4 * 
12 
our best agriculturists, and which, as they passed 
through my hands as the Entomologist of the society, 
have given me the opportunity of forming my present 
observations. 
But there is a lesson taught by this Report on Wire- 
worm, and by the previous Report on Turnip Fly, 
which cannot be too well learnt. It is, the importance 
of a knowledge of the habits of our crop insects, and 
also of using our own common sense to counteract their 
ravages. 
We seldom need any teaching as to how a crop insect 
injures us, that part of its life history is commonly only 
too plain. But where is it at other times ? Where 
does it pass the winter P How deep does it go down 
into the ground? What special weeds encourage its 
presence which we, or perhaps our neighbours, are apt 
to grow in ornamental patches, making, as it is 
poetically remarked, the country to glow like a garden ! 
But, so surely as you see that golden glow from the 
charlock blossoms, may you expect a following of turnip 
fly ; so surely as you see the blades of couch grass, or 
water grass, or any grass weed in number in your 
crops, may you be sure there grows a home for wire- 
worm. And so it is with other parts of the attack. 
Destroy the wireworms (as we have seen can be done) 
in the land that is infested before you put in your new 
crop, and it will in great measure escape. Destroy the 
rubbish in which the turnip beetle shelters in the 
winter, and destroy the plants where it feeds until we 
provide more pleasant sustenance at great cost, and we 
save much of our crop. 
We cannot expect to get rid of injurious insects 
entirely, but we may fully hope and expect not to be 
necessitated to let them ravage the fields at their own 
pleasure. And the information we want for this pur¬ 
pose is by no means what is conveyed in what is com¬ 
monly understood by the word Entomology. We do not 
need wearisome study as to slight distinctions between 
different species of insects, when they are all destroy¬ 
ing our crop in the same way; but we do want very 
greatly to have true and useful knowledge of the habits 
and method of life of the creatures, one kind or many 
as the case may be, with which we are dealing, and 
when we have got the knowledge, to go forward and 
act boldly on it. So should we with certainty and with 
profit greatly diminish the amount of loss suffered, and 
reap comfort and benefit from solid application of well 
directed study. 
At the close of her interesting lecture, Miss Ormerod 
was loudly cheered, and the Principal, on behalf of the 
students and staff, cordially thanked her for her in¬ 
structive address. 
[From the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, 
Saturday, June 23rd, 1883.] 
