492 STATE FOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



authorities), was very tliorouglily tried by my next neighbor on fonr Xectariue 

 trees. By means of aD efficient syringe, he covered the whole of the trees, 

 leaves, limbs, and fruit, with white-wash, and, at a distance, they appeared as 

 if loaded with snow. After every rain, and after every heavy dew, he had to 

 repeat the laborious process. But even this was insufficieut; for as soon as 

 the leaves, moved by the breeze, had rubbed off a small spot of the lime, the 

 curculios, always on hand and ever vigilant, planted their ovipositors there 

 and did their work. The consequence was, that of all the specimens of these 

 four good sized trees, but six nectarines escaped; and, as I afterwards learned, 

 were all on the tree under Avhich a young and restless calf was kept tied, and 

 served to frighten the bugs away by his constant motions. 



The remedy which was first tried forty years ago by David Thomas, and 

 proved successful then, is still found in some of its modifications the most 

 reliable at the present day, namely, jaring down on sheets. Swine and poultry 

 Avill answer where the insects are not abundant; and where they rtre, these 

 animals prove a useful auxiliary. The jarring remedy has often failed because 

 not properly applied. Instead of inserting an iron plug into the tree to receive 

 the sharp blow of a hammer or ax, which is sure to bring down every cur- 

 culio; a soft padded mallet has been employed, which gives an inefficient blow 

 and only a part fall. The remedy also fails frequently because not faithfully 

 and unremittingly ap})lied. In a plum orchard on my own grounds, contain- 

 ing about seventy trees, I found that one hour or less, every morning, was suf- 

 ticient for a common hired man to do the work; carrying two stiffened sheets 

 {like large kites) in one hand, and the heavy hammer in the other, and with 

 his thumb and forefinger he killed them rapidly. The least number of insects 

 destroyed in any one year was 400, the greatest, 5,000. Where not a peck of 

 good fruit was borne previously in the whole orchard, the trees, as soon as this 

 process was employed, were loaded the first year with enormous crops, of 

 beautiful blushing or golden and delicious plums. But there was one trouble 

 I did not count upon ; the trees became stunted and exhausted by this succes- 

 sive overbearing, and two years ago the severe winter injured many and killed 

 i\ portion, — from the effects of which the rest are now recovering. It is well 

 enough to destroy all the curculios, for we cannot trust them to thin the crop 

 properly; but as Avith all other fruits, the crop should be thiuucd by hand 

 when small, to prevent the exhaustion of overbearing, and to give finer and 

 better grown specimens. The expense of protecting the trees from those 

 Insects in the manner I have described, has been about six cents per tree, in 

 each year; but there are modifications or contrivances for the jarring process, 

 better adapted to large orchards, that cost much less in using. 



Time will not allow me to dwell longer on insects, — I must proceed to other 

 suggestions. 



PLAKTI^'Ct better THAN" BUILDING. 



I feel desirous on this occasion to urge the truth that an intelligent atten- 

 tion to horticulture will enable any man who owns a square rod of land to pro- 

 vide more of domestic comfort, and to gather round his home more of real, 

 substantial attraction, than by an equal amount of labor and exjjenditure in 

 any other way. I have seen men build for themselves dwellings costing from 

 five to ten thousand dollars or more, who seemed wholly unaware of the almost 

 infinite amount of attraction which might be added by ornamental planting, 

 and by the cultivation of the yearly circle of fruits. A neighbor built a hand- 

 some brick mansion which would now cost fifteen thousand dollars. He then 



