1 Jone, 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 515 
come was Australia. It had probably been introduced, some twenty years before 
that, in bringing fruit trees or vines. He, however, knew it had never become a 
pest in Australia. Now if it is found in Australia and later found in California 
and had not become a pest in Australia, he concluded there must be something 
in Australia that will stop it, so he despatched two assistants to Australia to 
investigate it, and they sent back consignments of lady-bug beetles or lady- 
bugs as they ure 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 than a year, although 
these scale insects had been: increasing for twenty years, and practically 
had the product of California by the throat, and, in fact, had taken 
possession of the country; in less than a year, thiv little lady-bug- had 
increased to such numbers that it swept the scales out of existence, or got 1t 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 present. You do not see his name prominent in 
the newspapers. The fact was not heralded broadcast in great flaming type. 
He was not given any great ovation. It is a question whether any monument 
will be erected to him by the United States, yet it is doubtful whether the 
United States has had any greater benefactor than that man and his associates. 
The importance of economic entomology to the farmer is thus referred to by 
the late Professor Panton, of our Agricultural College, in an article contributed 
tothe Farmers’ Institute report for 1896-7 :— 
“The study of insects in relation to man has of late years commanded much 
attention, and is usually referred to as economic entomology. While there are 
some insects beneficial to man, there are many injurious. Some destroy his 
food, some injure 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 125 species as enemies; the oak, 300; the elm, 80; the 
hickory, 170; the maple, 75; the beech, 150; while the unfortunate willow 
battles against 400 insect foes. The following statistics show what an immense 
loss is sustained by man from insects :— 
1854—The United States lost $15,000,000 by the wheat midge. 
1857—Canada lost $8,000,000 by the wheat midge. 
1864—The United States lost $75,000,000 by the chinch-bug. 
1870—New York State lost $5,000,000 by the cabbage worm. 
1873—The Southern States lost $25,000,000 by the cotton worm. 
1874—The United States lost $356,090,000 by the grasshopper. 
1884—Canada lost $500,000 by the clover midge. 
“The average loss of the United States from insects during 1884 is 
calculated to. have been $400,000,000, and for 1891 $800,000,000. With 
such figures 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 biologist 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 great Pasteur should 
not be forgotten. He established the principles of winemaking, and saved the 
vineyards of France; he laid the foundations for dairy bacteriology; he 
mastered anthrax, the terrible disease that threatened the annihilation of the 
herds, not of France alone, but of all Europe as well. He was one of the 
greatest geniuses that the world has ever known, and agricultural science 
received a wonderful impetus from the labour of his head and hands and heart. 
So important is scientific research in connection with agriculture that one 
Su)iteoitaghea Englishman set apart a great estate in England for that work, 
