612 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 17 
both yellow fever and malaria is dependent upon the control of the 
carrier mosquitos. Can wealth and ability do better than make possible 
the alleviation of human suffering? The Foundation is one of the 
noblest conceptions of man. All honor to its founder and his associates. 
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, located at Trov, N. Y., cele¬ 
brated its hundredth anniversary this month. It is the oldest engineering 
school in the country. Two items of general interest though apparently 
of little concern to entomologists until we turn to the early history of 
the institution and find that not only did it recognize the natural sciences 
but actually gave work in entomology. Ebenezer Emmons, the author 
of an extended general work on New York insects published in 1854, 
was graduated in 1826 and Asa Fitch, the first “official entomologist” 
in the United States received his degree in 1827. The work of the latter 
is too well known to require more than mention. The character of his 
work shows that sound training in the fundamentals, even if but little 
of it relates directly to insects, makes possible the interpretation of 
many mysteries presented by the Hexapoda. The Rensselaer Polytechnic 
Institute, through Fitch, profoundly influenced the development of 
economic entomology in this country. It is fitting that we recognize 
the debt owed to men in technical schools who gave incidental training 
in entomology at a time when little training in natural philosophy was 
considered sufficient. 
Reviews 
Manual of Tree and Shrub Insects. By Ephriam Porter Felt, 382 
pages, 256 figures, The Macmillan Co., New York, 1924, Price S3.50. 
A compact and comprehensive manual of shade tree insects has long been needed. 
Packard’s Fifth Report of the U. S. Entomological Commission published in 1890, 
contained a vast amount of information, much of it descriptive, but was arranged in 
the form of a catalogue without giving a birds eye view of the subject, or the proper 
perspective. Of course the control measures mentioned in Packard’s work are now 
mostly obsolete. Dr. Pelt’s two-volume work, “Insects Affecting Park and Wood¬ 
land Trees” published in 1905-6, has for nearly twenty years been a standard refer¬ 
ence work in every entomological library, but it was too large and cumbersome to be 
convenient for ready reference. Then in 1918 came Houser’s Bu 1; etin 332 of the Ohio 
Agricultural Experiment Station on “Destructive Insects Affecting Ohio Shade and 
Forest Trees,” which answered the purpose for a time, though I am told that it can 
no longer be supplied. 
Therefore the appearance of a new book for which there is a need is an occasion for 
rejoicing: doubly so when its author is one of the best authorities in this country on 
