32 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Prof. Ragan gave a paper discussing inany features of horti- 

 culture — its progress and development, and some things which 

 could be expected from it. 



Mr. Sedgwick, of Richmond, gave his experience with grapes, 

 and of many kinds placed the Niagara at the head. Pie does not 

 cultivate, but mulches well and has excellent success. 



I found the members of the Society a set of earnest and able 

 fruit growers, proud of their state and their new State House, 

 which by the way, is probably the best public building ever built 

 for the money used. I was under many obligations for the cordi- 

 ality and hospitality shown me. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. F. I. Mann — A gentleman told me that it was the experi- 

 ence in California that the thing needed for the codling moth 

 was to find a parasite for it. He thought that spraying did not 

 amount to a difference in their fruitage of more than ten per 

 cent. He said they had sent to Australia and got a parasite for 

 the scale insect, and they were looking for one for the codling 

 moth. 



Mr. Vandenberg — I would like to ask what is the. best spray- 

 ing apparatus? 



Mr. Gay — First, last, and all the time, thorough cultivation of 

 the ground and picking up the decayed fruit is the best protec- 

 tion against the pests. Orchards should be cultivated all the 

 time. 



Mr. Patterson — I am sorry to disagree with the gentleman. 

 I have picked up thousands of apples which had fallen, 

 and I have my first codling moth to find on such apples, so I 

 think it is useless to turn in the hogs ; they would not eat any 

 worms, if they did eat the apples. I spray my trees with a 

 coarse spray, large drops, and I spray with Paris Green at the 

 rate of seven ounces to a fifty-four-gallon barrel of water, which 

 is below some of the recommended forms. I shall try the spray- 

 ing again, but I shall be careful. I have a. finer spraying machine 

 now, and I shall put it on more diluted, if I get courage to put it 

 on at all. I have tried the paper bonnets, and I have caught ten 

 to fifteen thousand moths each year. I make the caps of news- 

 paper and tie them on with soft twine; I thought I must do that 



