February, '14] PARROTT: APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY 53 



another to "collect them from the researches of others, " among whom 

 Dr. Asa Fitch is mentioned. Emmons' contribution to entomology 

 is of much the same nature as other reports of the Natural History 

 Survey dealing with zoology, etc., in that it is largely devoted to the 

 enumeration of species, with more or less detailed descriptions, while 

 the economic contributions are small. This may be explained by the 

 fact that the author was working in a field outside of his own speciality. 



Following on the heels of the foregoing surveys, there arose a dis- 

 tinct type of entomological service, maintained by a pubhc fund 

 provided by taxation, which in scope and influence marks an advanced 

 step in applied entomology in America. This new movement dates 

 back to the fifties and sixties of the last century and had its origin in 

 agricultural societies in different states, which at this time were the 

 most prominent and influential organizations in encouraging and di- 

 recting those things which would improve and develop the agricultural 

 interests of the different states. Credit for a new departure with 

 respect to entomology belongs to the New York Agricultural Society, 

 which, it appears, was dissatisfied with the progress, if not with the 

 value of the work of the Natural History Survey in the furtherance of 

 agriculture. A specific complaint was made by this Society that the 

 state had made a thorough examination of all departments of its natural 

 history except its insects, and that the publications as a whole were 

 too purely scientific in their character to be of special value to the great 

 mass of citizens. For the distinct purpose of completing the work of 

 the survey in this particular, the legislature appropriated one thousand 

 dollars with which to commence this undertaking. It is, moreover, of 

 interest to note that this project was placed in charge of the State 

 Agricultural Society that the "investigations might be conducted 

 with a direct reference to economy, as well as scientific accuracy." 

 Dr. Asa Fitch, a physician by training and an enthusiastic student of 

 insect life, was selected for the task and with the appointment his 

 name appears under the title of Entomologist in the list of the officers 

 of the Society for 1855, continuing until 1871. The only other depart- 

 ment of science similarly officially recognized at the initiation of his 

 work was that of chemistry, indicating not only the comparative 

 importance then attached to entomology, but showing how few of the 

 different branches of science were being called upon at even this late 

 date to give aid to agriculture. 



Ostensibly the purpose of the New York Agricultural Society in em- 

 ploying Fitch was that he should direct an entomological survey. In 

 view of the criticisms directed against the technical nature of some of 

 the productions of the Natural History Survey, he was especially 

 authorized, in this endeavor, to give equal prominence to the economic 



