PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 25 



bands of wool about the trunks. Many have used cotton batting, but it 

 packs in the rain, giving the worms a sufficiently firm footing; but wool 

 remains loose and they can not crawl over it. It is the same worm as the 

 one that infests vegetable gardens and corn fields. Leaves of anything 

 they will eat (such as dock or clover) poisoned by dipping into a solution 

 of Paris green and laid about on the ground will kill them in large 

 numbers. I have for several years tested the buckwheat cure and found 

 it efficient. Sow the buckwheat in the orchard or vineyard and plow 

 under when in bloom. 



PEACHES. — THE BORER. 



Mr. Sheldon: Would each of the varieties of peach named be adapted 

 to clay soil? 



Mr. GuLLEY: Yes, on the whole, except that the last two would probably 

 be too late when on clay loam. The borer is not now regarded as one of 

 our serious enemies. If signs of the borer (dust or gum) are seen when 

 the trees are being banked up to prevent water from settling about them 

 and doing damage when frozen, dig him out with a knife or piece of wire; 

 and do so in the spring when removing such banks. Such banking is a 

 good practice for either young or old trees, though for young ones 

 especially. 



Mr. C. A. Sessions of Mears: I have found much fewer borers where I 

 had used ashes about the trees than where I had not. 



Mr. Morrill: Rubbing the bark about the roots of the trees with hard 

 soap in the sj)ring is said to repel the moth. 



Mr. Pearsall: Such banks or mounds are also valuable because they 

 keep off mice. 



concerning apples. 



A discussion arose about preferred varieties of apple. President Lyon 

 said the Cogswell is not much known here, but from reports from New 

 York he believes it to be desirable as a good keeper of medium quality. 



Mr. Robinson: I have found Gravenstein a failure here. 



Mr. Scott: It is one of the best at Ann Arbor. 



Mr. Lyon: It is an excellent culinary apple and satisfactory for dessert. 



Mr. McClatchie: With me it is tolerably productive and of fine 

 quality. 



Mr. Lyon: Grimes' Golden is not profitable here because it is not a 

 good bearer and its color is against it in the market. It is very excellent, 

 however. 



Mr. Garfield spoke of the success of Prof. Taft in use of "blue 

 water" (eau celeste) in spray to prevent the scab in apples. This fungus 

 has been rapidly gaining ground and has made very serious losses by 

 making so much fruit scabby and misshapen. But by use of eau celeste, 

 some good sorts, such as Snow and Early Harvest, may again be cultivated, 

 and others, like the Spy, become more valuable. It was used in combina- 

 tion with Paris green spray and used three times. The result was that 

 only twelve per cent, of the fruit was scabbed, while upon unsprayed 

 trees all but twelve per cent, was so. 



To a question as to keeping of apples for family use, Mr, Scott 

 /L 



