, 1860-06-29

uclS Natural dlat0Ey C9cletY opened Its second
DAYS proceedings with larger numbers and
good outside attendance.
The Society met It fbGnix Hall at A. NJ,
Prof. Turner, the President in the Chair, and
The reports Of Committees vera taken up.
Prof.. McChrsney Of Springfield on Commit
tee on Constitution proposed several changesin
the Constitution tuat had been agreed Oh,
chitfs that Of abolishing the Office OF General
Superiptendcnt and devolyiug its late duties on
,ha M Secretary. and The addition Of the Office Of
Librarian. The changes were adopted, US also
auother fixing the annual assessment at one
dollar.
Mr. Bragdop urged thatthe assessment should
remain subject to the vote Of tie Society.
Mr.. Roots thought the s.m should stand fixed
in the Constitution that all might know what
was expected Of them in the Association.
3 sum as the Society could get along with.
Mr. Galusha sustained the adoption Of the
lesstr sum named. g..
Mr. MeChe.ney Was in favor of fixing the sum
at one dollar
that the assessment Of one dollar would best
further the purposes of the Association.
The annual assessment was fixed at one dol.
lar.
The reports OF committees were then deferred.
INSECT LIFE.
Mr. Walsh Of 1tock Island was called upon
for paper On :" Insect Life" lie sad wc:e
foreign army to invade our shores, our law gig.
ers would vie with one another in large expen.
diture and preparation to oppose the Invaders,
ravages Of such an army would be insignificant
in comparison with an army Of insects.
Ten years ago the wheat crop Of the United
Suites amounted to ten milIio1 bushels, 1t was
now twelve times that amount. Now the insect
enemies Of the wheat plant. the midge, chiosz
bug. ETC., annually destroy it cannot be qaes-
toued oAe-tourth Of the amount or thirty mill
ion bushels, which, at the low price Of 75 cents
per bushel, would give m annual damage Of
ovcr twcnty millions Of dollars. Takipg u | our
crops, the annual dunlage to them in the Unite d
Stntes f1ntn insignificant insects must reach the
sun, Of $lU0.0oo,000
And tu,s is su.,,s on md increasing, annually
covering nloro and more territory, The nrmy
Of tho enemies of the GRIPS has been moring
from, lie Benbonrd TO the laken, and from The
lakcs to tho mississippi un4 Missouri.
Twenty years ugo tlle bark louse was un-
known on tho aprlo trees west Of the lakes
five yeark ugo ti,ry we're Il novelty in Michigan.
So. too, tlc llcssian tly. the nudge, and other
insects harc been increasing tue extent Of ther
1ayages westward.
Frnm the Northwest, out Of Minuesota, au
army Of grusshoppers ME coming dosn upon
us. huving arca y reached Northern Illinois.
Now wherc arc the o1licers, in number, and
where the ''arny appropriations" IN amount,
to meet and tight this army Of insect invaders:
What has been done by our Legislators in the
matter,
Sons years ago Congress employed an
entcmologis1, Mr. Glover, to visit the South
and report on some Of the ius.cts irjurious to
the great crops Of that section. I do not know
how much WAS psid him, but this is all that
Congress has ever done from the Revolution
down to the present lime.
Ft1a nj q 4rI1a f.Oxa s4n1n
more. Massachusetts, gave employment to Dr..
Harris; the St1te Of New Jersey employ ed its
EutomLlog1s:, Prof. Jack; so also, the State oi
Michigan Temporarily. New York has been
literally the Empire otate in this direction. Fur
years past she has paid au annual salary oi
$1,000 10 ,he learned and indefatigab1e Ir Fitch,
u sum just about sufficient to pay his bouk sci.
ler's bills. Of this office Hon. Daniel S. Dick
inson once in q harangue aaid, the services he
{Dr. FL had rendered were worth 5000 au'
nua!ly to the State.
Nov, taking all these sums By the genera
and State Governments since ihe Revolution,
they would not. all told, exceed $40 coo, or an
annual destruction Of crops By insects ci
slOo,V 900 to the entire United States. Was
ever such folly aud hlindnessf Would out
people thus he content TO oppose M invading
army By voting $3.50 10 Gen. Scott, and lesser
SUMS TO few other officers?
In Russia aud other Continentol States Entom'
oloEy in its Iudiments is made portion ot
common echool education. IN the Agricultural
Schools regular Professor of Entomology has
place, and this branch is made his own, with
no other 'oLogifs added. When one considers
that the insect world numbers over 400.0 .00f
species, it would seem to be q sufficient thlme
and branch for one man.
In France, this Is made q special matter o.
Government attention Forinstauce, no soone,
do caterpiGfar5 appear in any one Of the Can,
tons than orders nre issued 10 the peasants tc
"uucaterplt ltar" their trees, and it is done. The
same Government, to protect the country
| against the ravaaes Of locusts, pays bounty
Of SO much per bushe1 for the bodies and eggs
| Of these insects.
| This shows THAT Enlperors and Kings do no,
think it beneath them to protect their people
from these lnt'e minute enemies. But perhaps
some skcptical persons may question If any
thing can be done. Let us take the single in
stance Of Sweden, where once the royal dock.
Of the LymtTyl0n NiUaie-which destroyed O
large amount Of the timber, rendering il untl,
for naval purposes, causing an annual loss o!
millions Of dollars. The King called on the
great Linuacus to examine into the matter, and
Ie1ise remedy. Lie did SO. and gave it much
study. lie fund the fly wtoss lrrsa did such
damage, laid its eggs 10 the timber, in June ;
timber iu water; and this was found to be ef.
fectua1.
/ aeree with DR., Fitch Of New York that
there !. no noxious insect that mar not ha m.
nosed and couuter.woEked. aud for this. task
studr- and lour series Of experiment ia nec,led
There arc. accordiur to Ur. Fitch. sixtr nor-
ious insects' The ene,aT Of the unn;e Tree alnre
in Nrw Ynrl. No,y ran tcw iahorcra ond
students in scicnce cope With such an army?
The speaker would deprecate the inference
dnn tta. Luz .as;Is "Gs.a ~s.e ussess snou1a ee
e ;!;sr rhars ;nsects sddaa ;edoa, a.
Tho c.n,fcr,s ora ln1nrias " i;fs ns ,ha haa ~
s;ikwoTn md ~ III othe1s Hethnn,ht ;ndcsd ; ,ha. tnt
;uriea Ther tl,d nnnch bora+or r. to.r 4 ,,-r
ra ..ot1.aS H. -afar.aJ J.; Ja.,It ~ r.
c;ai ,st.aIa f ~ -. .ait.5 .s'n:ni ~ s"e oeA
sns'. 'uo1's w. .e :: "saun.oa' o'
1ss.s, sa:.s.t "nnIn n, Ious., h, Js'-ua.9u' one
.oItan ;ne mnoe 1n ~ sincn .l';,5 oe oone
~ aa nor,n;a ~" .In ~ a-nsaat;p pte'ei.
cs5r;hs1 s,er;ss ~ '1e
Ths ra@I ranar ,re. -aoa hr n, r-o,.. .e
p,+oe ~ ~, ra.snfoar ~ ant 1.'etGt. ~ ~ ~ ~
D;~sr,, VI As~|oA u 4'"'>
''iH -
!, ~. Aee " n'oen!t"e;o1 lo1io"eu IN paper
oon1e features ot the Ufnt FORMATION IN lii.
no,x.
tue ls'ialooeI VI .nt morning session was
oecupiea III a discussion ano c0mpaFl:on OF
u:oseIsa,'on3 W Iecept tofnaaees, II was par.
a.cpa'eo IN ~ A5; oua"' rro1, turner, Irof.
naams. i1o!. AcIhesneE' DF. Ice, and others.
N9 oeHnlte toeo!y was aosanceu however.
". Esefett !nougn1 u would be Welt and OF
adsantage IN g!Flng q direction ot inquiry and
1nscss'Enuop, II seres OF questions were
made ou', suggesting ana calling attention to
such Incidents aud conditions 4 r1fGeht ha a