REPOHT OF THE SOCIETY 11 



the Germans Zimmerman and Gyllenhnl: and the Americans, Say, Harris, 

 Fitch, LeConte, Walsh, Packard, Riley and others have all described many 

 species of insects infesting trees. 



In the second and smaller group of forest entomologists, the earliest were 

 J.M. Bechstein andG. L. Scharfenberg who published in 1804-1805 a "Complete 

 History of the Harmful and Useful Forest Insects". In 1818 Bechstein pub- 

 lished a revised edition of this work. E. Thiersch published in 1830 a work 

 on Forest Beetles, with special reference to the Bark Beetles. V. Kollar pub- 

 lished in 1837 a Natural History of the Injurious Insects in Agriculture and 

 Forestry, which is still consulted. The greatest name in the list, however, is 

 that of Ratzeburg who laid the foundation of forest entomology upon which 

 all succeeding workers have built. His works are classic masterpieces. 



LIFE OF RATZEBURG 



Julius Theodor Ratzeburg was born in 1801 at Berlin. As a bo}^ he receiv- 

 ed instruction in Botany from his father, a professor in the Veterinary School. 

 Owing to the death of his father in 1808 and the remarriage of his mother, 

 he went at the age of 12 to live with his uncle Wutzke at Koenigsberg where 

 he attended Frederick College for a time. Later he attended the Lyceum in 

 Posen and the "Gray Cloister" Gymnasium in Berlin. Even in his school 

 days he showed great aptitude for drawing. His inclination to Natural Science 

 was shown in his sudden resolve at this time to become an apothecary, and 

 as an apprentice he served in the Laboratory of Wendland in Berlin. His 

 spare time was utilized in various scientific researches in the large Berlin 

 Gardens. This sort of work was unsatisfactory for he saw that an essential 

 part of Natural Science was Zoology and Anatomy to which he was a stranger. 

 Consequently, in 1821, he enrolled as a student in medicine at Berlin. He took 

 his degree in 1825, obtained permission to practise his profession in 1826, but 

 he did not care to practise, so he remained at the University. 



Ratzeburg had the good fortune to come into close touch with many 

 important persons of the day. His student companions Brandt, Goeppert 

 and Phoebus remained his life long friends, and as a private teacher he became 

 acquainted with the Humboldt family. When the new Forest Academy of 

 Neustadt-Eberswalde was opened in 1830, he was appointed to the chair of 

 Natural science, which onerous position he held for nearl}^ 40 years. At the 

 outset Ratzeburg recognized clearly that the Natural Sciences should be 

 taught from the standpoint of forestry, and he guided his instruction according- 

 ly. He emphasized Entomology rather than Botany, for he saw clearly the 

 great economic value of the study of forest insects, and the corresponding 

 need for more detailed knowledge of these enemies. 



To the stud}' he devoted himself unselfishly and untiringh'. In 1832, he 

 wrote "The Development of Foot-less Hymenopteran Larvae", and in 1834 

 "Entomological Contributions". In 1835 he began his most important literary 



