STATE HORTICULTTJEAL SOCIETY. 327 



and when he from impaired health was not longer able to dis- 

 charge the duties of the position, the oflQce was abolished, only 

 to be in a short time again resumed, and is now ably filled 

 by Prof. J. A. Lintner. Many other states have under- 

 taken this work, which show the most gratifying results. It is 

 from this that ^e have the noble life work of such men as 

 Harris, Fitch, Walsh, Glover, and many others that are still at 

 work, to show up for the study of entomology in this country. 



Besides there are some special reasons why Minnesota should 

 have a state entomologist. Situated, as we are, on the boundary 

 to the North, we are still, in several respects, the central state. 

 Here the three largest and most important zoological provinces 

 of this country find a common center. To the north we have a 

 portion of the Canadian province, with the many Insects that 

 are distructive to the pine and other coniferous trees. And as 

 more than one-half of the state is covered with the valuable pine, 

 making its lumber interest one of the largest, this alone should 

 justify the appointment of a state entomologist. To the west 

 the central province passes ouf boundries, and many of the in- 

 jurious insects peculiar to the great plains of the west threaten 

 the distruction of our crops, especially the cereals. Under 

 this class I would mention the Colorado potato-beetle and the 

 locust; the ravages of which I doubt not all of you have more 

 or less experienced. The south eastern half of the state is con- 

 tained in the great eastern province, where most of the well 

 known insects east of the Mississippi, both injurious and others, 

 are to be found And most of those that are imported from 

 other parts of the world, will at least invade this part of the state 

 after a few years of steady march across the country. Here we 

 find most of those insects that are distructive to the horticul- 

 turist as well as the agriculturist. We have, therefore, to be- 

 come familiar with, and to fight not only the host of insects 

 known east of the Mississippi, but to the north we have many of 

 those peculiar to the northern parts of this continent, and to the 

 west we are threatened with incursions from many of the dis 

 tructive species found on the great plains of the west. 



But although it can be said that we are beset with enemies 

 from three sides, all of which are formidable and must be fought 

 seperately, I do not think it will warrant us to draw the conclu- 

 sion that Minnesota is subjected to greater loss from depreda- 

 tion by insects than any other state or country. The fact need 

 not therefore be discouraging to any one of the many industries 



