INCREASED INTEREST IN ENTOMOLOGY. 31 



2. Increased Interest in Entomological Investigations. 



The efforts made by our practical entomologists to promote, by tlieir 

 studies, the public welfare, are meeting with a gratifying return, in the 

 growing recognition of their importance, a desire that they shall be 

 continued and extended, and a general disposition to utilize the bene- 

 fits which they offer. For many years much of the toil of the husband- 

 man has counted for nought. Successive crops have been destroyed or 

 yielded inadequate return, and this was accepted as if it had been blight, 

 mildew, fire, war, or some other calamity which could not be con- 

 trolled. The recent applications of science have shown that the evil 

 may be greatly lessened, and eager inquiries are now being made how 

 it can be accomplished. From every portion of our broad domain re- 

 quests are received for instructions how to deal with this or that insect 

 pest, and I doubt if there is one of our prominent economic entomolo- 

 gists "wlio has not been thus addressed from every State in the Union. 

 Many of our agricultural journals have columns specially devoted to the 

 answer of such inquiries. Our agricultural, horticultural and pomo- 

 logical societies are alive to the value of the study, and are asking for 

 the aid which it is capable of giving them ; and very properly so, for 

 if snch study shall realize the present expectations of those who know 

 its worth, it will further these pursuits, in our country, to an extent 

 which no other science has the ability to do. In compliance with the 

 wishes of the New York State Agricultural Society, officially expressed, 

 the requests of the principal agriculturists in the State, the Board of 

 Regents of the University of the State, and many distinguished citizens 

 in this and other States, New York, foremost in the encouragement 

 of entomological research, has resumed the good work, and provided 

 for its continuance. Other States are moving for the appointment of 

 State Entomologists, among which are California (aroused to the im- 

 portance of excluding the grape phylloxera from her vineyards, and 

 other of our eastern pests from her fruits), Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, 

 Wisconsin, and Kansas. There is no doubt but that it would be wise 

 economy for every State in the Union to have a properly qualified of- 

 ficer charged with the study of insect injuries and benefits, and lliat 

 several times his salary would thereby be saved to the State.* Great 

 benefit would accrue from such a number of earnest workers dis- 

 tributed thronghout the entire country, extending to one another 

 sympathy and aid, and stimulated to competition in working out the 

 best results. Seldom, then, would it be necessary to make unsatis- 

 factory replies to requests for directions how to arrest some form of in- 



*Hoii. A. B. Dickinson has given it as his opinion that the New York Entomological Re- 

 ports of Dr. Fitch have saved annually to the State over §50,000. 



