I STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Dutchess ; TIerman Wendell, Albany ; Oscar Granger, Saratoga ; 
Solon D. Hungerford, Jefferson; Thomas I. Chatfield, Tioga; 
Patrick Barry, Monroe; Samuel W. Johnson, Cattaraugus. 
Corresponding Secretary —B. P. Johnson, Albany. 
Recording Secretary —Erastus Corning, Jr., Albany. 
Treasurer —Luther II. Tucker, Albany. 
Executive Committee —T. C. Peters, Genesee ; E. Sherrill, Onta¬ 
rio; A. Hubbell, Oneida; C. I. Hayes, Otsego; W. Newcomb, 
Rensselaer. 
A recess was then taken until 7 P. M., when, after the presen¬ 
tation of some resolutions by Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Mr. P. 
M. Wetmore, of New York, which were laid on the table for 
discussion by the Society at their meeting on Thursday, the 
annexed valuable letter was read from Dr. Fitch, Entomologist of 
the Society, who was unfortunately prevented by illness from 
being present in person : 
INSECTS THE PAST YEAR. 
DR. FITCH'S LETTF.R. 
Gentlemen — The past year has furnished an unusual amount 
of important material for investigation in the department in 
which I am occupied. And I had contemplated with much satis¬ 
faction the account of the year’s researches which I should have 
to present in this address at the annual meeting. 1 will endeavor 
to hastily sketch the leading topics I had intended to speak of, 
and if you deem this will be of any interest to the meeting, it 
may be read as some amends for my non-appearance. 
The insects with which my attention was most occupied the 
past year, were the Grain .Aphis, the Army Worm and the Wheat 
Midge. And I will aim to notice some of the more important 
facts that have been thus come to with respect to these insects. 
The first of these, the Grain Aphis, made its advent in a most 
remarkable manner. That an insect never seen before, and not 
known to be present in our country, should suddenly be found 
everywhere in New England and most of the State of New York, 
in profuse numbers in every grain field of this wide extent of 
territory, and literally swarming upon and smothering the crop 
in many fields, was a phenomenon which probably has no parallel 
in the annals of science. How it was possible for this insect so 
suddenly to become thus astonishingly numerous, was a mystery 
which seemed to most persons to be inexplicable. It is the most 
