61 



and at a meeting of the executive committee of the society, held at the 

 Astor House, in New York City, May 4, 1854, the following resolution 

 was passed : 



Besolved, That Asa Fitch, M. d., of Washington Connty, be appointed to perform 

 the work ; that he he furnished witli sucli accommodations as he may desire in tlie 

 rooms appointed for the hiboratory in ch;^rg(^ of the society ; and that the president 

 and Mr. Johnson, the corresponding secretary, he a committee to prepare instrnc- 

 tions for such entomological examinations. 



Mr. William Kelly, at that time president of the Kew York State 

 Agricultural Society, and Mr. B. F. Johnson, its corresjionding secre- 

 tarj , performed their duties in the preparation of these instructions in 

 the most admirable manner. In fact, so well were they performed that 

 we imagine Dr. Fitch himself may have drafted the report which was 

 signed by these gentlemen. So far as we are aware, no subsequent 

 appointment of an official entomologist has ever been accompanied by 

 such a full, explicit, and able paper, and for this reason we quote it iu 

 full: 



As our State has had a thorough examination made of all branches of its natural 

 history except its insects, it Is of the liighest importance that the remaining branch — 

 not less in importance than the otliers — should receive attention. The committee 

 feel assured that in the selection of Dr. Fitch they havesecured a person every way 

 competent to discharge the duties imposed in a manner creditable to thesociety and 

 the State. 



In carrying out this examination it is desirable that equal jirominence be given to 

 economical as well as to scientiMc entomology, that being the part of this science 

 which is specially important to the community at large. It has been objected to the 

 volumes of the Natural History of the State that they are too purely scientific in 

 their character to be of special value to the great mass of our citizeus, and in the 

 work now to be performed it is obvious that it will be of very little consequence to 

 know that a particular kind of moth or fly is an inhabitant of this State nnless we are 

 ako informed of its history and habits, and whether it is a depredator upon any sub- 

 stance which is of valuetoman. The habits and instinctsof our insects are a proper 

 subject of inquiry as much as their names and the marks by which they are distin- 

 guished from each other. The whole history of every noxious species should at least 

 be traced out as fully as circumstances Avill permit. 



The examiner is therefore directed, iu the first place, to make for the present sea- 

 eon the insects which infest our fruit trees the leading object of examination. Those 

 infesting our forest trees, our grain and other crops, our garden vegetables, our ani- 

 mals, etc., will remain to be studied hereafter. The examiner is desired in his 

 examinations to search out every insect which is a depredator upon our apple, plum, 

 pear, cherry, peach, and other fruit trees, and study out all tlie facts in the history 

 of each species, both in its larva and in its perfect state, as far as he shall have oppor- 

 tunity to do it. In this way a broad foundaticm will be laid, to which additions can 

 be made which future observations may show to be necessary. 



Should any important insect dtspredator appear the present season in any other 

 situation than upon the fruit trees, the opportunity for studying it should not be 

 neglected, for the same species may not appear again in many years under circum- 

 stances as favorable for becoming acquainted with its real history. 



Secondly, what time is not necessarily occupied in examining the insects infesting 

 our fruit trees should be devoted to collecting and classifying the insects of the 

 State, and to naming and describing such species as have not been described 



A report to be prepared at the end of the season, to be submitted to the legisla- 

 ture, showing what has been accomplished during the season, to be divided into 



