The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-08-20

| Early III tue uay, the ASSoCiaeioH
increased in numbers to three times
the attendance at many meetings.
A fine rain that kept continually
falling, deprived the Association
of visiting friend Taylor's well cul
tivated grounds. Four tables across
the large barn soon received the
contents Of the well filled baskets,
and for che half hour the enjoy
ment of feasting on good things in
that picnic style was evident
on the face of all present.
Dinner over, two tables were pre-
pared, and soon filled with Fruit.
Flowers and Veg e.ables on Exhi-
bition, as the days offerings.
President in the ch air, the As
ISOLATION called to order.
Minutes of last meeting read
and approved.
A communication from the
/ Montgomery Co., Ohio, Horticul-
turaI society, informing this Asso-
citation, that they could not meet
with US at our regular meeting in
September.
On motion our regular Septem-
Der meeting will be held on Thurs
day, the first day of September, at
the residence Of Isaac P. Evans,
| ald not on the second Saturday as
before reported; when we expect
our Montgomery friends to be with
us.
The following Essay was read
by j. C. Eatliff, and ordered to be
placed on file with the Minutes:
OF WHAT USE IS ENTOMOLOGY.
A few years ago, il q man had
been found devoting his time and
| attention to the collection of worms
and insects, for the purpose of
| studying their habits and charac-
tiers, he would have been consider
/ ed as being engaged in very small
business and, as mater OF
course, would be the subject of
sport and derision from all classes.
/ Even to this day, the question is
| often foolishly asked, "Of what
use is Entomology ~
This question, or rather the an
swer for it, I take for my text, or
the subject OF few remarks on
| the present occasion
Like many other questions it
might be answered in a few words,
or if deliberately defined, would
fill volume and whoever does
attempt it, with view Of doing
the subject justice. will fnd, as
have found, to have a good sized
elephant on his hands.
''Of what use is Entomology !"
Who cannot help to answer the
question, from his Or her expert
ence? what farmer is there who is
not forced 10 acknowledge that in
the course of q few years his losses
foot up from hundreds to thous-
ands of dollars, caused by the Hes
sian fly, the cut worm, and the grub
worm. He will perhaps, also ac-
knowledge that he looses as much
or more from this, as from all
other natural causes com bin ed
What Horticulturalist, above all
other men, has not most keenly
felt the necessity of better
knowledge and understanding of
insects, and the best means Cor
their destruction, especially when
he sees his Goosberries and Cur
rants stripped of their foliage, rem
dering the fruit worthless tie
leaves and the very stalks of his
Potatoes devoured his Plums a
total failure his Grape vines, sub
sisting a collection of a half dozen
different kinds of worms and bee
ties, some Of the latter Of magnifi-
cent proportions-his plants many
! Of them no sooner set out, than
| cut off-and, worst Of all his fruit
trees rendered alm ost no2 produc-
tive, by the Borer and Bark Louise
attacking the trunk and branches,
the Aphis the root, the Caterpillar
the leaves. and the worm the very
| core of the fruit.
What lumberman, cooper, cab
met maker, or other cunning
worker in wood" has not been
vexed, disappointed and sustained
8 loss by having hts material per>
forated in every direction by these
worms!
Where is the butcher that was
ever known to bless the blow-fiy,
and who does not on all occasions
curse. and kill him
How often has it been that the
! good housewife could not distin-
guish through her tears, the
amount of injury her furs and fine
fabrics have sustained by the larva
OF the pestiferous mot And, so
on, in every departm ent Of the
whole economy Of life; .lseo.s are
ever present. ever annoying, and
ever destructive.
/ 1t is equally important that we
should become acquainted with
the science OF Ento ologv, in or,
der that we might be abe to dis
tinguish our insect friends and al
lies, from our enemies-for, were
it not for these co-iaborers to keep
the others in check, our country
would be overrun az was Egypt in
an early period Of the world, by
the locust
i The task before US is not SO
much for the purpose o. murder
ing insects in cold or warm blood,
as it is to assist Nature 10 the
means she has provided for their