Annual Meeting — Report of Secretary. 91 



of the facts and a statement of the importance of the provision to 

 us, the legislative revision committee, without hesitation, voted to 

 recommend it as an amendment to the revision, and it is now one 

 of the standing provisions in relation to the publication of our 

 volume. Its careful and judicious use will add greatly to the 

 attractiveness and value of our reports. 



Entomological Collection. — The experience of the past sea- 

 son has served to fully demonstrate the importxnce of a more 

 thorough knowledge of our insect foes, and the means by which 

 we can destroy them. In many portions of the state, the canker 

 worm, the apple leaf roller and the tent caterpillar have done great 

 injury, destroying all, or nearly all, the fruit which escaped the late 

 frost. "Wet seasons have been regarded as unfavorable for the 

 development of insect life, but in no year have these pests been 

 so numerous, or done so much injury, as in the past one. They 

 seemto'be increasing and extending rapidly from year to year, 

 and what is worse, there is little or no effort made to stop them. 

 Unless some natural agency comes to our aid, or active measures 

 are taken for their destruction, it will not be many years before 

 every orchard in the state will be infested with them, an evil 

 greatly to be deplored. A subject of so great importance is surely 

 worthy of the attention of our government. We have a commis- 

 sioner, appointed by the state, to see that we are not defrauded 

 out of the few dollars we pay for insurance; also a commis- 

 sioner to prevent the railroad companies from charging us a few 

 cents too much per hundred for the produce we ship to market; 

 why should we not have some protection against this greater evil, 

 which, if left unchecked, may soon leave nothing to ship, nothing 

 to insure. 



The least the state should do, if it considers its own interests as 

 connected with the prosperity of its citizens, is to commission some 

 fit person to study the habits of our insect friends and foes, and 

 to give to the public all possible information in relation to them; 

 and then it should pass laws compelling those whose orchards or 

 fields are infested with these pests to use the proper means to pre- 

 vent the spread of the evil. 



In order to call the attention of this society and the public mind 

 more forcibly to this subject, and in order that we might become 



