Mr. Fletcher thought that the chief difficulty with regard to these fungus diseases was their cultivation so that they might be available at the time when needed. One trouble with him had been carrying them over the winter.

Prof. Hargitt spoke of a fungus disease which had attacked the canker

worm.

Prof. Cook thought the greatest difficulty in making use of contagious diseases for the destruction of insects was the fact that the insects which it was desired to treat were not always in a susceptible coudition.

Prof. Garman thought that although fungus diseases were difficult to introduce, bacterial diseases would probably be more controllable. The meeting adjourned till 5 o'clock.

VARIOUS INSECTS.

Prof. Atkinson spoke on the "Injurious Insects of Alabama." A bud worm had been extremely injurious to young corn, piercing the central shoot and destroying its growth. Diabrotica 12-punctata had also been injurious in the same manner; and, if there were not sufficient food in the stem, the larvæ descended to the roots and tunnelled out irregular channels on the surface. They pupated in the ground. A new attack had been observed on the "Irish potato," viz., by the Cabbage Plusia, which had attacked the leaves. The same insect had been very injurious to cabbages. In the southern part of the State more had been done by the Plusia than by the cabbage worm. At Mobile farmers had complained that 50 per cent. of their melons had been injured by a worm. Scolytus rugulosus had been very abundant at Auburn in the spring, attacking trunks which appeared to be perfectly sound. Onions had been badly injured by a species of Thrips. Another species had also been injurious to cotton plants.

Prof. Cook stated that he had also seen a Thrips injuring onions in Michigan. Prof. Webster stated that he had studied Scolytus rugulosus and had found that it invariably attacked trees which were injured. In a single instance, where the beetles had commenced operations on a sound tree, he found that they afterwards left it.

Prof. Cook made some remarks upon the effect of mild winters upon insect He had found cut-worms and saw-flies very abundant in Michigan presence. during the present season. He had also bred a new borer from the black currant, i.e., the small longicorn beetle Hyperplatys maculatus. He had also found that the larvæ of Aegeria typuliformis had been largely destroyed by a fungus growth like that of the white grub. The leaves of cherry, pear and quince had been badly attacked by the larvæ of saw-flies, but they had been easily kept in check by applications of road dust.

Dr. C. M. Weed presented a paper upon the "Oviposition of Dectes spinosus upon Ambrosia trifida." He also gave some account of the insect, in all its stages, from specimens which he had bred.

During the meeting a most interesting set of photographs was exhibited by Prof. Webster, showing a likeness of Thomas Say, his birthplace, the house where he lived during the greater part of the time he was writing his works, his tomb and an autograph. Prof. Webster had a few sets of the photographs struck off when his own were printed and is willing to let entomologists have them at the actual cost of production.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGISTS.

The second annual meeting of the Association was held at Champaign, Illinois, in room 6 of the University of Illinois, beginning November 11th. The following officers and members were present during the meeting:

President, C. V. Riley, Washington; 1st Vice-president, S. A. Forbes, Illinois; 2nd Vice-president, A. J. Cook, Michigan; Secretary, John B. Smith, New Jersey. J. M. Aldrich, S. Dakota; W. B. Alwood, Virginia; G. F. Atkinson, Alabama; M. H. Beckwith, Delaware; James Fletcher, Ottawa, Canada; Lawrence Bruner, Nebraska; H. Garman, Kentucky; C. P. Gillette, Iowa; F. W. Goding, Illinois; C. A. Hart, Illinois; F. L. Harvey, Maine; L. O. Howard, Washington; John Marten, Illinois; Herbert Osborn, Iowa; F. H. Snow, Kansas; H. E. Summers, Tennessee; Roland Thaxter, Connecticut; F. M. Webster, Indiana; Clarence M. Weed, Ohio; C. W. Woodworth, Arkansas; E. F. Goff, Wisconsin.

Several others interested in entomology, not members of the Association, also attended the meeting, giving an average attendance of about 20 at every meeting. The secretary read his report and submitted some letters for action by the Association.

On the motion of Prof. Cook it was decided that an assessment of 25c. should be made from each member attending the meeting to defray the necessary

expenses.

The committee on co-operation (Profs. Riley, Cook, Forbes, Comstock and Lintner) reported progress and was continued.

The requisites of membership were discussed and Drs. A. S. Packard, D. S. Kellicott and Messrs. J. M. Aldrich, E. V. Wilcox, C. A. Hart and A D. Hopkins were placed on the list of active members. Mr. E. W. Doran was elected an associate member,

The constitution was amended by striking out the provision allowing special meetings to be called at the request of members.

SECOND DAY'S SESSION.

On November 12th 29 members were present, including some ladies, and the Hon. Edwin Willits assistant secretary of agriculture for the United States. The president, Prof. Riley, delivered his annual address on "The Outlook in Applied Entomology." This address was a masterly effort and was intently listened to by all who had the good fortune to hear it. It will be published in full in the pages of Insect Life.

Mr. James Fletcher, of Ottawa, spoke in high terms of the paper. He said: "You have drawn our attention to the fact, Mr. President, that this is the most remarkable meeting of economic entomologists which has ever met together, and I feel sure, sir, that everyone present will agree with me that your address is one of the most remarkable we have ever had the privilege of listening to. You have covered so much ground and spoken upon so many subjects on which we know you to be the highest authority, not only from the exceptional advantages you possess from your official position, but also from the experience you have gained from earnest and close attention for a quarter of a century to this special subject which we have gathered together to-day to discuss, that if we heard nothing else we should be well repaid for the trouble of attending this meeting. This great knowledge makes you facile princeps the most eminent living economic entomologist-a title to which, on account of the work you have done in developing the science of practical entomology, no one will dispute your claim. The present meeting

being a joint one of the Association of Economic Entomologists and of the Entomological Committee of the U. S. Experiment Stations leads me to make these remarks, because probably the question which is most engaging the attention of many of us at the present time is whether any good purpose will be served by maintaining both of these organizations. We know that the Committee of the Experiment Stations must meet if the directors of stations order it; but I feel confident that the necessarily limited number of entomologists in that committee, even if every station eventually employs such an officer, cannot do such good work for the science and give them equal opportunities, to those offered by an organization of the nature of the Association of Economic Entomologists, which will include many eminent men who are excluded from active membership by the rules of the committee. I refer to such men as Prof. Riley and his assistants, Dr. Packard, Mr. French, Dr. Lintner, and hosts of other economic entomologists in the United States as well as the Canadian entomologists and many others who would be pleased to join in various parts of the world. I submit to the meeting that there is room for good work from both of these organizations and that it would be extremely ill-advised to let either of them drop to the ground for each should be of the greatest assistance to the other. I believe, too, that to no one can the Association be of more use than to the Experiment Station Entomologists, and therefore they should make every effort to sustain an association at the meetings of which they must always have greater freedom than they can have in the committee, where the proceedings will always be subject to a certain degree of restraint, both as to the time allowed for discussion and the subjects brought forward. The Entomological Committee is specially a meeting of the Entomologists of the Experiment Stations and any one else will always, to a certain extent, feel himself an outsider no matter how cordially the hand of friendship may be extended to him. The president has stated that he does not care where the work is done so that it is carried on vigorously. This is probably the case, and the gentlemen I have mentioned have very little to learn from the meeting compared with the advantages which will accrue to us from having such men present at the meetings. I cannot help thinking that we shall make a serious mistake if we allow an organization to drop which will ensure us their sympathy, attendance and services and will at the same time form a bond of union between the economic entomologists of the whole world.

The address was also highly complimented by Prof. Cook, who spoke of the advantage of co-operation between the Association and the Committee of the Experiment Stations. He suggested some ways in which these two organizations could be mutually beneficial.

Prof. John B. Smith thought there was no necessity to have two bodies composed of nearly the same members meeting on the same days and at the same place and covering the same ground. He strongly advocated an effort being made to gain from the Association of Agricultural Colleges the same advantages for the entomological committee as were at preseut offered by the Association of economic entomologists. This, he thought, would be of advantage to station workers, at least, as it wonld give them a recognized place in the official body of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations.

Dr. C. M. Weed thought that there was some misunderstanding as to the status of some of the gentlemen who had been mentioned. The Canadian Experiment Station was represented in the main body and its officers have the same rights and standing in committees as have those of the other stations. The Department of Agriculture is equally represented both in the main body and in the committees.

In reply to Prof. Smith, Mr. Fletcher said that there was no intention of always having the meetings of the Association of Economic Entomologists at the same time and place as the Committee of the Association of Agricultural Experiment Stations. The place of meeting would be decided annually. As to covering the same ground, if the Association of Economic Entomologists continued to exist, it would draw into its membership entomologists from all parts of the world while the committee could only contain the entomologists employed at the various experiment stations. In answer to Dr. Weed he was sure that others than experiment station entomologists would always feel themselves to a large extent outsiders.

Prof. A. J. Cook of Michigan, read a paper on "Work of the Entomologists in Experiment Stations," in which he gave his ideas of the manner in which bulletins should be prepared and detailed his own method of reaching the agricultural public.

There was an interesting discussion on these subjects participated in by Messrs. Woodworth, Harvey, Weed, Smith and Aldrich. Dr. Weed spoke of the plan of furnishing articles to the manufacturers of the plates known as “patent insides," which get a large circulation in rural papers.

Prof. Smith thought the best way to reach farmers was attending and delivering addresses at farmers' institute meetings.

There was considerable discussion as to the advisability of using old and well known information in bulletins. It was, however, generally conceded that this was necessary so as to make the bulletins of the greatest use to agriculturists. Frequently well known insects appear in destructive numbers and it is necessary to give their complete life history.

Prof. J, B. Smith spoke on "Fertilizers as Insecticides," giving his experience with Kainit, and muriate of potash. He spoke highly of their use against cutworms and species of aphides which worked beneath the surface of the ground.

Prof. Riley gave some of his experience with ashes and other materials containing potash. Mr. L. O. Howard read a valuable and extremely interesting paper on "The Habits of Pachyneuron," which demonstrated the good work which is being done by the entomologists of the Division of Entomology at Washington, The question of breeding these and other hymenopterous parasites was discussed by Messrs. Howard and Harvey. In answer to questions from Messrs. Harvey, Fletcher, Cook and Summers, Mr. Howard gave instructions as to the best method of rearing, mailing and mounting specimens.

Mr. Smith read some notes on the Plum Curculio in which he gave the results of some observations upon eggs laid in apples. He found that the larvæ came to maturity only in such fruit as fell from the tree. He was therefore of the opinion that it was necessary for it to be in a state of partial decay. He had found the characteristic injury and larvæ of the curculio in the young fruit of Amelanchier Canadensis. He pointed out the importance of collecting and destroying all fallen fruit.

This subject was spoken on by Messrs. Beckwith, Harvey, Gillette, Woodworth, Cook and Fletcher. Prof. Smith gave also Prof. Smith gave also "an experience with the Rosebug," giving an account of serious injury by this insect in Southern New Jersey during the past season. All remedies tried had proved of no avail on account of the enormous numbers of the beetles. He had used pyrethrum, copper fungicides, kerosene emulsion, tobacco, whitewash. The greatest measure of success had followed the use of a "slodge soap." He believed the only remedy for grapes was to bag the bunches.

Messrs. Howard and Alwood made remarks on this subject and the meeting adjourned.

THIRD DAY'S SESSION.

On November 13, there was a morning meeting of the association; 21 persons present. The president announced that the first business of the meeting would be the election of officers for the ensuing year. The following were elected : President, Mr. James Fletcher, Dominion Entomologist of Canada; 1st Vicepresident, Prof. F. H. Snow, Kansas; 2nd Vice-president, Prof. Herbert Osborn, Iowa; Secretary, Mr. L. O. Howard, Washington, D.C.

The advisability of all members of the association sending their bulletins to other members was brought up and there was a unanimous expression that this should be done. This will not only be a means of apprising each of what others are doing, but will act as a bond of union amongst the members of the association.

It was decided after some discussion to hold the next meeting of the association at Washington, D.C., beginning just before the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The constitution was amended by striking out the word "official" in the title, and an amendment was submitted abolishing the distinction between official and non-official members as to rights and privileges.

Prof. Smith read a paper entitled "Some questions relating to Aphides." Great stress was laid upon the value of the poriferous system of the antennæ of the winged forms in distinguishing species. Only by these characters could the adults of Aphis mali and A. maidis be separated. The poriferous system of a wingless viviparous female of any species was always like that of the larval form -from this Prof. Smith considered that the process known as "gemmation a case of true reproduction by larvæ.

was

The matter was discussed by Messrs. Webster, Howard and Osborn who agreed with this pretty generally accepted theory.

The

Prof. C. P. Gillette read a paper-" Notes on the Plum Curculio and Plum Gouger," in which he detailed his observations relative to the egg-laying habits of the two insects. Mr. Lawrence Bruner spoke on "beet-root insects." increased area under sugar-beet in the State of Nebraska had rendered a study of the insects attacking this crop a necessity He gave a list of all the species he had found attacking the plant.

Mr. Fletcher asked if any practical remedy had been devised for the Anthomyian fly which mined in the leaves of beets and mangolds.

None of those present had had any experience with the insect in injurious numbers.

Mr. Howard asked whether the European pest of the beet-root (Silpha Opaca) had be enobserved by Mr. Bruner or any one else as occurring in America. Mr. Bruner had not noticed it.

Mr. Fletcher expressed interest in the life-history of the Collops beetles and asked if anything was known concerning them. He had only taken them when sweeping grasses. Prof. Smith had taken them on Solidago.

Mr. Smith related his observations on "an invasion by the Clover-leaf Beetle." This bad appeared in great numbers in New Jersey during the summer but was entirely exterminated by a fungous disease.

Mr. Howard mentioned a similar attack in Pennsylvania where the insect. had developed a fondness for timothy (Phleum pratense.) Specimens were sent to Washington and caged over this grass, upon which they were observed to feed.