OF WASHINGTON. 127 



books and other matter. He founded an agricultural weekly, 

 and a daily entitled The Florida Dispatch. He edited the 

 scientific department of the weekly, devoting himself chiefly 

 to the investigation of injurious insects. Through his interest 

 in this field, which became very great, he gradually built up a 

 large collection of insects, and, experiencing great difficulty 

 in securing determinations, began the study of systematic 

 entomology. From the very first he was a tremendous worker 

 and produced results with astonishing rapidity. His contribu- 

 tions to the scientific journals began in 1879, and from that 

 date until the time of his final collapse he produced a long series 

 of contributions to science, comprising more than 250 titles 

 and including many papers of great systematic value. In 1887 

 he received an appointment as special field entomologist to the 

 Division of Entomology of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, for the investigation of certain Florida problems. 

 In 1888 he was appointed entomologist to the State Agri- 

 cultural College and Experiment Station at Lake City, Fla., 

 and while holding that position published one of the very first 

 bulletins produced by an entomologist of an agricultural experi- 

 ment station under the Hatch Act. It was entitled " Notes on 

 Various Injurious Insects." In 1889 he was made an assistant 

 entomologist and investigator of the Division of Entomology 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture. During the 

 winter of 1890-91, on leave of absence, he went abroad and 

 studied for several months in Berlin. On his return he con- 

 tinued his work under the Division of Entomology, and in 1895 

 was appointed assistant curator of the Division of Insects, 

 United States National Museum, which position he held until 

 a few months before his death. He donated his large private 

 collection to the National Museum about 1898. 



As a worker Doctor Ashmead was possessed of an enthu- 

 siasm and an industry that has rarely been equaled. For many 

 years he allowed himself but five hours, or a little more, sleep, 

 devoting the remainder of his time, with the exception of that 

 needed for eating, to an incessant study of the forms in which 

 he was for the time interested. The amount of work accom- 

 plished was thus enormous. Either of his two main works, 



