19 



of the latter is included. The most prominent characteristic of the 

 volume is its great condensation, more facts being included within its 

 400 pages than perhaps in any other volume of its size. 



The present year has been marked by the appearance of Fumigation 

 Methods, by Professor Johnson, a monograph of the application and 

 uses of hydrocyanic acid gas, and by the publication of Sanderson's 

 Insects Injurious to Staple Crops, which latter is prepared on some- 

 what similar lines to Saunders's Insects Injurious to Fruits and covers 

 its field more fully than has hitherto been done. 



INDEXES. 



The literature of American economic entomology has become so 

 extended that detailed indexes are an absolute necessity; otherwise 

 many valuable records are lost, so far as the busy worker is concerned. 

 The first general index published was that to Riley's nine Missouri 

 reports, and in many respects it is a model publication. It is not only 

 very detailed, but every insect is indexed b} T its specific as well as its 

 generic name, something which the speaker is inclined to think of great 

 importance. The many changes in nomenclature make it very difficult 

 for a person to keep up with them, and the index which lists a species 

 by its specific as well as generic name aids materially in this respect. 

 This publication is perhaps open to one criticism, in its having separate 

 indexes for plants and insects. This is to some extent a matter of 

 taste, and yet the speaker is inclined to believe that the general index. 

 including all references, is superior, since no question can arise as to 

 which index is before the seeker for information. This is something 

 which used to trouble my distinguished predecessor not a little and my 

 hearers are probably aware that all the later indexes prepared under 

 his direction have included every reference. 



The next general index to appear was that by Professor Forbes of 

 the first twelve reports of the State entomologists of Illinois. This is 

 prepared on very nearly the same lines as that to Riley's Missouri 

 reports, and is also open to the criticism of having separate indexes 

 for plants and insects. It is, however, admirably gotten up and has 

 proven of great value to working entomologists, since it renders more 

 accessible the vast amount of information recorded in these reports. 



Neither of these general indexes, or the later one prepared by Dr. 

 Lintner, have aided in making accessible the vast amount of informa- 

 tion annually published in newspapers, bulletins, reports, or other 

 publications by the economic entomologists of America. This litera- 

 ture is widely scattered, and the preparation by Mr. llenshaw of a 

 bibliography of the more important writings of Messrs. Walsh and 

 Riley made way for general indexes to the publications o\' other Amer- 

 ican writers on economic entomology. My hearers are all familiar 

 with the admirable series of bibliographies prepared under the auspices 



