704 PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



pest by systematic stem analyses aud dating of beelioles. It is thus- 

 possible to compare changes in the incidence of the pest with fire 

 protection, climatic and historical records for at least as far back as- 

 the period of British occupation extends. 



When we worked out the seasonal history of the toon shoot borer 

 over 120,000 insects were utilized and in testing the control measures- 

 all trees on an area of nearly three square miles were protected by sack- 

 banding. 



I have chosen the same pests throughout to illustrate my points 

 but others, if cited, would show equally well that for an investigation 

 to be of practical value it must be carried out over a large area and for 

 a long period. 



The time factor in experimental Forest Entomology is very great 

 but not so great as in experimental forestry. The Forest Entomologist 

 has at least the consolation of seeing the results of his own work. 



We are much obliged to Mr. Beeson for coming here and giving us 

 such an interesting paper. We in the Agricultural Department have 

 very little opportunity of seeing anything of Forest Insects or of acquaint- 

 ing ourselves at first hand with the problems of Forest Entomology and 

 therefore we are hardly in a position to discuss this paper. I should, 

 however, imagine that, as the study of Forest Entomology progresses 

 in India, we shall find that we have many very destructive pests — 

 possibly even some primary pests — whose very existence is at present 

 unknown simply because they have never been noticed or reported. 

 Certainly that is the case with many agricultural crop-pests. We are 

 constantly coming across — and that often quite by accident — cases 

 where a large amount of damage has been done to crops over a long 

 period without the facts ever having been brought to entomological 

 notice, and in many of such cases the insects concerned are themselves 

 new and undescribed forms. The damage done by Agrotis ypsilon at 

 Mokameh, which totalled several lakhs of rupees annually, had been 

 done for many years before it was ever brought to our notice and then 

 it only came to light more or less by accident. And, if this is so in the 

 case of the densely-populated agricultural tracts of India, it is, I think, 

 safe to infer that it is still more the case in many of the areas under 

 forest. The main requirement at present of Forest Entomology — as 

 indeed, of all other branches of Entomology — in India seems to be a 

 large increase of staff for investigation of the numerous insects whick 

 are at present levying in the aggregate an enormous toll on the wealth, 

 of the country. 



