331 
No. 150.] 
In 1792, the recently instituted New-York Society for the pro¬ 
motion of Agriculture, Arts, and Manufactures, issued part first of 
its Transactions, containing (p. 71-S6), “ Observations on the Hes¬ 
sian fly, by Jonathan N. Havens.” This is the most valuable memoir 
that had hitherto appeared upon this subject, and few of those of a 
later date surpass it. After sketching the ravages of the fly in dif¬ 
ferent years in his own vicinity, Judge II. describes with much pre¬ 
cision its situation and appearance in the respective stages of its 
existence, showing that it passes regularly through but two genera¬ 
tions in a year, instead of three or four, as anterior writers had 
stated. As remedies, he recommends sowing none but the bearded 
wheats, and burning or plowing up the stubble soon after harvest. 
This last important measure had never before been proposed; Judge 
H. had been led directly to it, by a close investigation of the habits 
of this insect. 
The American Philosophical Society this year appointed from 
among its most competent members, a committee (Thomas Jefferson, 
B. Smith Barton, James Hutchinson, and Casper VVistar), “ for the 
purpose of collecting and communicating to the society materials 
for forming the natural history of the Hessian fly.” This committee 
immediately issued a circular, requesting all persons acquainted with 
any facts relating to this insect, its depredations, and preventives, 
to communicate the same by letter to their chairman. The nu¬ 
merous points upon which information was desired, were particu¬ 
larly detailed in an extended series of questions, which clearly in¬ 
dicate the importance which they attached to this subject, and 
the thorough investigation which they proposed making. (Carey’s 
Museum, vol. xi. p. 285). It cannot but be regretted that this bu¬ 
siness, committed to such capable hands, was not pursued and 
brought to a close with the same zeal with which it was evidently 
commenced. We have met with no report ever rendered by them. 
At this time, as we infer from a clause in the circular just alluded 
(o, and also from some passages in Dr. Mitchell’s address before the 
New-York Society of Agriculture ( Transactions, vol. i. p. 32,) the 
insect was becoming so rare in all the more densely settled parts of 
the Middle States, which had been first overspread by it, that it was 
the common opinion that it would soon vanish from the country en- 
