Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-01


| endesvored to follow cut the suggestions
of the Board of State Horticultural Com.
missioners, and the people about him looked
upon him as a bad neighbor, because he
tried 80 enforce sll such regulations for the
health OF his orchard. Now they confess
that he was right and they were wrong
but it is too late 10 keep the Goblin moth
out. Very few of our so-cslled educated
men know the difference between bug and
beetle, between a worm and a caterpillar,
fly and butterfly, and of course they do
not know them by their technical names,
and they say II have such and such a
thing, and you say " 1t is probably so and
so, and they wander off in their descrip-
tion and are so inaccurate that you cannot
finally tell to which of two or three orders
the insect belongs.
ENTOMOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOLS.
Now, gentlemen. now is this ignorance
to be overcome You may answer, by hav-
ing State Board of Horticulture which
shall acquire and disseminate all possible
useful information in regard to in
sects affecting horticultural interests,
by Boards of Inspectors and by
horticultural and scientific societies all
over the State, by State Conventions of
fruit. growers, like the present. These are
sll good and useful in their way, and they
have done vast deal TO remove the cloud
of ignorance which overhangs our fsvorite
industry, and | need not tell you that |
have advocated and promoted them by ev-
cry means in my power. But we must
have something more sweeping and radical
than all something tina. will reach
the majority of all classes of the people,
and not the mere faction who now take
sufficient interest in insects to make an
especial study of them. As all classes
may be instrumental in spreading insect
pests, they should have sufficient knowl-
edge of them to appreciate their response.
bility. To secure this end, the elements of
general and economic entomology must
be acted upon at the time when impress.
sions are received which are TO last through
life. We must begin at the foundation.
The study of insect life, with its won
derful changes and thousands of beau.
tiful and curious forms, when properly pre-
sented, is intensely to most young
people. Textbooks could be prepared
which would make the study one of the
most popular, ana give it mere the char
acter of recreation than of hard work. if
taught by qualified instructors. Just at
this point a very serious difficulty arises,
from the fact that very few of our profess
sional teachers have studied entomology at
all, and fewer still have made much pro.
gress in it. We must educate teachers in
entomology, far enough at least to make
them safe guides TO the young in the intro
duction to the subject. We have had
~ -, A.
yersity, in the College of Agriculture. |
found that my students, while they had
the elements of zoology, had very little
practical knowledge OF insects, and, conse-
quently, l took up voluntarily the task of
ins.ructing them, SO far as time would per.
NIT, in the elements of this science, that
is, elementary entomology, the structure
and classification of insects, IN a general
way, and the application of the study to
practical life; that is, economic ento-
mology. l did this without being a pro-
fessional entomolOgist, but having had an
opportunity to study the subject some
what, under a very able instructor, and
having since taken personal interest in
the matter; and | found that in limited
time very much good had been accom-
plished, and the agricultural students have
gone out at least equipped to take up pop
ular and scientific works, and the investi-
CATION of most any insect they come across,
and protect themselves thus in a way that
our average cultivator cannot do. This has
been found so far a success, and has be.
come so popular with the students, that it
has been made regular requirement for
the agricultural students in the junior
year Now this is good so far as it goes
but, as | say, am not professional ento-
mologist, and l am not engaged to teach
entomology at the University. l have
done it voluntarily.
a PROFESSOR NEEDED.
We ought to have thorough entomolo-
gist to teach entomology to our horticult-
wrists and agriculturists generally. and to
those who are to become teachers them.
selves, and large number of graduates take
that course and become teachers after.
wards. We want the very best man that
can be had, who is a thorough entomolo-
gist, who is in the prime of life so that he
has many good years of valuable service to
give us, and who will come here with the
understanding that he is to be an instructor
in entomology as MS great work, and not !
mainly to build up great reputation as an
original investigator striving for fame by
attaching his name to every little insect as
its first discoverer. We have collectors
and investigators of insects in this State |
and elsewhere, and they are good in their |
way, but that is not what | believe the |
State University now wants. We want a |
gentleman who is qualified, and who will |
devote himself in every way to advancing |
instruction, and who will |
act for the coed of the whole State, begin |
ming, Of course, at home in the University, |
and also aiding in securing good tex books |
and general instruction throughout our
schools. 1t may not be generally known
that
CHAIR OF ENTOMOLOGY
Was created by the Board OF Regents some
years ago, on condition that the State
should appropriate the necessary funds to
endow it. The State failed to do that, and |
| do not think it will endow it for long |
time, and, in fact, DO not know that it
ought to. | have serious doubts on that |
matter. The State has done a lrsat deal |
for the University of California, ard | |
believe it is a proper thing just at this
juucture for those who specially want gen.
eral information or the subject of ento-
mology to be used in the line of their bust |
ness, to put their hands in their pockets,
and it is probably a very serious question
whether it would not be the very best
investment they could make, and put few
hundred, or a thousand, or five or ten thou
sand, according as they have prospered, into
an endowment of this chair. | see gentle.
men here who could have well afforded,
ten years ago. 20 have done that. 1t would
have been thousands of dollars in their
pockets, and l do not think they will ques
tion my figures have known Of their
spending $500 a month, apiece, in fighting
these pests, which they and their neigh.
bors ought to have known all about, and
to have
STAMPED CUT IN THEIR INCIPIENCY.
Now this is a serious matter, ard l hope
you will give it the most serious considera-
ton. Perhaps it would be best that a
should be appointed 10 consider
as to what can be done, and to canvass
among all parties interested, and am pre-
pared to say that certain gentleman is
ready to put down subscup:ion in at
last three figures, although be does not
care to have his name mentioned, and
will guarantee that he is fully good for the
money. The amount | will state to any