W THE REPORT OF THE [19 



public educator, in applied entomology, and the working entomologist will find that a 

 copy at his elbow will be of the greatest service. It is one of the very best of its class 

 that has ever gone out from the hand of an American entomologist. In 1887 Dr. James 

 Fletcher was appointed Dominion Entomologist and Botanist and his work has been a 

 herculean one. While he has given out annual reports, we all know full well that these 

 but poorly represent his labor. What can one mind and one pair of hands do in such a 

 sea of work as there is in Canada? It is like attempting to lower Niagara River by dip- 

 ping the water out of Lake Erie with a teaspoon. You ought to have Dr. Fletcher, and 

 a corps of at least half a dozen well- trained and experienced entomologists, and God 

 speed the day when you may have them. 



But I must go back and mention a few others whose work has helped to make 

 American entomology what it is to-day. As long as our Noctuidse are known and 

 studied, the name of A. R. Grote will be associated therewith, just as will the name of 

 that gray-haired hero (if heroes there be among entomologists, and if not, why should 

 there not be?), William H. Edwards, whose monumental work on the butterflies we 

 may well be proud of, and which, except for Scudder's " Butterflies of the Eastern United 

 States," is unique in our entomological literature. Then there is the work of Clemens, 

 Chambers, French, Fernald and Robinson, as well as others that I have not time to even 

 mention, but who have made their reputations among us. In the Coleoptera there was 

 Dr. Horn, who, either associated with Dr. Le Conte or independently, has done as much 

 or more for American coleopterology than anyone else, although there are others whom I 

 might mention. The life-work of Mr. S. H Scudder is a good example of American 

 activity, as, besides his work on the insects of the present age, he has given the world as 

 well as America such monographs on fossil insects as have never been done before. But 

 time will not allow me to say more, except to mention the industrious labors of Abbd 

 Le"on Provancher, and his " Le Naturaliste Canadien," a work that was carried out under 

 discouragements that the most of us cannot appreciate or understand. 



In looking back over the field, then, there appear several conspicuous achievements 

 in applied entomology that rise up, like the cloud-capped eminences of huge mountains, 

 from the comparatively level plain. The spraying of fruit trees, bushes and vines to 

 destroy insect pests is an innovation that has saved America millions of dollars annually. 

 The work of the Massachusetts Gypsy Moth Commission is a revelation to those who 

 have never investigated its wonders and merits. The introduction of beneficial insects, 

 both as a means of destroying the destructive ones, and for the purpose of fertilizing the 

 bloom of exotic fruits or plants, is another modern innovation. It will be remembered 

 that, ten years ago, the orange groves of California were threatened with destruction from 

 the Cottony-Cushion Scale, Icerya Purchasi, Maskell. After much correspondence with 

 Mr. Frazer S. Crawford, of South Australia, one of the kindliest and most lovable men 

 that it has been my good fortune to meet, and who, except Dr. Riley himself, did more 

 than anyone else to further and bring about the introduction of the natural enemies of 

 the Icerya into California, Mr. Albert Keobele was sent to Australia in order to 

 introduce the insect enemies of this pest into this country. How this was accomplished 

 and the results that were obtained has been told again and again, and covered with glory, 

 not only the United States Department of Agriculture and the State Board of Horticul- 

 ture of California, but quite properly Mr. Keobele as well. It is, however, but just to say 

 that Mr. Crawford not only was very influential in furnishing the information necessary 

 to the undertaking, but himself forwarded the first Dipterous parasites Lestophonus 

 iceryce to this country, and did everything possible to assist the entomologists that after- 

 wards visited South Australia ; and for American entomologists to forget for a moment, 

 his connection with the undertaking would be most deplorable. As you know, this 

 introduction of Mr. Keobele's was successful, and similar experiments in sending the 

 Novius cardinalis to other countries has also been crowned with success. But another 

 achievement came from the studies of this scale, viz., the application of hydrocyanic acid 

 gas to destroy scale insects. This last honor falls to Mr. D. W. Coquillett, now of the 

 National Museum. Although in a sense forestalled by the introduction of the humble 



