Can We Master the Insect Enemies of the Orchard. 197 



Resolved, That the heartfelt thanks of the members of this Society be, and are, 

 tendered to the ladies who have been so kind as to favor us with the valuable and 

 interesting papers to which we have just listened. 



The resolution was, by a rising vote, unanimously adopted : 



Mr. Ragan, of Indiana — The lady has spoken of the blackbird. 

 This bird has been badly abused. I regard it as one of our best 

 friends. How it may be in Wisconsin I do not know. In our 

 State it has but few friends, which, I think, is on the same principle 

 that the English sparrow is so universally abused, viz., because 

 "somebody" says he is bad. Neither of them are admired as pleasant 

 songsters, yet they are noisy fellows. The blackbird, with us, is 

 largely insectiverous. The paper on home adornments is a charm- 

 ing one. Our homes are truly what we make them, and a home is 

 all we can have in this world ; therefore, we should make our homes 

 as pleasant and happy as possible. Anything that encourages the 

 beautifying and adorning of our homes should be encouraged by 

 societies like this. 



Mr. Ragan then proceeded (with a few words of apology) to read 

 his paper on insect enemies of the orchard : 



CAN WE MASTER THE INSECT ENEMIES OF THE ORCHARD ? 



BY \V. H. RAGAN, OF INDIANA. 



In its individual capacity, an insect is an insignificant thing, truly one un- 

 worthy of the earnest attention of intelligent ladies and gentlemen, such as 

 compose this Society ; not so, when the subject is viewed collectively, as the 

 topic assigned me would indicate. 



"Can we Master the Insect Enemies of the Orchard ? " at first glance might 

 seem to be a problem of easy solution, and when originally proposed to the 

 writer, at a time when " distance lent enchantment to the view " was accepted 

 rather rejoicingly. 



As the time draws near, the duty seems to rest more and more heavil}'' 

 upon me, until now, tbat I am forced into action, I begin to realize how hard, 

 indeed, is cruel fate, that has bequeathed to me such luck! 



The only consolation left me is in the fact that the extreme length of the 

 progi'amme of this meeting, and the known ability of others who can better 

 entertain, will fully warrant me 'u\ appropriating that jewel of literary con- 

 sistency, brevity! 



To the question, therefore, I might give either an affirmative or a negative 

 answer; affirmative, if orchardists, large and small, would act in concert with 

 the sole object in view of winning; negative, if otherwise. 



