85 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 



The Club proceeded to elect officers for the ensuing year. Prof. Cook, the 

 retiring President, congratulated the members upon the harmony which had 

 existed throughout the sessions, and was glad to find that, although some old and 

 pessimistic members of the Club had predicted that it had run its course and 

 would soon flicker out like a spent candle, he was glad to find that the present 

 meetings had not only been the best attended for many years, but that the 

 discussions and papers had been equally interesting to those of any meeting 

 which he had had the pleasure of taking part in. He wished the Club every 

 success aud trusted that it would grow stronger and stronger every year. The 

 following officers were elected : — 



President, Prof. Herbert Osborn, Ames, luwa. 



Vice-President, Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt, St. Louis, Mo. 



Secretar}^ Dr. C. M. Weed, Columbus, Ohio. 



CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF INSECTS. 



Prof. Osborn, at the invitation of the President, introduced the subject of 

 the use of contagious diseases in combating injurious insects. He said that he 

 had already published a paper in the Tiansactions of the Eastern Iowa Horti- 

 cultural Society for 1886, pp. 400-4()5, upon the subject; but that it was of such 

 importance that he desired to hear it discussed by the members of the Club. 

 He first mentioned the well-known fungus and bacterial diseases which attack 

 insects, as Muscadine, Grassen or Jaundice, Pebrine, Flacherie or Flaccidity, 

 Foul-brood of Bees, Fly and Grasshopper Fungus, and the White-grub Fundus, 

 and called attention to the fact that we were already able to control those which 

 affect important domestic species, as Silkworms and Bees, and that to some 

 extent at least we are able to control those available as agents in destroyino- 

 injurious species. After considering the various conditions limiting the appli- 

 cability of this means, he drew the tollowing conclusions : — 



(1) That there are diseases ampl}^ sufficient as a basis for economic work, 

 the bacterial forms giving the most promise for all cases where early results are 

 desired, while those due to fungi, so far as present knowledge goes, propagating 

 slowly, can only be used as slow but efficient checks to injurious forms, the 

 most that we can do with them being to introduce them in localities where 

 they are not already found. 



(2) That the diseases can be controlled to the extent of preserving the 

 germs for a season and transporting them from place to place to use for inocula- 

 tion, but that their spread in nature will be affected by conditions beyond 

 control, while only such insects as occur gregariously, or live in mingled hosts, 

 can be attacked to advantage. 



(3) That the cost of application would prevent its adoption except in certain 

 forms. 



(4) That we must oonsider this method of contending with insects at best 

 as but one of a number of profitable methods to be used in certain cases where 

 other methods are insufficient, and to supplement other methods when it can 

 be done to advantage. With this end in view, the diseases of insects are worthy 

 of the most careful study, and will not, he thought, disappoint the investigator 

 in their final results. 



