282 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ALTON-SOUTHERN 



are great foes to the fruit grower and farmer, but some, also, are his 

 best friends, and do more to protect his crops from injurious insects 

 than ail the birds combined. Therefore insects should not be killed, 

 except when we know that they are doing, or will do us harm. 

 Therefore the practice of killing insects by attracting them into traps 

 by lights, should never be practiced, for we are as apt thus to destroy 

 our friends as our foes. 



Mr. Jackson asked why the blue jay was not on the list for ex- 

 termination. 



Mr. Riehl replied that some thought the blue jay should be 

 killed because he kills the young and destroys the eggs of other 

 birds; but nature intended that he should, in order that birds should 

 not become too plentiful, and in these things it is usually best to let 

 nature alone — she usually manages these things about right. 



JUNE MEETING. 



The Alton-Southern Illinois Horticultural Society met at the 

 residence of Mr. Edward Rodgers, near Upper Alton, on Saturday, 

 June 4th. Mr. Rodgers has a large, and finely improved farm. Hor- 

 ticulturally, he confines himself mostly to apples. The grounds 

 about the dwelling are adorned with various ornamental trees, and a 

 well-kept lawn. Among the objects of special note were an arbor- 

 vit« hedge on the northwest side of the grounds, giving protection 

 from the cold winds. This hedge was trimmed in admirable shape, 

 wide at the bottom and tapering to a point at the top; a smoke tree 

 (Bints Catimis) standing alone in the lawn, was in its full glory of 

 bloom, and a striking object. A clump of American sweet chest- 

 nuts in one corner of the grounds, are attractive objects, especially 

 to the younger generation, about the first of October. A fine bed of 

 asjiaragns of about two acres, we were told, had brought the hand- 

 some sum of i?4U0 this season. 



OllCIIAllDS. 



The general rejiort was that there was a very small crop of 

 apples in this vicinity. 



The general expression was that the Wine Sap is not a profitable 

 apjile to plant here; farther south it is better. 



