cials. Other important contributions followed those of Ratzeburg until 

 there is a mass of published data which is invaluable to the foresters 

 of Europe. But these contributions, valuable as they are to the 

 forest interests of the older countries with long established forestry 

 systems, relate to conditions very different from those prevailing in 

 America. Indeed, they are valuable only to the advanced student and 

 investigator in this country, and are not valuable or specially useful 

 to our young students, foresters, and managers of private estate. 

 In the aggregate there has been much original and compiled matter 

 published in the United States relating to the insects of forest and 

 shade trees, notably by Harris, Fitch, Walsh, Riley, LeConte, LeBaron, 

 Saunders, Xiintner, Packard, and others. Within recent years con- 

 siderable additional matter has been contributed by official entomolo- 

 gists, but up to the present time we have nothing in the line of special 

 instructions in the study of forest entomology that is adapted to present 

 conditions and needs in this country. 



The fifth report of the United States Entomological Commission on 

 Forest and Shade Tree Insects is the only important attempt at a 

 general discussion of the subject. This, as stated by the author, was 

 " designed merely to give to the public, especially those persons inter- 

 ested in forestry and the planting and cultivation of shade trees, a 

 brief summary of what is known [up to January, 1888] of the habits 

 and appearance of such insects as are injurious to the most useful 

 kinds of trees. " 



This work served a most excellent purpose by bringing together in 

 one volume the principal records of observations of forest insects by 

 American entomologists, and has doubtless stimulated others, as it 

 did the present writer, to an active interest in the subject of insect 

 enemies of trees. But it would seem that there is at present a special 

 need of an introduction or guide to the studj' of forest entomology 

 for the special use of students in forest schools and others who desire 

 general nontechnical information on the subject. 



It is, therefore, my object in this address, like the pioneer making 

 a preliminary survej' in a new country, to consider the general 

 features of the subject and leave the details to be treated in succeed- 

 ing contributions as the evolution of the forestry movement in this 

 country indicates the need. 



FORESTRY AND FOREST PROBLEMS. 



Forestry, which relates to the investigation of forest problems and 

 the management of forests with a view to utilizing their products and 

 perpetuating their resources and beneficial influences, is becoming 

 recognized as a branch of applied science which involves some of the 

 greater economic problerns of this country. 



