20 
HALF HOURS WITH INJECTS. [Packard. 
in the forest, gnarled and distorted by one set of insects, its 
leaves curled and turned j^ellow or red by the attacks of 
others, with certain branches stripped by still others; and 
not only are certain trees and shrubs thus represented in 
colors, but some of the plates represent parts of a forest, 
showing the injury done in the mass by one or two species 
of insects, with the changes in the form of branches and 
leaves for several years succeeding the defoliation, and the 
after growth of branches depending on the different degrees 
of injury, with transverse sections of the twigs, and micro¬ 
scopic sections illustrating the pathological anatomy of the 
tree. In England Curtis’ “Farm Insects” and in our own 
country Harris’ Treatise on the Injurious Insects of Massa¬ 
chusetts, together with Fitch’s reports on the injurious in¬ 
sects of New York, and Walsh’s on those of Illinois, Riley’s 
on those of Missouri, LeBaron’s on tliose of Illinois, Trim¬ 
ble’s work on the insects injurious to fruit trees, and the 
reports of the writer on the insects of Massachusetts, all 
elucidate the subject of applied or economic entomology. 
Indeed the study of economical entomology is of growing 
importance. Every passing year witnesses the attacks of 
new enemies of our crop that appear as the forests are out 
down, and their natural food plants destroyed. ^The wanton 
killing of insect-eating birds also tends to a steady increase 
in the number of noxious insects. More knowledge of en¬ 
tomology should be diffused among agriculturists, that they 
may be made acquainted with these pests and be forewarned 
against their attacks and thus save a fair percentage of their 
crops. 
We begin in this number an account of the insects of the 
garden, and as their name is legion we shall have to select a 
few of the most noxious, and portray as clearly as possible 
their forms, and briefly sketch their habits. 
Were we to enumerate all the insect pests which gather 
about our flowers, garden vegetables, ornamental shrubs 
20 
