18 



tbem when no longer needed and destroying will save mncli trouble 

 during the year following. Systematically burning potato vines as 

 soon as the crop is harvested will x)revent all danger of injury from the 

 potato-stalk weevil {Trichoharis trtnotata), and I might cite many other 

 cases were it necessary. We should also set out the advantages of 

 winter work against man}^ kinds of insects in orchard, vineyard, and 

 garden, and the desirability of destroying by fire everything that comes 

 under the head of rubbish. Especiall}^ against certain kinds of Hemip- 

 tera this sort of work would prove effective, and fire, judiciously used,' 

 can be made a valuable friend. So, much of the pruning should be 

 done at this season, where the character of the plant warrants it, and 

 if the cuttings be burnt many ova of insects will be destroyed. But I 

 am telling you old facts which you do not care to hear. My i>urpose was 

 not to ofter them as infornnition, but to urge their more forcible pre- 

 sentation to the farmer, and to indicate that in my opinion the future 

 development of our dealings with insects v^ill be along this line. 



I have i)reached the use of certain fertilizers against certain kinds of 

 insects so long that I really believe in it; the more as results during 

 the i)resent season have again borne out previous conclusions. My 

 l^ear-midge experiment of a former year was duplicated in a new 

 locality under very different conditions and again i)roved satisfactory, 

 though not so strikingly successful as the other, owing to local causes. 

 Is not this a matter of some importance in those States where fertilizers 

 are largely used? Could we not gain a v^ery important i:>oint if we 

 found positively that the proper selection of a fertdizer, applied at a 

 l)roper time, i)revented or even lessened injur^^? The subject is quite 

 a new one; and while excellent results have been obtained on the light 

 soils of Xew Jersey, they may not be equally good on heavier lands, or 

 perhaps must be differently applied. This, too, is one of the cases 

 where field experiments will give more reliable results on tlie whole 

 than those carried on in the laboratory. 



On the whole, I may repeat, we have rather cause for congratulation 

 than otherwise. Our favorite branch of scientific investigation has 

 made continuous and healthy progress; we ha,ve firmly established the 

 reason for our existence and have impressed the general public with a 

 dawning of appreciation for the work we are doing. Our session here 

 will, I doubt not, improve our standing, and will at all events be profit- 

 able to those taking jjart. 



Mr. Fernald discussed interstate entomological problems with par- 

 ticular reference to the gypsy moth and the attemj^ts to get the Avork 

 against this insect undertaken by the General Government. He re- 

 ferred also to the difficulties arising from the conflict of interests of 

 different States. 



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