REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 305 



as Prof. Baur suggested ; but if we canuot succeed here, I believe we had better 

 use the Paris green before giving up our crop. The female of the canker 

 worms crawls up the trees but the male flies. 



May Meeting. 



The subject for discussion, "'Injurious Insects," was continued from the 

 last meeting. Vice-president Baldwin stated that he had received circulars 

 from the manufacturers of London purple, a poison for destroying insects, a sub- 

 stitute for Paris green, which is effective and safe to use. Mr. Baldwin said 

 that the London purple he believed was decidedly preferable to Paris green and 

 is much cheaper than the latter. It is recommended by the eminent entomolo- 

 gist, Prof. Riley, of Missouri, and others. The London purple is used in a 

 diluted form, the same as Paris green. 



The secretary read the views of Prof. A. J. Cook, of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege on the codling moth, from a recent issue of the New York Tribune. The 

 methods recommended by the professor to destroy or combat the moth, are by 

 bands and by keeping swine in the orchard. 



J. W. Wing said one of the most important ways to get rid of insects is 

 almost entirely overlooked. The birds ! They are of incalculable service to 

 the farmer and fruit grower. The birds are worthy of our tenderest sympathy 

 and closest protection. The speaker fully agreed with Prof. Cook's recom- 

 mendation in keeping swine in the orchard. We ought to keep some kind of 

 domestic animals in our orchards to pick up the fallen wormy fruit. They 

 greatly assist us in keeping insects at bay. He knew of no instance where 

 hogs had done any harm to trees in orchards. 



Judge P. L. Page spoke urgently of the importance of forbidding hunters to 

 hunt on premises of farmers as they are the means of driving off the birds. 

 The importance of the birds to our welfare is recognized by all governments. 

 The law is stringent enough to protect them, but the people do not carry it out. 

 It is highly recommended to all to post up notices on their premises, forbidding 

 hunters on the grounds. It is well for us to use moral suasion in keeping out 

 these depredators, but when this fails we should avail ourselves of the law. 



Mr. Baldwin remarked that it is remarkable what strong instincts birds have 

 in finding the insects from underneath the bands put around trees. They 

 bring forth insects with wonderful ingenuity. 



President Dorr gave his experience in warfaring with insects and highly 

 recommended swine for orchards. He said that he now keeps twenty-five hogs 

 in his orchard of 3000 trees and has kept a large number of them in his or- 

 chard for many years past and with uniform good results. He does not ring his 

 pigs but lets them root freely ; he finds no injuries done to the trees by them. 

 He rather likes the effect of the rooting. The president recognized the impor- 

 tance of the birds and was careful in protecting them in all ways. He helps 

 his boys in putting up little bird houses around the yard and orchard. He 

 spoke forcibly in favor of keeping fowls in orchards, and said that he keeps 

 100 White Leghorns for this purpose. He also said that his brother-in-law, 

 who lives along the side of a railroad and about forty feet above the road-bed, 

 always has a good crop of plums without doing anything to prevent the ravages 

 of the curculio ; but attributes this success to the coal smoke of the engines. 



N. B. Covert said that boys with guns, and dogs following at their heels, do 

 much mischief to birds, and ought to be kept out of orchards and fields. He 



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