REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 303 



J. D. Baldwin spoke favorably of drying the fruit that cannot well be 

 shipped or sold from the orchard. Regarding fruit dryers, he said that he 

 searched the market through thoroughly, and was most favorably inclined to 

 one called "The Granger Fruit Dryer." 



Judge P. L. Page spoke in hopeful terms of the improved fruit dryers, and 

 of placing fruit culture on a more substantial footing. He thought that the 

 fruit-grower could not run the risk of disposing of all his fruit in a green state. 



April Meeting. 



The April meeting was very largely attended, and great interest was mani- 

 fested in the topic under consideration, Vice President J. D. Baldwin being 

 in the chair. The subject for discussion was "Insects Injurious to Fruit." 



J. D. Baldwin opened the discussion and spoke substantially as follows : 



The subject before us is of vast importance and which is well for us to study 

 carefully. We are constantly confronted with insect life, which threatens and 

 often, to a large extent, destroys our property. To successfully battle these 

 foes should and must be one of our most important operations in conducting 

 our business. We must not go to sleep over this. A wash consisting of lye 

 and soap-suds for apple trees is said to be effectual in destroying the bark louse ; 

 copperas water is also recommended. The codling moth is a formidable enemy 

 to the apple-grower. Air-slacked lime thrown over the trees in the right time 

 will bringdown the worms; it is also used, and in the same way, to destroy 

 the curculio on plum trees. Another method, by some employed in destroying 

 the codling moth, is sprinkling the trees with a mixture made of Paris green 

 and water, put on with a fountain pump. London purple is now introduced as 

 a substitute for Paris green, which, it is said, is as powerful in destroying in- 

 sect life. It is used in a diluted form, the same as Paris green. The cost of 

 the London purple is much less than the Paris green. It is sold for five or ten 

 cents a pound. The sprinkling is done while the tree is in blossom. 



The twig borer on quince trees, in particular, I think is bad. They may 

 also be kept at bay by the use of slacked lime. I have used this remedy on the 

 plum and peach with gratifying results. The lime is also good for destroying the 

 curculio on the apricot and nectarine. Fallen fruit should be picked up immedi- 

 ately on dropping to the ground and either thrown to the hogs or otherwise 

 destroyed, thus destroying the worms. 



The rose bug is also sometimes found to be very injurious to grapes and to 

 other fruits. Air-slacked lime is used for this insect, also, with good effect. 



An insect known as the flea-beetle is in places found destructive to grapes. 

 The beetle eats out the center of the bud as it starts in the spring, thereby 

 destroying the fruit for the season. Sheets of tarred paper are put under the 

 vines and the beetles jarred upon them. The tar holds the beetles, and when 

 filled with them the paper is tarred over again. About three jarrings at 

 intervals are sufficient to overcome this pest. It is important that we fruit 

 men come together and exchange our experience and observations with one 

 another, and thereby arm us to successfully cope with the obstacles thrown in 

 our way in pursuing our business. Let one and all unite with us in fighting 

 the insect tribe, and thus by a combined effort we will conquer. Last year I 

 lost all of my apples by the codling moth, but this year I shall start in time, 

 and try the fountain pump on them. 



Prof. Emil Baur. — My principal method in destroying these insects is by 

 making little fires throughout the orchard in the night. The lights draw the 



