DISCUSSIONS AT SOUTH HAVEN. 361 



In regard to bridging over bruises or blemishes on trees, Mr. Hurlbut said 

 he had an apple tree girdled by the rabbits, two feet of the body being scraped 

 clean to the wood, all around, and the wood partially dried. He wrapped a 

 woolen rag, simply, about it and a new bark was formed all over the peeled 

 portion. 



Mr. A. E. Voorhees said he had a tree girdled near the ground. He hilled 

 earth up around it and a new bark was formed, 



Mr. A. S. Dyckman showed some peach branches from his orchard. Several 

 varieties had a surplus on, and we took the trouble to measure two of these 

 samples and count the buds. A branch of the Yellow Rareripe, about 14 

 inches long with laterals, measured altogether a length of 56 inches, and con- 

 tained 100 live fruic buds. 



Another of Keyport White measuring an aggregate of 30 inches, contained 

 48 live fruit buds. 



Early Crawford twig 7 inches long, contained 10 live buds. 



The subject for the next meeting is Insects and Birds — business to begin oa 

 time. 



' South Havek, May 24, 1873. 



The subject for discussion this evening was "Insects and Birds." 



Mr. Alfred Fitch stated that in examining his peach trees for grubs, he 

 found, where he was thorough last year in destroying them, very few now; but 

 where he hurried carelessly over them, there were many. He thought that if 

 we would be very particular for a few years to hunt them up and destroy 

 them we might nearly get rid of them. He found a great many cut-worms 

 with black stripes along their sides, about his trees. He kills every insect he 

 comes across. 



Master Liberty Bailey said that a species of chick-a-deedee called the 

 nathatch — a little larger than the wren, was the best bird to kill worms and 

 insects from trees. Their nests are built hanging from the boughs. The 

 swallow, martin, and kingbird live on insects caught in the air. 



Mr. C. H. Wigglesworth observed this was not the bird usually known as 

 the chick-a-deedee, which is a winter bird and lives on seeds. He also stated 

 that he was not troubled with cut-worms. — Clay soil. — The small worms which 

 some had found in such masses were not cut-worms, but a sort of earth maggot. 



The question was asked if any one had applied any wash to their trees which 

 kept off the worms. 



Master Liberty Bailey said he had whitewashed a tree as an experiment and 

 it had not been troubled. 



Mr. T. L. Seaver inquired how to rid trees of the green aphis. He had an 

 apple tree which was covered with them one year. He had dusted it with 

 a«hes, very thoroughly and repeatedly, but it did little good. 



Mr. N. Phillips said that throwing dirt on them, would check them. 



Mr. A. J. Pierce stated that he had rid trees of them entirely, by a thorough 

 tobacco smoking. 



Mr. A. S. Dyckman said that a heavy chalk mark around the body of a tree 



would prevent ants from climbing up and eating the fruit. It should be 



renewed every few days. He had chip traps set about his trees now, and was 



^catching all kinds of bugs and worms except such as were known to destroy 



46 



