Addresses — Injuries to the Apple and Grape. 237 



as if riddled by shot. It has cost hundreds of dollars in the vicinity 

 of Racine. There is another pest of the cabbage belonging to 

 Dipteria, Anthomyia brassic<e, the maggot of which ea\t the stalk 

 and root, utterly destroying them. Cabbage cut worm, Agrotis 

 saucia, destroys cabbage by the wholesale. 



The history of insects, their metamorphosis, habits, relation to 

 plants, etc., is a branch of natural history which has peculiar claims 

 on agriculture and horticulture. In view of the millions of dollars 

 annually lost to the state by the depredations of insects, it becomes 

 an interesting problem how to distinguish in all stages of growth 

 our insect friends from our insect foes, that we may be better fitted 

 to protect the one and destroy the other. We are literally at the 

 mercy of insects. Wisconsin can ill afford to do without the valu- 

 able services of an energetic, capable state entomologist. 



We have a host of insects peculiarly destructive, waiting for 

 careful study, the better to enable us to counteract their evil work. 

 Not the least of the advantages to be derived from the labors of an 

 active, enthusiastic entomologist, is the education of farmers and 

 their families by personal acquaintance. Children would soon learn 

 to see, with their young eyes, what the older ones overlook, and 

 just here is important matter of education. I am convinced that 

 children should be taught natural history as one of the primary 

 branches. I would not have them study printed books, but go to 

 the source where the most valuable information is derived — from the 

 book of Nature, whose pages are ever open wide to the seeker after 

 knowledge. 



It is a disgrace that the agricultural interest of the state, which 

 is the foundation of national prosperity, should be so shamefully 

 neglected under the pretext of economy. If an individual owned 

 and cultivated a single township of land, it would be to his interest 

 to employ constantly an entomologist. It can be proven that the 

 money expended for this purpose would return an hundred fold. 



The present population of Wisconsin is at least 1,250,000; $3,000 

 would pay an entomologist. This amount would be less than one- 

 fourth of one cent for each; some of the rich might have to pay 

 ten cents. How frightful this amount looks! 



The agricultural and horticultural interests of the state demand 

 more attention and better representation. If our merchants lost a 

 fraction of what our farmers annually lose by insect depredations 



