﻿OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 133 



-societies. These resolutions have lately assumed the more substan- 

 tial form of a memorial, indorsed by several important agricultural 

 and horticultural societies, and signed by many prominent farmers, 

 fruit-growers and scientific men, urging Congress to create a commis- 

 sion that shall have for its object a thorough investigation of the 

 principal insect pests of our agriculture, and particularly the one in 

 question. 



Two bills have, in consequence, been introduced during the pres- 

 ent session of Congress, and referred to the Committees on Agricul- 

 ture. 



The first (Senate bill 158) was introduced by Senator Harvey, of 

 Kansas, and appropriately referred in the Senate; it was subsequently 

 introduced in the House by Mr. Patterson, of Colorado, and there 

 properly referred. It is entitled " a bill to provide for an investiga- 

 tion as to the habits of the Rocky Mountain locusts, or so-called 

 grasshoppers," and provides as follows : 



That the Commissioner of Agriculture be authorized and requested to appoint 

 three commissioners, having' the requisite scientific knowledge to constitute a compe» 

 tent commission, whose duty it shall be to visit the native breeding places of the said 

 locusts, in the Koeky Mountains or elsewhere; and report as to the best method of 

 preventing the incursions or irruptions of the said locusts into the adjacent fertile 

 States and Territories. 



That the Treasurer of the United States is hereby authorized to pay the expenses 

 incurred in making this investigation, upon the presentation of the proper vouchers 

 approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture. 



The second bill, (S. 438,) was introduced by Senator Ingalls, of 

 Kansas, and properly referred. It provides as follows : 



That the Secretary of the Interior shall have authority to appoint a Board of 

 Commissioners, and to fill all vacancies which may occur therein, on the nomination 

 of the National Academy of Sciences, to consist of three entomologists eminent in their 

 profession. 



That the said Commissioners shall devote themselves to the investigation of those 

 insects which are most destructive to the crops of farmers and planters, and especially 

 of the Rocky Mountain Locust, the Chinch-bus:, the Army Worm, the Cotton-worm, 

 the Hessian fly, and other insects injurious to the great staples, corn, wheat and cot- 

 ton, in order to devise successful methods for the destruction of such insects. The 

 Commissioners shall report the results of such investigations and methods, at least 

 once in each year, to the Secretary of the Interior, by whom the same shall be trans- 

 mitted to Congress. As soon, also, as the information gathered shall enable them, the 

 Commissioners shall compile practical instructions for the repression of the different 

 insects referred to. 



That the said Commissioners shall be appointed for the term of five years, and va- 

 cancies shall be filled for the residue of the term only, and they shall respectively receive 

 $5,000 per annum, to be paid monthly from the date of the original appointment, and 

 shall have clerical assistance, office room, fuel, stationery, chemicals and traveling ex- 

 penses, not to exceed thousand dollars per annum. 



The first is open to the objections that it sets no limit to the ex- 

 penses of the commission, and that it leaves the appointing power 

 with the present Commissioner of Agriculture. Even were Mr. Watts' 

 competency to choose wisely in such a field not questionable, the 



