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8 
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In order to be able to avail ourselves of the knowledge accumi 
lated by others, concerning the habits of our noxious insects, an< 
the methods of counteracting their ravages, the first step is t 
identify with certainty, the species which we may have in hand 
Jb or this purpose, it is necessary to refer to some living authority 
or to a correctly named cabinet, or to plates, or to well writtei 
descriptions. 
Next to consulting some well informed entomologist, the sures 
way to identify an insect, is to compare it with the specimens ir 
a well preserved and correctly named cabinet. With this end ii 
view, it would be well for those w r hose pursuits render sorm 
knowledge of noxious insects especially important, to make pri 
vate collections of their own. But as this is hardly to be expected 
except in a few isolated cases, it becomes the more important thai 
every horticultural society should have a well arranged collectior 
ot noxious insects, both in larva and perfect states, located ai 
some central point where it would be easily accessible to its mem¬ 
bers, and others interested. Bat as such collections, also, will be 
most likely to be either wholly neglected or imperfectly prepared, 
we can understand the paramount necessity of having, at least 
one if not more large cabinets in the State which may serve the pur¬ 
poses ot ultimate resort. It was a pervading consciousness of this 
kind, no doubt, which produced so general a desire, on the part 
of intelligent men throughout the State, that the large and val¬ 
uable collection of insects left by my predecessor in office, Mr. 
B. D. Walsh, of B-ock Island, should be secured as the perma¬ 
nent property of the State. Soon after my appointment to the 
office of State Entomologist was publicly announced, I received 
communications from several persons of influence, and amoDgst 
others, Mr. W. C. Ilagg, President of the Illinois Horticultural 
Society, calling my attention to this matter, and expressing the 
wish that this cabinet might be secured to the State. Mr. Fiagg 
stated that he had already had two interviews with Gov. Palmer, 
in which this matter formed a principal topic of discussion, and 
that the Governor expressed his willingness to take any steps 
which might be necessary for the attainment of this end. Ac¬ 
cordingly, as soon as it was determined that there would be a bal¬ 
ance of the contingent fund at his disposal sufficient for the pur- 
