280 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ALTON-SOUTHERN 



Make a study of flowers as they ^row, care for them, love tbeni 

 if you will, for Ruskin has said: " That flowers only rightly flour- 

 ish in the garden of some one who loves them." 



MAY MEETING. 



The Society met at the residence of Mrs. Nicholas Challacomb, 

 May 7th. 



OECHARDS. 



Apples were reported as blooming sparingly and the prospect is 

 that the apple crop will be small. A few peach blossoms were re- 

 ported. Pears blossomed full. 



YIXEYARDS. 



J. S. Browne — It is time to be getting bags ready, as they will 

 soon have to be put on as a guard against rot; but even if there is 

 no rot, it will pay to bag, as the bag will protect against injury 

 from insects and birds, and bunches bagged are much more hand- 

 some than those not bagged. Five hundred to one thousand bags 

 can be put on per day per hand, at a cost of one-half to one cent 

 per pound. 



S^IALL FRUITS. 



All small fruits were represented as looking well, except some 

 old patches of Gregg raspberry. The universal testimony was that 

 it is not best to attempt to take more than three crops of fruit from a 

 ])lantation of Gregg. Other varieties will do well one or two years 

 longer. 



The Secretary read the following: 



BIRDS AND INSECTS— WlllCrr TO KILL AND WHICH TO 



PROTECT. 



BY E. A. TIIEHL, ALTON. 



This subject is too large to be fully discussed in a paper like this, 

 but as the (juestion is often asked, I will give some thoughts on the 

 subject. 



Why kill either birds or insects, and when? We, as fruit grow- 

 ers know, to our sorrow, that both birds and insects, at times, do us 



