STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, I 29 



preying upon the potato-hug. When these disappear they will turn their 

 attention to the borers again. 



Mr. Nelson had observed the work of this borer upon the white 

 maple, doing serious mischief. 



Mr. Bryant said that one reason, probably, \\ hy the borers were 

 partial to these maples is that they are nursery-grown trees and are some- 

 what checked and injured in transplanting. The borers always choose 

 trees that are somewhat injured, in preference to thrifty, healthy ones. 



Dr. Spalding asserted that the trees he had described were some of 

 them, when first attacked, apparently healthy. In one insttmce the large 

 trees mentioned were in close proximity to other varieties of forest trees 

 which were not depredated upon. 



Mr. Baldwin had known these borers ever since he had been culti- 

 vating the white maple trees, or nearly twenty years, yet the damage done 

 by them was not ver^' serious and would not give up the tree. 



Mr. HuGGiNS — I wish to speak in behalf of this tree in Macoupin 

 County. It is valued highly as a shade tree. Is healthy excepting when 

 it has been injured b}- some cause — then the borers attack it. 



Mr. MuRTFELDT offered the following preamble and resolution \vhich 

 were unanimously adopted, viz : 



Whereas, The ladies in attendance at these meetings have endeavored to get 

 scats near the stage, without being able to do so, therefore 



Resolved, that from this time until the close of these sessions, the two front rows 

 of seats, entirely across the hall be reserved for the ladies, and that they be earn- 

 estly invited to "attend and occupy them. 



On motion, the Society took a recess until time for the evening 



session. 



WEDNESDAY EVENING. 



Society convened and was called to order by the President, a large 

 audience also being present. 



The first business, in order, being a paper on 



BIRDS BENEFICIAL AND INJURIOUS TO HORTICULTURE, 



BY DR. J. W. VELIE. 



The President announced Dr. Velie who read as follows: 



Mr. President — and Members of the Illinois Horticultural Society^ 



By the kind invitation of Mr. O. B. Galusha, your Corresponding 

 Secretary, I have the honor and pleasure of meeting with your Society 

 for the first time, this evening, and to present for your kind approval, a 

 hastily prepared and incomplete paper on a few of our, as yet little 

 known, friends, the birds of Illinois, and, if possible, to enter a plea in 

 their defense. 



I am aware it is a difficult task to urge patience in the case of the 



