238 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



youMjo- student set himself down to carry out his boyish wish to " do 

 tionietMny for science.'''' Here his earliest original investigations on 

 the life history of the maple bark aphlx (commenced in his seven- 

 teenth year,) were carried on and completed for publication, in 

 Volume II. Here he accumulated the material for publishing his 

 monograi^h on North iVmerican Solpngld'v, and here too, a burden- 

 some correspondence as Correspondino- Secretary was faithfully con- 

 ducted, and carefully recorded. But in the meantime financial hin- 

 drances came in to divert his attention from strictly scientific work, 

 that in the nature of things never yields substantial pecuniary re- 

 turns. As the eldest son of a large and expensive family, he felt 

 the necessity of doing something for his own support. With this 

 view, in looking for suitable business, it was suggested that an effort 

 should be made to establish the important office of Iowa State En- 

 tomologist, and that our young friend would in such a position find 

 a suitable field for usefulness, and a means of reasonable support. 

 The attempt proved a failure, local jealousies were too strong, and 

 the biennial session of the Iowa State legislature in 1880-1, passed 

 without taking action in this matter. The great and rich agricultu- 

 ral State of Iowa, with its endowed University, its Agricultural 

 College, its Insane Asylums, its Penitentiaries, and its Orphans' 

 Homes, thus missed the opportunity of beuig also enriched by the 

 labors of one of her native sons. It would now seem to have been 

 not only a wise but a })olitic course to have secured, when it was 

 available, the organizing capacity of one who would have many 

 times over paid his salary, in giving the results of his researches to 

 the practical farmer and horticulturist, then and now beseeching 

 help to protect the fruit of their labors from the ravages of insect 

 foes. He wcmld have handed down to his successor the true model 

 of a working scientist, and the examjile of a faithful and honest 

 laborer in the cause of truth. But it was not so to be. 



We must needs hasten from these unattractive, but still impor- 

 tant details, to fill up the outline of the character and work of this 

 subject ()/ our biographical sketch. (Others may take up the more 

 exhaustive summary to be derived from his carefully kept correspon- 

 dence and journals; my duty as his friend and associate, must con- 

 clude by a condensed outline of his prominent personal and mental 

 characteristics, as exhibited in his life and work. 



It may and doubtless will be suggested in certain quarters, that 

 the writer of this sketch has left out of view the accessory labors of 

 others in the upbuilding of scientific interests in this vicinity. Such 



