THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURAL 





who were strangers. The insect thai bad 

 attracted the most attention daring tin- past 

 year was undoubtedly the Hessian Fly, which 

 had injured the wheat crop in Ontario about 

 20 per cent., or to the value of many hundreds 

 of thousands of dollars. Since 1879 they had 

 been comparatively free from this scourge, 

 but now they had returned in very great mag- 

 nitude. He described the manner of the 

 growth of this dreaded pest and their effect 

 on the plants they ruin. No successful 

 measures had yet been devised for their cure 

 or killing; some people advocating the imme- 

 diate reaping. and thrashing of the wheat; 

 others were for burning the field as it stood, 

 but it must be remembered that this would 

 also kill the many friendly parasites who were 

 the farmer's friends ; and some people were in 

 favor of harrowing the stubble and thus clear 

 the ground. But in his opinion the only 

 effectual remedy was late sowing, which ren- 

 dered the wheat better able to withstand its 

 enemy. He referred incidentally to the para- 

 sites to which the farmer was very much j 

 indebted for their destruction of hurtful insects. 

 He had noticed in Ontario what many people 

 doubtless thought did not exist in this country. 

 he referred to the Phylloxera which had 

 caused so much damage in France to the vines. 

 A person untutored in the matter would be 

 greatly surprised at the extent to which it 

 prevailed, and he explained the time and 

 manner of the growth of the insect ami the 

 way it went to its deadly work. He showed 

 Borne examples of the Diplosis, the only para- 

 site inimical to the Phylloxera, and expressed 

 the hope that it would be extensively dis- 

 tributed in districts where the latter prevailed. 

 The short fruit crop of the year had been put 

 down by many to insects, but it was in reality 

 the very wet weather and low temperature that 

 prevailed in the Spring. He looked forward 

 to an excellent crop, all things going well in | 

 1883, as it was generally the case after a short 

 year. It was the opinion of many that 

 California was the fruit grower's paradise, and 

 it undoubtedly was so til! 1ST i, when insects 

 were rare. Since then, however, they have 

 began their ravages, and the State Legislature 

 has been compelled to make provisions for 

 their prevention. An inspector is appointed, 

 with sub-inspectors, authorised to visit each 

 grower, and in the event of his not obeying 

 certain regulations, he was liable to a tine. 

 The wholeVocess only costs the State SI 0.000 

 a year, and he was of opinion that if it proved t 



a success in th< 

 here in the East. I 

 thing to do in their • 

 Tin- P resumed h 



appla . 



The annual • 



v Of Ontario I 

 Hagen, ol Cam bride 

 to th( - 



t<> the section oi 

 Entomological Club had, a y-ar or I 



merged in that 

 atlairs is not satisfactory at 



GKKERAL HKETTjra OF DTTOlfO 



Dr. Hagen moved a i 

 Entomologists resume their old statu- in rela- 

 tion to the Biology Section, but without 

 regular organization, the understanding ; 



that they meet a day before the A. A ' - 

 year, and that Mr. Lintner. of Alkin; . 

 responsible for due notice, etc., in call . 

 together. — Carried . 



There is a feeling of discontent .-.■ 

 American and Canadian Entomol 

 garding their present statue ction with 



the American Association for the ad i 

 of Science, i.e., their transter to section F. in 

 Biology, which doubtless will terminate in the 

 formation of an International 1 

 mologists, who can meet wherever lb 

 to discuss their subjects without embai 

 ment. 



Springing from inquiries made bj 

 Fletcher, an interesting discussion took | 

 on the cotton moth, lie sail. Mr. Bill 

 Washington, had made -investigations which 

 had all gone as evidence to prove that the in- 

 sect had no other food plant than the c 

 plant. Specimens of the cotton moth had 

 been found in the Northern States and 

 Canada, where no cotton grew, but these might 

 have flown there, as the moth was capabl 

 immense flights. Mr. Riley .lid not belk I 

 could perpetuate itself »■ - 



belt. 



Pr. Hoy, of Racine, W ~. Bin, said Ht^ had 



found a specimen o\' the cotton moth in the 

 north whose wings had not hardened ; it must 

 have been born there. Other gentlemen had 

 met with the same experience. 



Mr. Saunders thought it possible that i; - 

 so found had been brought to the finding i 

 either in an egg, larva or chl ia 



nursery plants. 



