516 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Feb. 1, 190L 
pest in Australia, he concluded there must be 
something in Australia tliat will stop it, so he 
despatched two assistants to Australia to inves- 
tigate it, and they sent back consignments of 
ladv-bug beetles or lady-bugs as they are 
commonly known. You have seen these running 
back and forth over the leaves and branches of the 
fruit trees, doing great destruction to the other 
insects. Within a very short time, less tiian a year, 
although these scale insects had been increasing 
fer twenty years and practically had the product 
of California by the throat, and, in fact, had taken 
no«session of tlie country ; in less than a year, 
this little lady-bug had increased to such numbers 
that it swept the scales out of existence, or got 
it into such control, that the fruit interests of 
California were saved. I do not suppose that 
anybody could sit down and readily figure up 
the amount of money that was saved or made 
for the United States, by that simple little 
insect brought in by a man known to very few 
nresent. You do not see his name prominent 
in the newspapers. The fact was not heralded 
broadcast in great flaming type. He was not 
eiven any great ovation. It is a question 
whether any monument will be erected to him 
bv the United States, yet it is doubtful whether 
the United States has had any greater bene- 
factor than that man and his associates. The 
importance of economic entomology to the farmer 
is thus referred to by the late Professor Pan ton, 
- of our Agricultural College, in an article contri- 
buted to the Farmer's Institute report for 
1896-7 ; ■ 
"The study of insects in relation to man has of 
late years commanded much attention, and is 
usually leferved to aseconomis entomology. While 
there are some insects beneficial to man there 
are many injurious. Some destroy his food, some 
iniure his clothing, and others attack the animals 
that are of use to him. Nearly 100 species have 
been found preying upon his grain and forage 
crops • upwards of 40 upon his vegetables ; 50 upon 
the grape -,75 upon the apple. The pine has 12.5 
species as enemies ; the oak, .300; the elm, 80; 
the hickory 170 ; the maple^ 75 ; the beech, 150 ; 
while the unfortunate willow battles agiunst 400 
insect foes. The following statistics show what 
an immense loss is sustained by man from in- 
^^'^*'\854 -The United States lost $15,000,000 by 
wheat midge. 
1857 -Canada lost |8,000,00a by the wheat 
midge, 
1864-The United States lost $75,000,000 by 
the chinch-bug. 
Ig70— New York State lost $5,000,000 by tne 
cabbage worm; 
1873— The Southern States lost $2o,000,000 by 
the cotton worm. 
1874- United States lost $356,000,000 by the 
grasshopper. 
1884— Canada lost $5,000000 by the clover 
midge. 
The average loss of the United States from 
incieets during 1884 is calculated to have been 
S400 000 000, and for 1391 $300,000,000. With 
such'houres before us, in most cases under the 
mark "we must conclude that the study of a 
subject that will enable us to lessen this loss is 
of great importance." . 
The biol()"ist is .studying the microscopic forms 
of life that" produce plant food in the soil, that 
bring about the changes in stored foods, that 
control the fermentation in milk, butter, and 
cheese, and that cause the many diseases in our 
live stock. The debt that the whole world owes 
to the ereat Pasteur should not be forgotten. 
He estahlished the principles of winemaking, and 
saved the vineyards of France ; he laid the found- 
ations for dairy bacteriology : he mastered 
anthrax, the terrible disease that threatened the- 
annihilation of the herds, not of Frat ce alone, 
but of all Euro|ie as well. He was one of the 
greatest geniuses that the world has ever known, 
and agricultural science received a wonderful im- 
petus from the labour of his head and hands and 
heart. 
So important is scientific research in connection 
with agriculture that one noble-minded English 
man set apart a great estate in England for that 
work, and endowed it with £100,000. For about 
half-a-century the work has been carried on at 
Rothamsted, and the Queen has recognised it 
by knighting its donor and assistants. Sir John 
Bennett Laws and Sir Joseph Gilbert are familiar 
names in the higher agriculture of the whole 
world. 
One of the hopeful signs of the times is that 
agricultural scientific investigation is attracting 
moie and more attention on the part of our 
Governments, young men of promise are being 
drawn into its ranks, splendid opportunities for 
research are being provided in many countries, 
and we may confidently look forward to a great 
advancement in the next quarter of a century. 
The probable effect upon agricultural life of the 
application of scientihc investigations and dis- 
co^'eries may well attract your careful attention 
—From Appendix, Ontario Bureau of Industries, 
Sir Joseph Hookkr has been elected one of 
the Foreign Associates of the French Academy of 
Sciences, Institute of France.— 6r«r(ieners' Chro- 
nicle. 
LiNNEAN Society.— The last meeting of the 
Society was held on Thursday, December 20, at 8 
P.M., when the following papers were read: — Mr, 
Arnold T. WAtson, F.L S., " On the Structure 
and Habits of the Ammocharidse ; " Mr. I. H. 
BURKILL, M.A., F,L.S., "The Flora of Vavau, 
one of the Tonga Islands ;" Prof. Poulton M.A., 
F.R.S., "On warning Colours in Insects." Exhi- 
bitions— Dr. J. W. Cornwall, F.L.S., two photo- 
graophs of composite flower which appeared on a 
white Foxglove growing in a garden near Godal- 
ming; Mr. B. Daydon Jackson, Sec. L.S. two edi- 
tions of Hills Flora Britannica with a note on the 
species of Statice included in them. — Ibid. 
They Never Drink,— An exchange says:— 
There are hundreds of horses and thousands of 
cattle in the Hawaiian Islands which never take 
a drink of water throughout the whole course of 
their lives On all the islands the upper altitudes 
of the mountains are given up to cattle ranges. 
The cattle run wild from the time they are born 
until they are sent to the slaughter-house. Ex- 
cept possibly two or three months in the rainy* 
season, there are no streams or pools of water in 
any parts where the cattle range, but everywhere 
there grows a recumbent, jointed grass known by 
he name of maninia. This is both food and di ink. 
Horses and cattle grazing on it neither require 
water, nor drink it when offered.— /oMJ'nat of 
Western Aiistralia. 
