STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 29 



States at the present time. Now I hardly know what proportion 

 of this loss occurs in Maine, but let us suppose that one hundredth 

 part of the above amount be the proportion of loss for Maine after 

 the Colorado potato beetle becomes well established in our potato 

 fields, and I think no one can regard this too large. This gives us 

 $3,750,000 for the loss caused by insects in Maine, every year. 

 Now if a very small percentage of this sum, say one per cent., 

 could be saved to our farmers, it would amount to the sum of 

 $37,500 every year, a sum which would vastly more than pay for 

 all the experiments and entomological operations that the most 

 enthusiastic could be likely to suggest. 



I think you will agree with me in the belief, that if only what 

 is already known about our insects, and is at present scattered 

 through various reports and proceedings of scientific societies, 

 not generally accessible to our farmers, be collected and compiled 

 by sume competent person, and distributed so as to be in the 

 hands of every farmer in Maine, he would possess the information 

 whereby he might save more than one per cent, of his share of 

 this great waste. If, instead of this plan, you employ one of our 

 best entomologists, who shall not only perform the above men- 

 tioned labor, but who shall make investigations into the habits and 

 economy of such of our insects as are not well known, and are 

 doing great damage, learning what agents may be used for their 

 destruction, and what parasitic insects prey on them in regions 

 where they may be better known, and, if feasible, introduce those 

 parasites into the infested regions, and in fact devoting his entire 

 time to the best interests of economic entomology in the State, 

 there is not the shadow of a doubt in my mind that the loss caused 

 by insects at present would be reduced at least five per cent. 

 But, lest you may regard me extravagant in this estimate, I will 

 place it far below what my own honest convictions tell me, and 

 set it at two per cent., and this even will amount to the snug little 

 sum of $75,000 every year. 



I therefore give it as my opinion, that it would be the very best 

 economy for the State to employ an entomologist of the highest 

 qualifications, that he be paid such a salary as will induce him to 

 come here and remain with us permanently, that his reports be 

 published, with such quality and quantity of illustrations as he 

 may desire, and that some scheme be devised whereby a copy of 

 each of his reports may fall into the hands of every farmer and 

 fruit-grower in the entire State. Permit me here to say, that it is 



