20 FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT 



a great deal of space to Entomology, as witness that of Troschel and 

 Ruthe, and especially that of Leunis, of which there are several edi- 

 tions for the use of th» different classes. They possess, also, many 

 excellent works entirely devoted to the science applied. 



Ratzeburg, who held tie position of entomologist to the King of 

 Sweden up to the time of his recent death, was appointed by the 

 government ; and his world renowned works on " Forest Trees, their 

 Diseases, and Insect Enemies," have done much to build up the indus- 

 tries of that country, and to preserve the natural forests. 



In France, again, before the late fearful war so prostrated her, and 

 when there was an enlightened despotism centralized at Paris, a wise 

 surveillance of her agricultural interests was maintained — especially 

 with reference to insect depredations. They had a National Agrico- 

 entomological Society which held annual exhibitions at Paris, and 

 they also had a monthly journal especially devoted to what the editors 

 were pleased to term agricultural insectology ; and only a few months 

 before the war broke out, the Government, to stimulate research, 

 offered a prize of 20,000 francs for a remedy for the Grape-root disease 

 which has lately caused such consternation in the southern part of 

 that country, and which likewise greatly interests the people of the 

 United States, as the readers of these Reports are aware. I am glad 

 to see that under the present Government the offer has been renewed, 

 and that the interest in Economic Entomology is not abating; for there 

 is being held at Paris — as I write — under the auspices of the Central 

 Society of Agriculture, an exhibition of useful insects and their pro- 

 ducts, and of noxious insects and their injuries. Questions in ento- 

 mology as well as in general zoology are also made part of every ex- 

 amination in their colleges. 



In England, where agriculture is not so much relied on, and where 

 insects are not so troublesome to the agriculturist, the authorities 

 have been more indilferent, though the economic writings of J. O. 

 Westwood, and the excellent work on ''Farm Insects," by John Curtis, 

 have done much good ; and from the fact that an entomologist has 

 lately been officially connected with the South Kensington Museum 

 of London, we may inter that increased attention is there being given 

 to the subject. That the pure science is appreciated there, we may 

 infer from the fact that the first-named author — so celebrated as an 

 entomologist — holds the Hope professorship of Entomology and Zool- 

 ogy at Oxtord University. 



But it is to our own country that we must look for the greatest 

 progress. As is the exigency, sO will be the effort. America has been 

 justly termed the land of insects. The vast extent of our country and 

 the great number of species contained within its limits; the fashion 

 which our farmers have of scattering their energies over large tracts, 

 instead of concentrating them on smaller and better-managed farms; 

 the great number of noxious insects imported from foreign lauds ; the 



