190 GEOLOGY. 
W. C. Flagg, J. P. Reynolds or H. D. Emery of Illinois; or ex- 
perience and popularity, like C. R. Dodge or Wm. Saunders (both 
at present connected therewith), there can be no doubt that it 
would þe infinitely more efficient in promoting the interests for 
which it was created; and less open to criticism. 
The agricultural interests of the country demand more attention — 
and better representation. If our merchants lost one tithe of 
what our farmers annually lose from insect depredations alone, 
they would immediately seek and undoubtedly obtain adequate 
protection from the government; for the simple reason that they 
are organized and work as one body. The farmers, heretofore, 
have been disconnected—a mere rope of sand, without concerted 
plan or object. But at present they are building up a powerful 
Š organization which is rapidly extending its strengthening and 
unifying arms over the whole country. It is an organization 
which, if not perverted from its originalaims, will soon become a 
very powerful lever in the promotion of the agricultural interests. 
May we not hope that through its instrumentality the plans and 
suggestions made by Dr. LeConte will at no distant day be ~ 
realized ! | 
Iy measures five and six (vol. vii, p. 722) as propounded in the 
paper, for the wholesale destruction of noxious insects, I have little 
confidence. Fires, lights, vessels of attractive or poisonous liquids 
are constantly recommended as means of counteracting the work 
of injurious insects; but my experience with them has been very 
unsatisfactory. Usually quite as many beneficial as injurious — 
species, and very seldom any really injurious species, are thus — 
captured ; and at the best such measures are blind and inefficient 
ways of effecting that which can be otherwise effected with more — 
certainty and satisfaction.—C. V. RILEY. : 
see Reeth See A : 
Sie FE eG RES CY in EN ee Rhy 0 1 Uy ace en eR 
GEOLOGY. 
: Bours or LAND Phiwi IN THE LOwER SILURIAN. ai Les- 
_ quereux contributes an article to the ‘ American Journal of Science 
` and Arts” for Jan., 1874, in which he’ reports the discovery 
near Lebanon, Ohio, of fragments of Sigillaria in clay beds, posi- 
tively referrible to the Cincinnati group of the Lower Silurian. 
oe This is a Saari discovery, as no land plants before this 
Se been found lo yi 
1 than the Lower aria division Ar the 
