328 ANNUAL REPORT 



that are flourishing here. But it will make the study of ento- 

 mology a more difficult and complicated undertaking, than x^rob- 

 ably for any other state of the Union, As a compensation to 

 this we have for the entomologist a richer field, together with 

 the opportunity to solve many questions of the highest scientific 

 interest, here at the commingling of the three ^eatest zoological 

 provinces of North America. 



In conclusion, gentlemen, let me thank you for all the aid and 

 courtesy that has been shown me in this work, the study of en- 

 tomology. In return I wish you all success in the noble work 

 that you have undertaken, the most gratifying results of which 

 are already apparent, not only to many of our own people, but 

 it can well be said, to the people of the United States, as I think 

 all will concede that had the opportunity to see some of your re- 

 sults at the New Orleans Exposition. To your Society also be- 

 longs the honor of first advocating the need of undertaking the 

 study of the injurious insects of the state, and I hope that your 

 endeavors in this respect shall be crowned with full success by 

 the appointment of a state entomologist. In the meantime it 

 shall be be my endeavor, as time and circumstances will allow, 

 to work out some of the insect problems that may be of interest 

 to you. I hope, therefore, in the future, not only to keep your 

 good will, but to have your active co-operation in this work. 

 You are the ones that are first likely to discover the enemy, be 

 he an invader from the East, the North, or the West, or be he 

 one that for years has hovered around your premises, and now 

 thinks he has found a weak spot and therefore makes a desper- 

 ate effort to take possession of what belongs to you. In cases 

 like this, if you would catch some of the enemies, forward them 

 to me at the state university for investigation, it shall be my 

 delight to examine the annals of warfare against such a species, 

 and in return give you such information and advice that might 

 be of some value to you. The appearance of such an insect in 

 your locality would also be put on record, and be of much value 

 to the work of entomology on the survey, and hence be of mutual 

 benefit to both of us. Moreover, all such insects properly named 

 and exhibited at your meetings would illustrate the report of 

 the entomologist, and make the discussion of insects much more 

 intelligible and profitable to all. 



