126 MASSACHUSETTS AGEICULTURE. 



I have come to this conclusion after careful observation and 

 my own practice ever since the appearance of canker-worms 

 in my locality. A majority of my neighbors have used every 

 known remedy to save their apple-crop, but have met with 

 very poor success, while those who have adopted the '^ let- 

 alone policy ," have done equally as well, and in some cases 

 better. 



In short, I consider all of the so-called tree-protectors, tar, 

 printers' inh, etc. (except for puffing a worthless article) , so 

 much money and time thrown away. 

 Eespectfully submitted, 



William Bricher. 



Statement of Thomas Saivyer. 



To THE Co^BiiTTEE OX Destructiox OF Canker-Worms : 

 When the canker-worms in small numbers first made their 

 appearance in my orchard, as many as eight years ago, I 

 thought I would pay no attention to them ; but as they 

 increased very fast each year, I found I must do something, 

 or my trees would be entirely destroyed. I commenced 

 experimenting in 1870, by putting tarred paper and printers' 

 ink on about one acre, or nearly one hundred trees, and the 

 same number with paper and tar. I also put Ordway's Pro- 

 tector on forty or fifty trees. The Ordway Protector protects 

 them from the grub, but not from the worm, as I found in 

 the first days of April the worms were ascending the trees 

 over the protector. I placed paper and tar above the pro- 

 tectors, and caught thousands before the middle of June, 

 when every leaf was eaten. The ink was too expensive, as 

 it was necessary to apply it every day, or at least every other 

 day. I tried about one hundred trees with boxes, to which 

 was attached a gutter filled with gas-tar, and which cost about 

 fifty cents per tree. I also tried a few trees with gutters laid 

 on the ground and filled with tar, which I found answered 

 the same purpose. The cost was about fifteen cents per 

 tree. 



Last fall (1871) I put these troughs around four hundred 

 trees, at a cost of about twelve cents per tree. The foliage 

 of these trees was entirely eaten in 1870. The tar was stirred 

 two or three times in the fall and the same in the spring. 



