260 Insects Injurious to Vegetation. [Oct., 



many of the fields in Saratoga county were entirely destroyed. I 

 do not learn that in this vicinity their devastations at any time 

 reached this extent. About the year 1803, tlieir last depredations 

 were committed. From that time this insect has never been ob- 

 served in this vicinity, that I can ascertain, until the autumn of 

 last year. 



In 1792, the recently instituted New York Society for the Pro- 

 motion of Agriculture, Arts, and Manufactures, issued part first 

 of their Transactions, containing (p. 71-86), "Observations on 

 the Hesssian Fly, by Jonathan N. Havens." This is the most 

 valuable memoir that had hitherto appeared upon this subject, and 

 few of those of a later date surpass it. After sketching the ra- 

 vages of the fly in different years in his own vicinity. Judge H. 

 describes with much precision its situation and appearance in the 

 respective stages of its existence, showing that it passes regularly 

 through but two generations in a year, instead of three or four, 

 as anterior writers had stated. As remedies, he recommends sow- 

 ing none but the bearded wheats, and burning or plowing up the 

 stubble soon after harvest. This last important measure had never 

 before been proposed; Judge H. had been led directly to it, by 

 his close investigations of the habits of this insect. 



The American Philosophical Society this year appointed from 

 among its most competent members, a committee (Thomas Jeffer- 

 son, B. Smith Barton, James Hutchinson, and Casper Wistar), 

 " for the purpose of collecting and communicating to the society 

 materials for forming the natural history of the Hessian fly." 

 This committee immediately issued a circular, requesting all per- 

 sons acquainted w ith any facts relating to this insect, its depreda- 

 tions, and preventives, to communicate the same by letter to their 

 chairman. The numerous points upon which information was 

 desired, were particularly detailed in an extended series of ques- 

 tions, which clearly indicate the importance which they attached 

 to this subject, and the thorough investigation which they purposed 

 making. It cannot but be regretted that this business, committed 

 to such capable hands, was not pursued and brought to a close 

 with the same zeal with which it was evidently commenced. We 



