332 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



said the first cut around the trunk of the tree must be deep enough to 

 enter the sap wood of the tree; the second cut should be light, only 

 sufficient to raise the bark ; a very narrow belt around the tree, if done a 

 few days before blooming, he was confident would give good results. 

 ' After further discussion it was decided to hold the floral fairs this 



year at Warsaw and Hamilton, in May and June, as the season may best 

 suit. 



Committee on Floriculture report as follows: 



Miss Hattie Dorman said: My house plants all frozen; half hardy 

 garden plants promise well, such as pansies, sweet williams, dianthus, etc. 



Mrs. M. E. Dennis said her out-door plants are all right ; house plants 

 are doing well, but have small black flies on them. 



C. N. Dennis said out-door plants had been some hurt by recent 

 severe weather. 



REPORT ON ORCHARDS. 



BY A. C. HAMMOND. 



Notwithstanding the low temperature of the last half of December and January, 

 it was hoped that the mature condition of the wood and buds would save our fruit-trees 

 from serious injury; but contrary to all expectation, we find apple-trees — especially those 

 over ten or twelve years of age — more seriously injured than ever before. 



The injury is mainly in the albumen or inner bark of the trunk and larger branches; 

 sometimes on one side of the tree and then on the other, and again the entire trunk will 

 be black, in which case the death of the tree will surely follow. Orchards that were 

 well cultivated and in a thrifty condition, and those that were weakened by overbearing, 

 seem to have suffered most, but this is not universally the case, as one tree will often be 

 found badly injured and the next one perfectly sound. This would indicate that the 

 low temperature was not the only cause of injury; but what other causes may have com- 

 bined to produce it I am unable to understand. 



A peculiar feature of this disaster is, that the reputed tender varieties, such as 

 Rambo, Maiden's Blush and White Bellflower, are less injured than Ben Davis, Janet 

 and Little Romanite. In my own orchard Janet has suffered more than any other variety. 



The canker-worm threatens to be very destructive in some orchards this season. I 

 herewith present specimens of the moth — both male and female — taken from the orchard 

 of Capt. Hill, where they are so abundant that they will defoliate the trees and destroy 

 the crop unless checked by artificial means. 



A. C. Hammond showed specimens of canker-worm — moth and eggs. 



C. C. Hoppe showed a completely petrified moth. 



Mr. Ames wanted to know if cold would kill Tnsects. 



Mr. Hammond said cold never kills the eggs ; the insects are some- 

 times killed. 



Whitaker said the insect will sometimes freeze and thaw again, and 

 not be killed. He predicted that the injury to trees from cold the past 

 winter would prove extensive. The natural condition of the tree was to 

 have the roots frozen, but the past winter had frozen the tops, while the 

 roots were protected by a heavy bed of snow. 



Mr. Piggott thought some trees were more injured than others, 

 because more full of sap. 



Mr. Spitz thought most kinds were hurt this winter, but some showed 

 the injury nearer the surface than others. Apple-trees at two years old 

 were not hurt, while peach-trees of all ages were injured. 



