. 

 Pierce. Prof. Panton, of Winnepeg, has been 

 collecting in that neighborhood, and in British 

 Columbia we have a most efficient helper 

 in the person of Mr. G. W. Taylor, who has 

 recently published in the Canadian [Entomolo- 

 gist lists of some of his captures in the neigh- 

 borhood of "Victoria. It is sincerely hoped 

 that other observers will be induced to labor 

 in these most interesting and promising fields. 



Continued eflbrts are being mudi) by our 

 Society to obtain and disseminate correct in- 

 formation, especially in reference to those in- 

 sects injurious to agriculture. "With this in 

 view we have lately issued a numlier of blank 

 forms for describing insects, which will be 

 sent to any one desiring them on application 

 to either of the oflScers in London. By this 

 means we hope to secure fuller details and 

 more uniform descriptions of insect pests, so 

 that they may be more readily determined. 

 The officers and members of the Council have 

 also embraced every opportunity afforded 

 them of visiting localities specially affected 



by destructive insects and have endeavored to 

 disseminate among the sutTcrers practical in- 

 formation in regard to the most effective 

 remedies for such evils. The demand for our 

 annual reports from all parts of the world has 

 much increased since the publication last year 

 of the general index. It is a matter of regret 

 that the issue of several of the earlier reports 

 is entirely exhausted, and there is now no 

 means of supplying the demand. Our monthly 

 journal, now in the sixteenth year of its ex- 

 istence, continues also to grow in public favor. 



During the past year reports of gieat value 

 in reference to destructive insects have been 

 published by the Department of Agriculture 

 at "Washington, under the able direction of 

 Prof. C. V. Riley. A most excellent and 

 voluminous report from the pen orProf< J. A. 

 Lintner, State Entomologist, has been printed 

 and distributed by the State of New York. 

 Much useful work lias also been accomplished 

 in the same direction by Prof. A. S. Forbes 

 State Entomologist of Illinois, by Prof. Her- 

 bert Osboru, of the Iowa Agricultural Col. 

 lege, and others. Many additional parts have 

 appeared of that superbly illustrated work on 

 North American butterflies by Mr. "W. H. 

 Edwards ; the same talented author has also 

 in press a revised catalogue of the butterflies 

 of North America. The recent meeting Or 

 the Entomological Club of the American As. 

 sociation for the advancement of science held 

 in Philadelphia was one of unusual interest 

 most of the leading entomologists on this con- 

 tinent being present. A full report of the 

 proceedings will shortly appear in our Society's 

 l)ublicatious. 



In concluding, permit me to urge upon you 

 all renewed diligence in your studies of insect 

 life; be patient and faithful in observing, be 

 prompt in publishing the results of your ob- 

 servations. The field we labor in is so vast 

 that life is too short to permit any of us to do 

 much, especially when tne limited time is 

 taxed by other pressing engagements. Never- 

 theless, let us do what we can to unravel the 

 mysteries relating to these much-despised 

 atoms of existence; the opportunity is ever 

 before us 



'•Ten thousand forme, ten thousand different tribes 

 People the blaze of day." 



And when the brightness of the sunshine has 

 faded there are tribes equally numerous and 

 attractive which rise not from their couch 

 until their m6re obtrusive brethren have re. 

 tired to rest. Whether it is ours to employ 

 portions of the night or the day in this charm- 

 ing occupation we shall not in either case fail 

 to find manifested in the instincts with which 

 these tiny creatures are endowed manifold 

 evidence of the wisdom and goodness of the 

 great Author of Life. 



*THE INFLUENCE OF AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETIES. 

 More than one-half the population and 

 three-fourths of the capital of our country aie 

 embarked in agricultural pursuits. Hence 

 the importance of organized societies amongst 

 the tillers of the soil to promote their interest. 

 Less than one hundred years have elapsed 

 since the first society of this character had 

 origin in this country, especially for its ad- 



*Bea<l iHifore tlu' Liiiicuster t'oiiniv A^rii-ultiiral and 

 Horticultural Society, December I, !!»», by C. I,. Hun- 

 secker, Esij. 



vancement. To-day we find them in every 

 agricultural and horticultural community, 

 peopled by progressive men, who know their 

 duty to themselves and posterity, treasure up 

 every example, every hint, every improve- 

 ment, every suggestion that supports the foun- 

 dation of a nation's greatness. For without 

 production from the soil our manufacturers, 

 our commerce, our wealth and happiness as a 

 people would crumble to the dust. 



The object of our modern agricultural so- 

 cieties is not selfishne.ss. It is all intended for 

 the i)ublic good. What can be more praise- 

 worthy amongst men, than to give their time 

 and talents to promote production V The 

 means of improving the happiness of a people, 

 for without an abundance of food and rai- 

 ment, and shelter and comfort, man is but a 

 drudge. Intelligent farmers, meeting to- 

 gether for the purpose of exchanging opin- 

 ions, about agricultural matters, has a ten- 

 dency to liberal views, not only in raising and 

 disposing of produce, but influencing all classes 

 of people with better ideas of the value of 

 the farming community. Besides, man is a 

 social being and needs improvement and 

 amusement of some kind, and where can he 

 find it more congenial, and worthy than in a 

 society of men, discussing the benefits result- 

 ing to the people of a liberal ana improved 

 agricultural knowledge. 



Agriculture is as old as time, and manufac- 

 tures and commerce coeval with the race. It 

 were idle to suppose that one could exist with- 

 out the others. They naturally depend upon 

 each other, where one prospers all prosper. 

 Their influence upon the prosperity of nations 

 in wealth, civilization and intelligence has 

 been felt in every country whose inhabitants 

 have extensively engaged in their develop- 

 ment. To illustrate this we need only refer 

 to the history of the most distinguished coun- 

 tries of ancient and modern times. 



A people do not owe success solely to 

 natural advantages, great as they may be, we 

 owe much of our agricultural advantages to 

 the genius of popular government, and to our 

 industry in clearing away ambigutics to the 

 enterprise and public spirit of public improve- 

 ments in the improvement of natural chan- 

 nels for i)urposes of trade and intercourse. 



Men associate together for mutual im- 

 proveuK'iit, in the various callings in life in 

 which they are engaged, be it agriculture, 

 manufactures, mining, commerce, or educa- 

 tion. 



Successful agriculture has a powerful eflect 

 upon the social, educational and political con- 

 dition of a nation. Its effects are felt in 

 every varying branch of industry into which 

 society is divided. 



Adam Smith called the English a nation of 

 shopkeepers, and as shopkeepers to succeed in 

 business, need civility and sociability it im- 

 proves by the intercourse of trade. So with 

 the modern agricultural societies, they bring 

 the tanners together, which improves their 

 social habits as well as more enlarged views 

 of the condition of things in the world. 



An exclusive nation is like a man deprived 

 of his liberty, and locked up in a dungeon, 

 will keep what it has, and will neither ex- 

 change commodities, nor valuable informa- 

 tion, with other nations for the mutual im- 

 provement of all. Men cultivate their acres 



