46 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



The first notice received at the Agricultural College of its appearance in the 

 Province of Ontario this season, was, in a letter from Marsh ville, county of Welland, 

 dated July 3rd. On that date, Mr. J. Roavley, living near Marshville, sent some of the 

 worms and a letter describing the attack. The writer visited Mr. Reavley's farm on 

 July 9th, and several others in the townships of Wainfleet, and Humberstone the next 

 day. Throughout the month, letters were daily received, announcing its arrival at 

 different places throughout the Province of Ontario. On the 8th of July, the caterpillars 

 appeared in an oat-fie.'d at the Agricultural College, by the 11th, they were very numer- 

 ous, and reached their maximum on the 15th. From that date a perceptible decrease 

 was daily observed, so, that by the 18th, only a few remained. They began to pass into 

 the pupa stage on the 14th, and, the first moth was observed on 29th of July. Circulars 

 were then sent out, with a view to learn something of the distribution of the 

 army worm at this time ; the damage done by it ; the means employed to check its pro- 

 gress ; and the length of time the caterpillars continued. About 450 replies were 

 received from different townships, throughout the Province. 



The accompanying map shows the distribution of this insect pest in Ontario during 

 1896. 



The counties reported as infested are as follows : 



Essex (5) ; Kent (8) ; Elgin (6) ; Norfolk (3) ; Haldimand (4) ; Welland (4) ; Lincoln 

 (1); Wentworth (1) ; Peel (1); York (3) ; Ontario (1) ; Durham (3) ; Northumberland 

 (1) ; Hastings (1) ; Lennox (1) ; Frontenac (2) ; Leeds (4) ; Eundas (1) \ Russel (1) 

 Garleton(l); Renfrew (2) ; Parry Sound (1}; Muskoka (5) ; Simcoe (6) ; Grey (ft) 

 Bruce (5) ; Huron (5) ; Lambton (7) ; Middlesex (4) ; Oxford (5) ; Waterloo ("2) 

 Wellington (5) ; Perth (3) ; Cardwell (1) ; Dufferin (3) ; Victoria (1) ; Peterboro (2) 

 Algoma (1) ; Manitoulin (2) ; 39 counties and 118 townships. 



The counties written in italics are referred to by observers, as suffering considerable 

 loss. The figures after each county indicate the number of townships reported as infested. 

 In many places the damage was slight, as the worms were too late in arriving to do much 

 harm, owing to the advanced condition of the crops attacked. Early sowing is evidently 

 favorable to an escape from disastrous results by an invasion of this pest. Of the crops 

 attacked, oats suffered most ; they seem to be a very attractive food for this caterpillar. 



From a count made of crops reported attacked, 58 per cent, were oats, 20 per cent, 

 corn, 16 per cent, wheat, and 5 per cent barley. Some observers report a loss of 50 per 

 cent, in oat-fields, while in most of the other cases the damage was comparatively slight. 

 There were a few cases reported in which almost the whole crop was destroyed In 

 one oatfield at the college 50 per cent, of the crop was destroyed. In this case 

 the worms were in all parts of the field before being discovered, and no measures 

 could be adopted to stop their ravages. In most cases the attack did not continue longer 

 than two weeks, in several, it lasted but a few days, and very seldom lasted longer than 

 three weeks. 



Several worms are known as the " army worm," but the true one is that which has 

 appeared in so many parts of Ontario during the month of July, 1896. It seems also to 

 have been common in several parts of the United States about the same time. 



A despatch in one of our daily papers, dated, Washington, July 16th, reads : 

 " Reports to the agricultural department indicate great ravages by the army worm, in all 

 states from Maine to Wisconsin. The pests huve been particularly destructive in New 

 York, Massachusetts and Pennslyvania ; there is no doubt; that the losses will foot up 

 into the millions." In New York State it appeared in 48 counties, and is reported, as 

 the worst invasion in the history of the state. They were, also, common in Ohio and 

 Illinois. 



As grain crops were well advanced before its arrival, in many places of Ontario, the 

 damage done was much less than it might have been. The attack, though in many 



