worm, for ini5tance. It belongs to a family of insects, of which, 

 in Great Britain, there are upwai-ds of 300 species. Our own 

 country, we may safely assume, contains at least double this num- 

 ber. And of our 600 American insects of this family, how many, 

 think you, have been examined and described'! So far as I am 

 able to ascertain, there are three species only ! In no other de- 

 partment of science is an exploration so urgently requiied, so 

 loudly called for, as in this. Scarcely a week passes, but that 

 one and another within tlie circle of my acquaintance, is coming 

 to me with some insect which he has detected, preying upon some 

 article of property ; of which insect he is anxious to know the 

 name, habits and remedies. Within the^past forty-eight hours, 

 one has brought me a worm which is infesting the roots of his 

 squashes, melons and cucumbers, and has killed a large part of 

 these plants in his and his neighbors' gardens ; another has shown 

 me some pea-pods, containing a worm which is devouring the 

 young peas; a third has brought in some tomato plants, wilted 

 and de>^troyed by a grub that has perforated the stalk ; and a 

 young lady has submitted to my notice some caterpillars, which 

 she finds devouring her roses. Such facts forcibly show how 

 much, how very much we need a thorough investigation of the 

 Entomology of our country. It is indeed surprising that this 

 branch of natural science, in an economical aspect second to no 

 other in its importance, should have remained to this day so la- 

 mentably neglected. In that valuable series of volumes, the 

 Natural History of the State of New- York, we are presented wjth 

 a full description of every object in the animal, vegetable and 

 mineral kingdoms, that exists within our borders— save only our 

 insects. This most important hiatus remains to be filled, to com- 

 plete that great work, and render it full and entire as it was de- 

 signed to be. Each succeeding year is showing how urgently we 

 need the information which this part of that work would furnish 

 us. Why should its completion be longer delayed 1 The pecu- 

 niary lojs which we shall sustain the present year, from this one 

 insect which is now devastating our orchards, is probably greater 

 than will be the whole cost of a survey of the insects of the 

 State. 



i have only space left to give you a short description of this 

 apple tree worm, reserving a more extended account of it for a 



