The Ohio Journal of Science. Vol. XVI., No. 2 (December, 1915)

In Short

This scientific issue brings together observational entomology, applied mathematics, and ecological field surveys to document natural phenomena. It opens with an exhaustive taxonomy of insect-induced plant galls, mapping how minute larvae alter host plant structures. A theoretical mathematical paper follows, detailing how to fit modified normal curves to skewed statistical distributions. The publication concludes with an extensive field survey cataloging leafhopper species across diverse habitats, capturing a snapshot of Midwestern biodiversity, institutional science, and early twentieth-century academic culture.

The Story

The volume unfolds as a multi-faceted exploration of the natural world, moving from microscopic ecological interactions to abstract mathematical modeling, and finally to regional biodiversity.

The issue opens with a meticulous biological investigation into plant cecidia—abnormal growths or galls—found on hickory trees. The focus centers on the structural variations caused by tiny midges and mites, particularly the genus Caryomyia. The study details the specific morphology of these galls, describing their shapes, wall thicknesses, and internal chambers. Rather than naming new species based solely on the plant deformities, the work emphasizes that the true origin of each gall lies in the physiological stimulus applied by the larval insect. The text systematically categorizes dozens of unique gall formations, tracing their occurrence across various hickory species in Ohio counties such as Hocking, Athens, and Lake.

From the physical tangible structures of plant leaves, the focus shifts to pure and applied mathematics. The next segment tackles the problem of curve-fitting in statistical analysis. Standard symmetric normal distribution curves often fail to represent real-world statistical data, which frequently exhibits asymmetry or skewness. To solve this, the text explores the geometry of the "translated normal curve," a method proposed to modify standard probability curves using parametric constants. Through complex algebraic derivations, third and fourth moments, and discriminant equations, the work maps out how parameter changes affect curve modes and boundaries. It concludes with practical reference tables, enabling researchers to interpolate values and fit curves to empirical data accurately.

The final major movement returns to field biology, presenting a comprehensive regional survey of the Jassoidea (leafhoppers) across Missouri. Based on collections gathered during the summer of 1915, the text enumerates nearly one hundred species. It highlights their ecological niches, host plants, and economic impacts on crops like clover, alfalfa, and wheat. From widespread agricultural pests to rare specimens swept from riverbank grasses, the inventory maps insect distribution across the state. The volume closes with notes on contemporary campus events—including a transcontinental telephone talk by Dr. T. C. Mendenhall—and announcements from scientific societies, rounding out a complete record of academic endeavor.

How It Unfolds

The architecture of plant galls The issue begins by classifying hickory leaf galls induced by mites and midges. It outlines how tiny larvae apply unknown stimuli to young leaf tissue, creating diverse structural deformities ranging from smooth globes to hairy, caterpillar-like masses.

Mapping species and structures The text systematically catalogues distinct gall types collected across Ohio. Each entry details physical characteristics, internal larval chambers, host trees, and the necessity of linking gall forms directly to their insect creators.

Translating probability curves Transitioning to mathematics, the focus shifts to statistics and curve fitting. The text introduces Edgeworth's transformation of the standard normal curve to handle asymmetrical, real-world data distributions.

Deriving geometric properties Through rigorous calculus and algebraic moments, the work establishes equations for multi-modal curves and infinite ordinates. It provides numerical tables allowing statisticians to calculate precise parameter values for empirical data.

Surveying Missouri leafhoppers The narrative turns to field entomology with an extensive catalogue of leafhoppers collected in 1915. It details the distribution, host plants, and seasonal habits of nearly one hundred species across diverse Missouri ecosystems.

Academic life and campus notes The volume concludes with brief institutional updates. It highlights an early transcontinental telephone address to university alumni, notes changes to academic meeting schedules, and records the growth of the biological society Phi Sigma.

The People

John H. Schaffner Serves as the editor guiding the publication. He oversees the broad range of scientific disciplines represented in the journal, ensuring rigorous presentation across botany, zoology, and applied sciences.

E. P. Felt An influential cecidologist frequently cited throughout the initial study. His prior taxonomic descriptions of dipterous cecidozoons provide the structural framework for identifying midge galls and understanding the genus Caryomyia.

Carl J. West The mathematician who authors the theoretical paper on curve fitting. He seeks to refine statistical analysis by geometrically analyzing translated normal curves, delivering practical equations and numerical tables for working statisticians.

Edmund H. Gibson and Eric S. Cogan Entomologists from the U. S. Bureau of Entomology who conduct the field survey of Missouri leafhoppers. They aim to fill geographical gaps in insect distribution data by collecting sweepings across agricultural fields, marshes, and riverbanks.

Dr. T. C. Mendenhall A former university faculty member featured in the news notes. He connects historic campus innovations with modern technology by addressing university alumni over a newly established transcontinental telephone line.

In Its Own Voice

"The adult gall and the adult insect can be conceived as arising from the same complex, the larva, the adult insect bearing, however, a more intimate and direct relation to the original source of events than the gall."

— An explanation of why insect species, rather than the leaf deformities they produce, must take pre-eminence in biological classification.

"Due largely to the requirements of statistics the converse, namely, to find the equation of the curve when the distribution of points is given, has become of interest."

— The opening premise of the mathematical paper, setting up the need to fit theoretical curves to real-world statistical data.

"One of the most common and probably the most injurious leafhopper. Feeds on a great variety of plants, shrubs and trees."

— A field note describing Empoasca mali, underscoring the economic importance of monitoring agricultural pests.

What It's Really About

At its core, the issue investigates how structured scientific observation brings order to complex natural and mathematical systems. The biological papers address the challenge of taxonomy, arguing that physical forms—whether a plant deformity or an insect population—must be understood through their underlying developmental mechanisms and ecological relationships.

The mathematical segment explores the tension between ideal theoretical models and the messy reality of empirical data. By modifying standard probability curves to accommodate real-world asymmetry, it seeks precise methods for interpreting statistical variation.

Underneath the technical analyses lies a shared impulse: to measure, classify, and quantify the natural environment. Whether tracing midge larvae in Ohio, plotting polynomial discriminants, or sweeping fields for leafhoppers in Missouri, the text highlights early twentieth-century science's dedication to systematic documentation.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers a compelling snapshot of American scientific inquiry during the early twentieth century. Readers interested in natural history, entomology, or the history of mathematics will appreciate the unadorned precision with which the contributors record their observations. The text captures a moment when field naturalists and theoretical mathematicians were actively standardizing the tools and taxonomies that shaped modern ecology and statistics.

The prose is straightforward and technical, characterized by dense diagnostic descriptions, mathematical derivations, and species lists. Rather than sweeping narratives, it offers granular details: the soft, charcoal-like texture of a dried plant gall, the exact algebraic limits of a transformed curve, or the flight of leafhoppers across blue grass on a warm October afternoon.

What lingers is the quiet enthusiasm of the researchers. Their commitment to documenting minor gall midges, verifying statistical tables, or recording campus telephone demonstrations reflects a deep devotion to expanding human knowledge step by painstaking step.