meet this demand as far as possible without sacrificing usefulness in 
the direction for which the labors qf an entomologist were originally 
intended. Nor has this been done solely for this purpose, but because 
in this way the number to be reached by these reports would be largely 
increased. 
I may also be permitted to state here another fact of which your 
board is fully aware, and which you appreciate as fully as I do, that 
agriculture itself is a science as well as an industry, and I may add 
the most useful of all sciences and the most important of all industries. 
There is scarcely an operation in the whole round of agricultural pur¬ 
suits but what is' based upon scientific principles, and very largely upon 
natural science. Botany, zoology, meteorology, geology, chemistry and 
the wide scope of natural philosophy, are all called upon to contribute 
their aid in rendering it more and more successful. Not that crops 
can be raised, stock improved, and horticulture rendered profitable by 
scientific theories alone, or by the simple reading of scientific treatises, 
but by the practical application of true scientific principles. The scientist 
studies out the laws and principles of nature, the agriculturist makes 
the practical application, and thus renders them useful, and thus they 
become co-workers in the effort to benefit mankind, Your board stands 
as the head and representative of the great agricultural interests of our 
state, which is pr-eeminently an agricultural state. That you may ful¬ 
fill to the best advantage the important trust imposed upon you, it is 
proper, in fact due to your position, that you should have all possible 
aid given to you. This important fact I regret to say has not always 
been as fully appreciated as it ought to be by our legislatures. But 
this has not arisen so much from an unwillingness to legislate in be¬ 
half of our agricultural interests as from two other causes—first the fascin¬ 
ation which the great problems of political government and control 
have over the minds of men when they have once entered into the discussion 
of them; and, second, from the fact the agriculturists themselves, have 
too often failed to present their legislators properly matured plans, by 
which their great industry might be materially benefitted. I am in¬ 
clined to think that the latter has probably been as often the cause of 
neglect as the first.' 
It is not my province, nor is this the proper place to enter into a 
discussion of this subject, and I only allude to it here so far as it 
bears upon the question of bringing to your aid the scientific knowl¬ 
edge which may assist you in fulfilling to the best possible degree for 
the advancement of the agricultural interests of our state, the duties 
imposed upon your board. 
I am exceedingly gratified at the step your board has taken on this 
subject; it is a step in the proper direction, and which, if you are 
properly supported in it, and enabled to carry out, must result in ma¬ 
terially benefitting the agricultural interests of our state. 
Although my time and studies have been largely devoted to the par¬ 
ticular branch of science in which I am at present employed, yet the 
question, “What can be done to elevate agriculture as a science, and 
to benefit the great industry of our state?” is one that has long deeply 
interested me; and one with which I am constantly coming* in contact 
since I entered upon my duties as state entomologist. Every new fact 
