NEW YORK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 319 



I have no doubt but this subject will receive your careful attention, and all the facta 

 in regard to the time and manner of aijplication will be brought out in your discussion. 



It has also been ascertained by actual experiment that the ravages ot' the plum cur- 

 culio may be prevented by spraying as recommended for the apple. 



Prof. Comstock, the entomologist of the agricultural experunent station of Cornell 

 University, issued a bulletin November last, in which he says: "One of the most impor 

 tant results to fruitgrowers of recent studies in economic entomology is the demonstra- 

 tion of the fact that injury to plums by the plum curculio can be prevented, to a great 

 extent, by spraying the trees early in the season with Paris green or Londou purple 

 mixed with water." 



Mr. C. M. Weed, the entomologist of the Ohio state experiment station, has conducted 

 experiments which, as far as they go, are very satisfactory. He has 'applied it to cher- 

 ries, and says that three fourths of the cherries liable to injury by the i^lum curculio 

 can be saved by two or three applications of London purple, in a water spray, in the 

 proportion of one ounce to five gallons of water. 



After the statement of other facts bearing on the subject, Prof. Comstock says: '"Lit 

 tie remains to be said except to congratulate the fruitgrowers that, at last, we have at 

 our command a very easy means of destroying this very troublesome insect. We will 

 add, however, for the sake of those who are not familiar with the use of Paris green 

 upon fruit trees, that the poison is mixed with water and applied by means of a force 

 l)ump furnished with a spray nozzle." 



It will be seen from all this that we are making progress, and I trust that every mem- 

 ber of this society will take up this matter and experiment for himself. It costs little, 

 and there is no danger in it. Pears are frequently attacked by the curculio and other 

 insects, and I believe that the spraying remedy may be profitably applied to them in 

 the same manner as to the apple. 



PEAK BLIGHT AND YELLO^YS. 



What about pear blight and peach yellows? I am sorry to say that no complete rem- 

 edy or preA'entive for either has yet been discovered. I have been looking through the 

 transactions of the Delaware Peninsula Horticultural society, held at Dover, Del., last 

 January, 1888; both these diseases prevail extensively in that state, and they were, as a 

 matter of course, discussed at much length; various washes and fertilizers have been 

 employed, but none of them are reported as a cure or preventive of the diseases. 



Speaking of the pear blight, one member said: "It has been a good thing; it has kei)t 

 sloughy farmers out of the business, and that there is no remedy but the ax and knife. 

 If it is in the limbs, cut them otf ; if the whole tree is affected, dig it out and replant 

 with some strong-growing sort. Don't worry over the blight; treat your trees well and 

 it will not bother you much. 



These diseases have baffled cultivators for a long time, and may do so for a long time 

 to come, but when we consider how many scientific men are at work in all parts of the 

 country, in connection with the experiment stations, we have reason to hope that their 

 precise nature and a remedy for them may soon be discovered. 



Bad as they are I can see nothing very discouraging in them for the cultivators of 

 western New York. Fungus diseases which attack the grape and other fruits, are also 

 receiving much attention at this time. Prof. Scribner of the department of agriculture 

 and Prof. Dudley of the Cornell University experiment station, and other scientific men, 

 are devoting themselves largely to the investigation of these diseases and will no doubt 

 soon be able to aid the cultivator in api^lying remedies. 



I have frequently alluded to the experiment stations as promising valuable aid to 

 fruit culture and horticulture.- I feel now that we shall not be disappointed, but we 

 must not expect too much at once; the work of experiment is slow and takes time. 

 Cultivators must co-operate heartily with the stations if they wish to produce the best 

 results. 



LOW rillCES. 



We hear a good deal said about low ^-ice-s, over-production of fruits, and all that. 

 This is nothing new ; the same cry was not uncommon twenty or thirty years ago. In 

 my opinion prospects were never better. The consumption of fruits is increasing won- 

 derfully all over the world, but it is natural that, as we advance, more regard is paid to 

 the quality of the fruits and the manner in which they are placed in the market. The 

 slovenly fruitgrower must go! 



Horticulture proper is making some progress in western New York, but it is far from 

 being what we wish it were and what it ought to be. The garden and home grounds of 



