108 



grouDcl, except tliat based on the early miuutes of tbe Philosophical 

 Society, which, as commimicated to him (Hageii) by oue of the secre- 

 taries, Mr. H. Phillips, jr., aud as published, make mention of the Hes- 

 sian Fly in 1708, or before any Hessian trooi)s lauded. Professor Riley 

 announced that the statement of the secretary, as also the published 

 minutes, turn out to be absolutely erroneous on these points, as, upon 

 consulting the original records, he found no mention of Hessian Fly 

 prior to 1791. In all previous cases the Fly or the Fly in ivheat. or the 

 Fly-weavil are the terms used, and it is susceptible of positive proof that 

 these terms referred to totally distinct insects, belonging to different 

 orders, aud still called weevils, viz: Sitophilus granarius, S. oryzce, and 

 Oelechia cerealella. Thus popular belief and tradition are vindicated, 

 but it is a most interesting illustration of grave and misleading error, 

 resulting from inaccuracy in what appear to be trifles, as the change 

 in the records was doubtless made inadvertently. 



The following extract is from the letters to Dr. Hagen by Mr. Phillips: 



At the request of Professor Lesley, I have examined our okl minutes in reference 

 to the Hessian Fly, and append on next page the results of my search. I know 2)osi- 

 iively that before the Revolution our newspapers were full of communications in ref- 

 ence to the Hessian Fly eo nomine. I can not call to mind any one paper, but I remem- 

 ber perfectly frequently seeing these articles when reading for other purposes. I 

 can not find that the committee ever reported. 



The following are the extracts from the miuutes as furnished by Mr. 

 Phillips: 



May 18, 1768.— Com. on Husbandry, to consider whether any method can be fallen 

 upon for preventing the damage done to wheat by the Hessian Fly. [N. B. — Mr. Dii 

 Hamcl has written on the subject.] 



June 21, 1768. — Papers on the Hessian Fly read by Dr. Bond, ordered to be published. 

 [See No. 4, original papers.] 



October 18, 1768. — Col. Landon Carter, Sabine Hill, Virginia, observations on the Fly 

 Weevil destructive to wheat; ordered to be published. 



For purpose of comparison the following verbatim copy of the rec- 

 ords is here rej^roduced : 



May 18, 1768. — It was recommended to the Committee of Husbandry, etc., to meet 

 on Tuesday, 31st of this month, at the college to consider whether any method can 

 he fallen on for preventing the damage done to wheat by what is called the lly. [N. 

 B. — Monsieur du Hanu'l has written on this subject.] 



f/ime2l, 1768. — The Committee for Husbandry report that they had considered ye 

 affair of destroying the Fly in wheat, aud that Dr. Bond had laid before them a paper 

 containing many useful observations on that subject, which Dr. Bond was requested 

 to read before ye Society. The Society having hoard and approved of yo i)aper, re- 

 quest him to prepare it for ye press, that it may be communicated to ye public with- 

 out loss of time. 



^Tovemher 1.^), 1768, — Colonel Lee transmitted to the Society the ingenious and accu- 

 rate observation of Col. Landon Carter, of Sabine Hall, in Virginia, concerning the 

 Fli/-wenvil that destroys the wheat. The Society acknowledge themselves under great 

 obligations to Colonel Carter for communication o( the (conclusions he has formed (on 

 long experience) conceruiug that insect's propagation aud progress, and the methods 

 to be used to prevent the destruction of the wheat by it, aud order it to be printed 

 for the public benefit. 



