REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1899 



549 



VOLUNTARY ENTOMOLOGIC SERVICE OF 

 NEW YORK STATE 



The establishment of this service was the result of the conviction that 

 the office should be brought into closer relations with the public it is 

 designed to serve, and that, if properly managed, such an organization 

 would result in bringing together much valuable information. It was 

 the aim not only to obtain facts of immediate value, that is, those 

 relating to the destructiveness of a pest, its occurrence in numbers, etc. 

 but also to begin records which in the course of time would prove of 

 great service in determining to some extent the causes governing the 

 distribution of insects and their relative abundance, or effecting changes 

 in habit. 



A circular letter was prepared in the winter months and sent to parties 

 in all sections of the state. It outlined the work as follows : 



To all i?iterested in aitomology : 



New York state with its enormous and varied agricultural interests 

 suffers immense losses yearly from the depredations of insects. Its large 

 area renders it impossible for one man, or even a moderate force of men, 

 to observe properly the many insects within its borders, and warn the 

 inhabitants of threatened loss by their attacks. In order to bring this 

 office into closer relations with the public and render it of greater practical 

 value, it is desired to establish an auxiliary force of voluntary observers 

 who will serve without pay, and send short reports to the state ento- 

 mologist weekly during the growing season and less frequently at other 

 times. Though few entomologists will be able to take up this work, 

 many valuable facts regarding the relative abundance of insects, the 

 extent of their depredations, the effect of climate, soil and altitude, the 

 distribution and spread of insect pests, etc., may be collected from all 

 sections of the state. As necessity arises, directions will be issued in 

 regard to what insects should be looked for and where the observations 

 should be made. 



Voluntary observers will be appointed by the regents on the recom- 

 mendation of the state entomologist, and will receive copies of future 

 state entomologic publications. Each person will be given due credit 

 in these publications for all his observations and contributions of speci- 

 mens, and in the course of a year should learn many valuable facts, as 

 all inquiries for further information concerning an insect or in regard to 

 its identity will be cheerfully answered. Those wishing to join in this 

 volunteer service are respectfully requested to communicate at once with 

 the undersigned, and, as an earnest of what may be expected in the 

 future, to send in a few of their more important observations on insects 

 of last year. All observations should be recorded, as they are always of 

 value, and the absence of records is difficult to supply in later years. 

 Soon after the appointments are made, appropriate stationery will be sent 

 to those selected. 



