84 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



In various other law suits the chroniclers fail to mention the final outcome ; but, says 

 Hagen, it is safe to surmise that in the whole history of jurisprudence there was nevf^r a 

 greater disregard for the rulings of the courts on the part of the guilty parties than during 

 the time of the mediseval insect commissions. 



To attempt to enumerate the diflferent commissions which have been established, par- 

 ticularly by European countries, against particular outbreaks of injurious insects, and 

 especially against locusts, which have entered Europe from the south and from the west 

 at intervals for many hundreds of years, would be impossible, and even if possible, would 

 extend this paper far beyond its proper length. I shall be obliged, therefore, to neglect 

 this phase of the subject and confine myself rather to the fistory of the more prominent 

 organizations of wider scope, and these I shall treat geographically and chronologically, 

 beginning with our own country. 



The United States. 



Massachusetts. Dr. Thaddeus William Harris was probably the first American 

 entomologist to receive public compensation for his labni-s, and in this sense he may be 

 called the first of the official entomologists in this country. In 1831 he prepared a cata- 

 logue of insects, appended to Hitchcock's Massachusetts Geological Report. " In the 

 condition of American science at that day," says Scudder, *' it was a work of inestimable 

 value, though his only material compensation was one copy of the report and several 

 copies of the appendix." At a later period he was appointed by the State as one of a 

 commission for a more thorough geological and botanical survey. In this capacity he 

 prepared his now classic report on insects injurious to vegetation, first published in full 

 in 1841, the portion upon beetles having appeared in 18.38. He reprinted the work under 

 the name "Treatise " instead of " Report" in 1842, and again, in revised form, in L^52. 

 The whole sum received by him from the Stats for this labor was $175. After his death 

 the work was reprinted by the State in its present beautiful form, with wood engravings 

 which themselves marked an epoch in that art. It is largely upon this work that Harris's 

 scientific reputation will rest, and. although prepared more than half a century ago, it is 

 today perhaps above all other works the vade niectwi of the working entomologist who 

 resides in the northeastern section of the country. 



From 1852 to 1870 Massachusetts did little or nothing in economic entomology. In 

 the latter year, however. Dr. A. S. Packard, jr., then of Salem, was appointed entomolo- 

 gist to the State Board of Agriculture — without compensation, however, as he informs 

 me. Dr. Packard published three reports covering the years 1871; 1872 and 1873. They 

 were short pamphlets, but were ably prepared, and were undoubtedly productive of very 

 considerable good. 



With the founding of the State Agricultural Experiment Station under the Hatch 

 Act, Prof. 0. H. Fernald, professor of zrology at the Massachusetts Agricultural College 

 at Amherst, was appointed entomologist to the station. Prof. Fernald's work has been 

 practically like that of most other station entomologists, and he has published several 

 important bulletins. The ones for which there has been the greatest demand are No. 5 

 on household pests, which was the outgrowth of original studies which Prof. Fernald had 

 made in this direction, and No. 12 containing the work upon the bud moth, spittle insects, 

 and several other injurious species, all based upon original observation. The most impor- 

 tant portion of his work has not yet been published. It comprehends the scientific results 

 of his observations as entomological adviser to the j^ypsy moth committee of the State 

 board of agriculture. That these results will prove of great value the writer is in full 

 position to assert, as he has had the pleasure of seeing many of Prof. Fernald's experi- 

 ments in the course of procedure, and has been greatly impressed by the ability and care 

 with which they are being carried on. Prof. Fernald has also for some years held the 

 position of entomologist to the State Board of Agriculture. 



The work upon the gypsy moth, by the way, which has been done by the State of 

 Massachusetts since 1889 is one of the most remarkable pieces of work, judging by results, 

 which has yet been done in economic entomology. The operations have been carried on 

 by a committee of the State Board of Agriculture and the means have been furnished by 



