and faded without coming to maturity. Later the insects were found beneath 

 the chaff of the oats, from which they were eating the green matter. In badly 

 infested fields, they could be shaken from the heads of grain in large numbers^ 

 The same, or a similar species, was also found in smaller numbers in wheat. Dur- 

 ing the spring, serious complaints were made in all quarters of the injuries by 

 cutworms. Fall wheat was badly attacked by the- larvae of the glassy cutworm 

 (Hadena devastatrix). This is a dirty white caterpillar with a bright red head, 

 which attacks many kinds of plants, but particularly the different kinds of 

 grasses, upon the roots of which they feed. Owing to the long, cool and damp 

 spring, the season for these injurious caterpillars was very much protracted. Some 

 of the caterpillars of different species being found as late as the end of July. The 

 perfect moths of Hadena devastatrix, H. artica and Agrotis clandestina were 

 very abundant, and flew right through the summer from July to October. As 

 remedies for cutworms I have nothing to add to the suggestions I made last year. 

 Keeping down all weeds in late summer and autumn, and late ploughing in autumn 

 seem to be the best agricultural remedies. Of active remedies, the use of poisoned 

 traps was tried carefully during the past season, and found very successful, par- 

 ticularly in gardens. These traps consist of loose bundles of any succulent vege- 

 tation, which must be tied together and then dropped into a strong mixture of 

 Paris green and scattered over the land three or four days before the crop is planted 

 out or appears above the ground. This remedy is sometimes condemned owing 

 to the fact that when caterpillars have eaten the piosoned food they burrowed a 

 short distance beneath the ground and died out of sight. Other insects which 

 have been more or less injurious are the root maggots, which attacked onions, 

 radishes and cabbages early in the season. I have received reports of the success- 

 ful treatment of these insects with a solution of hellebore, and I mention it now 

 with a suggestion that it should be tiied by our members nest spring. 



The larch saw-fly (Nematus Erichsonii) was very abundant in the neighbor- 

 hood of Ottawa, and in fresh districts in the Maritime Provinces ; the tamarae 

 swamps being rendered almost leafless for hundreds of acres. 



The imported currant saw-fly (Nematus ribesii) was a troublesome pest right 

 through the season until after the fruit was ripe. This was largely, I think, due 

 to the unusual season, not only were some individuals of each brood retarded, but 

 the frequent rains washed off the poison applied to the bushes almost as soon as 

 it was put on. 



During the past summer I had the great advantage of paying a visit to Wash- 

 ington, where I had the pleasure of meeting the entomologists of the Department 

 of Agriculture and examining the working of the division of entomology. During 

 this enjoyable visit I was treated with the greatest courtesy and hospitality. The 

 magnificent collections were thrown open to me, and the working of the different 

 kinds of machinery for checking the attacks of insects was explained. 



With regard to the work of this important division of the Department of 

 Agriculture, there are some experiments now being carried on under the direction 

 of the entomologist which are of enormous importance to the country. These 

 have been undertaken with the object of introducing the different parasites of 

 the injurious Australian bug (leery a purchasi), which is working such terrible 

 havoc in the orange groves of California By the latest advices these efforts have 

 been attended with remarkable success, and a small coccinellid beetle has been 

 introduced which is quickly clearing the orange trees of their pernicious parasites. 

 Should nothing happen to change this state of affairs, this will be one of the most- 

 important experiments which has ever yet been tried in economic entomology. 



