FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 285 



Mr. Osboni. — A great many of the birds were killed by the cold weather. It 

 was nothing to find every morning near my barn five or six robins, and a small 

 kind of a bird which came early, frozen to death. In one small stnb I found 

 seven bluebirds frozen. AVc liave lawless boys who shoot a great many. 



DISCUSSION AT ADRIAN. 



C. E. Porter, Adrian. — I would like to ask Prof. Cook if lie considers salt a 

 preventive for the wire-worm, and if there is any way of preventing angle-worms 

 from working in ffronnd? 



Prof. Cook. — I have never had any experience with salt on the Avire-worm, 

 but have experimented enongli with salt on the cut-worm to know that you can 

 kill your plants before you can injure it. In England the only remedies used 

 to prevent the ravages of the wire-worm are salt and gas lime. Both are con- 

 sidered excellent for this purpose. I should like to have salt tried on the wire- 

 worm. I question whether it would kill them, but gas lime might. I should 

 think that salt, in doses liberal enough to prevent the ravages of the wire--\vorm 

 would kill corn, potatoes, and other crops. Anotlier thing in England is rec- 

 ommended. They slice potatoes and place them in the ground, with a stick 

 through them as a guide in digging them tip. The wire-worms collect around 

 the 23otatoes in great numbers. Tliis is done before the corn is planted. I 

 think the gas lime Avould be most effectual in getting rid of these pests. 



J. S. Strong, Madison. — I would like to ask how to destroy the plum curculio. 



Prof. Cook. — Early in the spring, about the time the plums set, clear the 

 leaves and grass from the roots of the tree, and then place chips or jiieces of 

 bark on the bare ground, close to the body of the tree. The plum curculio is a 

 night insect, and most of its ravages are committed after dark. In the day- 

 time, in the early part of the season, you will find them under the chips. The 

 best time to turn over the chips in order to kill the pests is about four o'clock 

 in the afternoon. Later in the season, when it gets warm, they won't go down 

 under the tree. Then place a sheet under the tree, and jar the tree by a sharp 

 blow. 



B. Treat, Adrian. — How long do you have to do this work? 



Prof. Cook. — Twice a day as long as you get any. By the first of July there 

 are few indeed. 



James Helm, Adrian. — I have twenty plum trees which have been bearing 

 for some time. I tried the bark and chip plan and got very few curculios, and 

 but few jDlums ; — by not jarring the trees I lost most of my crop. The spike 

 business is all nonsense. It cannot be done without great injury to the tree. 

 There is another idea from J. J. Thomas, and that is to cut a liml) off the tree, 

 and [then strike the stub. The next year you will find the bark decayed and 

 black. It is a mistake to suppose that these pests are nocturnal, for can you 

 find them in the tree, at any time, morn, noon, or night. I have seen them fly- 

 ing in the day time and they are ugly customers. The plan I pursue is to take 

 two long pieces of light wood, — say ten feet in length. Take two strips of 

 yard factory, sew them together, leaving a space in the cloth. Then nail the 

 cloth on the sticks. With this spread out place it under the tree and then jar 

 the tree or limbs so as not to injure the tree. By this means you can save your 

 plums. You must commence early in the season and keep it up as long as you 

 can get any. 



Prof. Cook. — There is the best of evidence to prove that the curculio is noc- 

 turnal. I liave examined the trees in the day-time when none were to be seen, 



