Tebruary, '15] 



PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, DISCUSSION 



93 



here, the British Empire has been endeavoring to overcome our lack 

 of knowledge of the insects of foreign countries, and in 1912 the Impe- 

 rial Bureau of Entomology was formed in London, one of the first and 

 chief functions of this Bureau being to collect information regarding 

 insect pests and to distribute that information to the various British 

 countries and possessions. Most of the members in this meeting are 

 able through the Review of Applied Entomology published by the Impe- 

 rial Bureau to make use of that information. This is one of the chief 

 steps in the direction of making us better acquainted with the insect 

 pests of foreign countries. 



Mr. W. E. Britton: I have been much impressed with the Presi- 

 dent's address, and many of the points which he has mentioned are 

 certainly deserving of further study. In regard to the elm-leaf beetle, 

 however, I may state that formerly I believed as he does — ^that the 

 danger of its doing much injury in the higher altitudes was slight. Dur- 

 ing the past few years, however, I have changed my mind. During 

 1914, especially, it has caused serious injury in Winsted, Norfolk, 

 Canaan and other points about 1,000 feet above sea level. On the 

 other hand, there was very little injury along the coast where the in- 

 sect has caused serious damage for more than 20 years. 



With these introduced insect pests, it seems to me that we must 

 allow them considerable time in which to find their economic level; 

 that we may find it necessary to revise our first opinions because con- 

 ditions may modify the habits or severity of a pest. It is hardly safe 

 to draw^ conclusions or to go very far in generalizing about the dis- 

 tribution causes, until the species has been present for a long time and 

 its status as a pest has become established. 



Secretary A. F. Burgess: A great many statements have been 

 made that certain insects, particularly foreign species, will become a 

 pest in this country only in certain regions and on particular food 

 plants and this information has been published quite frequently. 



In the case of the brown-tail moth, for instance, it was, years ago, 

 very common on elms in the worst infested region in New England. 

 At the present time the number of webs found on elm trees is rather 

 small. It was generally stated a number of years ago that the elm- 

 leaf beetle was a city insect but the fact is that we find it in the country 

 in New England almost everywhere elm trees grow. The same has 

 been published concerning the leopard moth in regard to its being a 

 shade tree or city insect, but it is very possible that this pest may later 

 on do great injury in woodland. 



It seems to me, as Dr. Britton has said, you cannot lay down a law 

 concerning new insects until we have had considerable experience 

 with them. 



