430 State Horticultural Society. 



They filled themselves completely, and when the sudden freeze came, 

 their walls were ruptured as the shell of eggs are under similar circum- 

 stances. Some cherry trees on Mazzard stocks were examined early in 

 April, and the roots were found black, as if they had been dead a long 

 time. They were not dry, but wet, and the soil about them was wet. 



THE NUKSEEYMAN AND THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



With the removal of the native forests and the introduction of cul- 

 tivated trees, the equilibrium of natuie was disturbed and new problems 

 set for the horticulturist, so that the offices of the economic entomologist 

 were soon required. Entomology has endeavored to keep pace with 

 horticulture. Erom the widely diversified labors of the single person 

 appointed by the commissioner of patents in 1854 to collect statistics and 

 other information on seeds, fruits and insects for the Bureau of Agri- 

 culture, the national entomological work has grown until it requires the 

 undivided time and attention of an entomologist, four assistants, three 

 investigators with five assistants, and an artist, all working under the 

 division of entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture. 

 Nearly every state and county horticultural society in the United States 

 has an entomologist as one of its staff officers. 



It is not infrequently supposed that insects as a class are injurious. 

 Many indeed are ignorant of the fact that insects fill a vast important part 

 in the economy of nature. In his endeavors to reduce the numbers of 

 an injurious insect, the nurseryman has valuable co-workers of two kinds 

 within the insect tribe. First may be named the parasites which lay 

 their eggs upon the eggs or developing forms of injurious insects, the 

 eggs of the parasites hatching and devouring the pernicious forms. Cita- 

 tions of the sudden disappearance of the maple worm and the army worm 

 as the practical result of the labors of parasitic insects might easily be 

 given. 



The horticulturist in reality, however, pays a good price for the 

 beneficial work done by these parasites. Before he can realize any bene- 

 fits from these parasitic insects, he must have sustained a loss somewhat 

 proportionate to the valuable work subsequently done by them. The 



