338 ■ STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



As my tree was blown down that summer by a storm, I had no 

 further opportunity to experiment, but I told of it to several fruit men, 

 hoping that some one would take it up where I left off, and help de- 

 velop the idea into something practical. They all seemed convinced 

 of its efficacy, but I do not think any one ever made an effort to carry 

 it out, manifesting an indifference for improvement suggestive of the 

 old story of the man going to mill with coril in one end of his sack, and 

 a rock in the other, because his father did and always made a good 

 living. 



• For trapping the moth" in our orchards I would suggest here more 

 particularly the use of electric lights, because of what I have wit- 

 nessed of their dazzling and attractive powers; but it is possible that 

 oil lamps may be constructed to be almost as effeclive, and to stand 

 the wind and rain equally well, and if there should spring up a demand 

 among farmers for such lights, I am almost sure that Yankee ingenuity 

 will be found equal to the emergency, and just what is wanted will be 

 found on sale at all of our stores throughout the country. 



The argument of expensiveness for an outfit of lights will no 

 doubt be urged against their adoption, as it was once urged against the 

 use of mowers and reapers, but once that some of the most enterpris- 

 ing orchardists demonstrate that by their use they are guaranteed a 

 good sound crop of apples whenever they hit, they will soon come 

 into general use. As a necessity for something of this kind, I think 

 all apple men will agree with me in saying, that if some means are not 

 devised for destroying the moth pest, the indications point to a time 

 when sound apples will be things of the past in this latitude. 



My purpose in this paper is only to offer in a general way the sug- 

 gestion of a means to clear orchards of the codling moth that looks ad- 

 equate and feasible to me, strengthened by my own observations and 

 the experiments I made on that line several years ago, and to leave the 

 details for putting in practice to more experienced men. 



One word more and I am done. I wish to say that all my life I 

 have been an orchardist in heart if not in head, and it is with pleasure 

 that I lend my feeble assistance in forwarding the glorious cause; and 

 if the State Horticultural Society of Missouri sees any merit in this 

 paper, I shall feel myself amply paid for writing it. 



