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The chief attacks by insects upon cultivated ciops which have demanded the attention 

 of entomologists during the past season are the following : — In all parts of Canada and 

 the United States the noctuid larvae known under the name of " Cutworms " were 

 extremely abundant in the spring. In the Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick and 

 Nova Scotia, as well as Quebec, the Tent Caterpillar did much injury to orchard and 

 forest trees. In Central Ontario Meromyza Americana was unusually abundant, but it 

 was also accompanied by its parasite Ccelinius Meromyzoz. Not only were certain kinds 

 of wheat and barley severely attacked, but also a single instance of the attack on oats 

 was observed, and I made the further unpleasant discovery that the species bred freely 

 in various wild grasses, chiefly of the Genera Agropyrum, Deschampsia, Elymus and Poa. 

 Upon the experimental grass patches of the Experimental Farm at Ottawa the species 

 of Agropyrum and Elymus and Poa Serotina were the grasses most attacked, while only 

 a single instance of injury to Setaria viridis was noticed. An interesting point was 

 that while Poa Serotina was so severely injured, Poa pratensis, Poa caesia and Poa 

 oornpressa were almost exempt. The species of Elymus and Deschampsia were attacked 

 in the young shoots close to the root, but the others mentioned in the top joint of the 

 flowering stems, by which the appearance known as " Silvertop " was produced. The 

 name " Silvertop " is also applied to the results of the ravages of Phlceothrips poaphagus, 

 which is now becoming a " first-class pest" in many parts of Canada. The grasses which 

 suffer most from this insect are, early in June, Poa pratensis, and, later in the month, 

 Phleum pratense. A much more serious matter, however, was a new injury to oats by 

 a species of Thrips, which has been found to be an undescribed species. This insect 

 attacks the flowers of oats just before they leave the sheath, in consequence of which 

 they turn white and die. 



An outbreak which may prove to be one of great importance is the appearance 

 during the past summer, in one of our Canadian towns, of large numbers of the European 

 Flour Moth (Ephestia kuhniella). Radical measures have, however, been taken by the 

 Provincial Government for its suppression, and I trust that it may be stamped out before 

 it spreads to other centres of the milling industry. 



In the United States the attacks of most interest were the following : — The appear- 

 ance in very large numbers of the Grain Aphis, Siphonophora avence, in Michigan, Ohio, 

 Indiana and Illinois drew forth many notices in the public press. Perhaps next in 

 impoi'tance was the outbreak of an imported fly of the genus Ha^matobia which has 

 increased so as to become a serious pest to cattle. It has occurred in injurious numbers in 

 Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Its life history has been 

 studied by the entomologists at Washington and Prof. J. B. Smith in New Jersey. The 

 salient points are already discovered and successful remedies have been made known. The 

 Army Worm (L. unipuncta) has done restricted damage in Indiana and has also occurred 

 in Florida. Brood viii. of Cicada im has appeared in Massachusetts, Connecticut, 



N'u York, New Jersey, rania, < Uiio, Kentucky, Maryland, North Virginia and 



North Carolina. The Chinch Bug (Bh/ssus leucoplerus) has been abundant in Missouri 

 during the past summer and (Phorodon huiauli) is reported as more abundant in New 

 York this summer than it has been since 1886. Attacus cecropia has been remarkably 

 abundant in the tree planted regions of the west and north-western States. 



The Cotton Worm and Boll Worm have been very abundant and injurious in the 

 cotton fields of the south. Trees and shrubs of all kinds, both in the United States and 

 Canada, have Buffered much by the attacks of various leaf-hoppers. These attacks will 

 doubtless all be d alt with by the United States Entomologist or the State Entomologists 

 in their reports, so I shall not now speak of them at greater length than I have 

 done, but will beg you to give me your special attention while I speak to you upon a 

 subject which appears to me to be, at the present time, one of very great importance. It 

 has lately been brought prominently before the entomological world in the pages of 

 Insect Lif>'. This is no less than the organization of the active, working, economic 

 entomologists of North America into a permanent association or union, so that an 

 opportunity may be afforded to those students who are specially engaged in the practical 

 application of the science, of meeting periodically to discuss new discoveries and to 



