THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



109 



once taken, it may yet be prevonted from spread- 

 ing tlivongh the country. 



In Enrope vast sums have been expended in 

 founding professorships of Economic Entomol- 

 ogy in the various agi'iculiural colleges, and in 

 conducting elaborate experiments on the best 

 means of checking and controlling these liny 

 foes. But the entire sum expended by Con- 

 gress or by our various State Legislatures for 

 this purpose, from the Declaration of Indepen- 

 dence to the year of our Lord 18(i9, cannot 

 exceed ninety or one hundred thousand dol- 

 lars, or about one thousand dollars a year. Yet 

 tlie annual damage done by insects within the 

 limits of the United States cannot be less than 

 three hundred million dollars. Indeed, it is 

 but. quite recently thflt the people, from neces- 

 sity, have awakened to the importance of the 

 subject. We now have an Entomologist con- 

 nected with the Department of Agriculture at 

 Washington, and, with proper care, he can be 

 of iue-limable service to the country, in pre- 

 venting the introduction of noxious insects. It 

 is not noxious weeds alone, such as the Canada 

 thistle, which are sent broadcast over the land 

 by the distribution of uninspected seeds; but 

 noxious insects are very frequently distributed 

 in ihe same way. We have the highest author- 

 ity. Dr. J. L. LeConte, of Philadelphia, for the 

 statement, that before the Entomologist received 

 his appoinment, a noxious beetle, Rkizopertha 

 pusilla, which has now become naturalized 

 here, was originally introduced into this coun- 

 try in wheat from the Patent Office. 



Therefore, there can be no doubt that much 

 may be done at headquarters. That govern- 

 ment aid cannot be of any avail in the great 

 majority of instances, however, is equally ap- 

 parent to those who have studied this question ; 

 and we must, trust to a more thorough dis.sem- 

 ination of such information as will enable each 

 individual to protect himself. Much is being 

 done in this direction by means of State Re- 

 ports, through the American Entomologist, 

 and through our various agricultural and hor- 

 ticultural journals; but much yet remains to 

 be done. We must bear in mind that by 

 enlightening our neighbors, we are helping 

 ourselves, and, as horticulturists, we should 

 urge that more attention be paid in our col- 

 leges, and especially in those of an Industrial 

 nature, to the study of the Natural Sciences. 



In my First Report, I have shown how the 

 Oyster-shell Bark-louse, though perfectly able 

 to live in the northern part of this State, is yet 

 unknown there; and I tremble, lest some one in 

 carelessuess or iguorauce should iuti-oduce this 



dreaded plague of the apple grower into that 

 section, from some Eastern or Northern nur- 

 sery. Every tree received from a distance 

 should be examined from "top to stern," as 

 the ailors say, before it is planted, and all 

 insects, in whatever state they may be, de- 

 stroyed. There can be no doubt that many of 

 our worst insect foes may be guarded against 

 by these precautions. The Canker-worm, the 

 different Tussock-moths or Vaporer-moths, the 

 Bark-lice of the Apple and of the Pine, and all 

 other scale insects (Corcida), the Apple-tree 

 Root-louse, etc., are continually being trans- 

 ported from one place to another, either in 

 earth, on scions, or on the roots, branches, and 

 leaves of young trees ; and they are all possessed 

 of such limited powers of locomotion, that 

 unless transported in some such manner, they 

 would scarcely spread a dozen miles in a cen- 

 tury. 



In the Pacific States fruit-growing is a most 

 profitable business, because they are yet free 

 from many of the fruit insects which so increase 

 our labors here. In the language of our late 

 lamented Walsh, "although in California the 

 Blest, the Chinese immigrants have already 

 erected their joss houses, where they can wor- 

 ship Buddha -without fear of interruption, yet 

 no 'Little Turk' has imprinted the crescent 

 symbol of Mahometanism upon the Californian 

 plums and Californian peaches." But how 

 long the Californians will retain this immunity, 

 now that they have such direct communication 

 with infested States, will depend very much on 

 how soon they are warned of their danger. 

 I suggest to our Pacific friends that they 

 had better " take the bull by the horns " and 

 endeavor to retain the vantage ground they 

 now enjoy. I also sincerely hope that the day 

 will soon come when there shall be a sufficient 

 knowledge of this subject throughout the land, 

 to enable the nation to guard against foreign 

 insect plagues ; the State against those of other 

 States, and the individual against those of his 

 neighbors. 



Sir.K-wORM E(JGS. — Two tons of Silk-worm 

 eggs lately passed on the Pacific railroad from 

 California eastward, bound from Japan to 

 France. They left Yokohama, Japan, Decem- 

 ber 2. In this shipment were 78 packages 

 valued at $800 per package. 



or To all persons interesting themselves in 

 the American Entomologist we will allow 

 twenty-five cents on every dollar, on all over 

 five names which they send. 



