136 TRANSACTIONS OF TIIK ILLINOIS 



I know nothing of this last insect personally ; probably our State 

 Entomologist can give information concerning it. 



So far as destroying our insect enemies is concerned, there is one 

 way, and only one, that can be depended on, and that is, deternmied and 

 persistent effort, on our own part, in hand-picking them or entrapping them 

 by some device. This waiting for Dame Nature to discover when one 

 species of noxious insects is in the ascendency, and then getting up a par- 

 asite to prey upon and reduce it, is, or should be, "played out " in the 

 minds of sensible cultivators. No doubt but Nature aims to keep an equal 

 balance poised in insect life, yet under varying conditions it is often the 

 case we find the beam far from level, and as the motto on our State 

 Society's seal declares that " This is an art which does mend Nature,'''' 

 then why not assist her with our best efforts, in attempting to control 

 these unruly subjects. 



I find but one way to destroy the caterpillars and sphinx, and that 

 is, to hand-pick them. Many of the beetles can be caught by jarring 

 them on sheets spread under the vines, or into pans carried in the hand. 

 By far the most efficacious way, however, of destroying most insects, is to 

 suspend open-mouthed vessels among the vines, partly filled with sweet- 

 ened water, with a little vinegar added. Any one that has never tried 

 this plan will be surprised at the '^ catch" ^ upon doing so. I know that 

 many have condemned this latter method, claiming that it destroys our 

 insect friends as well as enemies. I will say that in using it for five years 

 I have never yet found an insect destroyed that I knew to be beneficial — 

 not even a lady-bug — while I could count gallons of beetles and other 

 insects injurious. One insect, however, that has quite baffled me, is the 

 thrip, or leaf-hopper. You can't trap the rascal with sweetened water, 

 and you can't jar him down on a sheet, or into a pan. Stir up a swarm of 

 them, they make a little circuit, and settle at once right back to business 

 again. The only way I could ever capture any (and then the catch 

 hardly paid) was, at night to take a large shallow pan, partly filled with 

 soap suds, in the centre of which I placed a lighted tin torch. One 

 person carries this along the rows, while another, passing along the other 

 side, beats the vines carefully, which stirs up the insects, which fly for 

 the light, many of them being destroyed by the flame, while some others 

 fall into the suds and are drowned. I have never been entirely satisfied 

 even with this plan, and this last fall have dug out all varieties which are 

 preyed upon by the thrip — sufficiently to damage them — and shall replant 

 with other varieties with thicker leaves, or more pubescence upon the 

 under side of the leaf, which effectually prevents the attack of this 

 pest. 



I am aware of the fact that even among our own Society members 

 there is very much difference in opinion respecting the question of cul- 

 ture or non-culture of vineyards being most profitable, and therefore 

 approach the subject with hesitation. I will say, however, that I have 

 addressed many grape-growers upon this subject, asking for their experi- 

 ence, and have almost invariably received answer couched either in the 

 words or spirit of the reply received from our eminent brother horticul- 



