Insect Enemies

Abstract

MR. EALAND has done good service in publishing his book on insect enemies. The work is cast in popular form, which fact may in the eyes of some detract from its merits; but, as the author justly observes, “unless and until those who have no scientific training are told of the activities of insects in language which they can understand, they can hardly be expected to be other than phlegmatic concerning the work of entomologists. The best “methods of dealing with these enemies of mankind may be revealed by the comparatively few economic entomologists, but the great work of eradication can, in many cases, only be accomplished by the active co-operation of the general population.” In accordance with the views here expressed, the insect pests of forest, orchard, flower and vegetable garden, farm crops, domestic animals, household, and warehouse are briefly but not inadequately dealt with, a final chapter being devoted to insects that are directly injurious to man. The treatment is naturally not exhaustive, and it may be doubted whether the remedial measures proposed are in all cases set forth in sufficient detail to be of much practical service unless the directions for use are supplemented from other sources; An appendix gives useful information as to the preparation of insecticides, thopgh not as to the precise method of employing them. A few errors have escaped the author's notice; “Trochilium apiformis” is an awkward collocation, and in Fig. 7 the representations of male and female sawfly are reversed.