84 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



while such as the Easter Beurre, and Vicar of Winkfield are 

 improved by a warm and humid air. 



Some varieties of the pear, ripening with difficulty, and 

 formerly esteemed only second rate, are now pronounced of 

 excellent quality, because the art of maturing them is better 

 understood. 



But so many experiments have been tried, or are in progress, 

 and so much has been written on this branch of our subject, 

 that we need not enlarge except to say that the art of preserv- 

 ing and ripening fruit in perfection, requires great attention 

 and care ; and until the characteristics of the various sorts are 

 well understood, must be attended with considerable difficulty. 



VIII. — Diseases and Insects injurious to Vegetation. 



The diseases of fruit trees may be resolved into two classes : 

 the natural or spontaneous, and the accidental or contagious. 

 These should be carefully distinguished, and their symptoms 

 considered, to ascertain their primary cause, and to determine 

 whether they are local or general, whether they effect the whole 

 tree or a part of it, as the root, the branches, or the fruit. 

 Researches in this department should be encouraged by the 

 general belief that there are few, if any, diseases of vegetation, 

 for which there are no remedies. This subject having been 

 referred to an able committee of this Board, of which Dr. J. C. 

 Bartlett is chairman, we will not enlarge upon it. 



The increasing destruction of our crops by insects has direct- 

 ed to this subject the attention of scientific gentlemen, such 

 as Professor Jenks, of this State, Professor Fitch, of New York, 

 and others in different parts of our country, whose labors have 

 called forth the action of our legislatures to arrest the progress 

 of this evil. 



We rejoice in the prohibitory laws of this State against the 

 destruction of birds which feed on these insects. Already we 

 have illustrations from the Old World, showing the wisdom of 

 this law. Our worthy correspondent, Mr. Bivat, Sccretaiy of 

 the Belgian Fomological Society, writes us: " The destruction 

 of the small birds, on account of the high prices which they 

 bring in the market, has made them very scarce, and as a natu- 

 ral consequence, the insects upon which they feed have greatly 

 increacsd and destroy much of our fruit crop. Of sixty-five 



