424 State Horticultural Society. 



Mr. Gilkeson has broached the subject to Pres. Howe of the Normal 

 and before school is dismissed for the holidays the subject will be pre- 

 sented to the ISTormal students. The latter will be asked to visit some 

 school and attempt to interest the children in the protection of the birds. 

 If the children can be taught the value of the bird there will be no 

 trouble about the preservation of them. 



The matter will be further carried out by being introduced into our 

 city schools in the near future. The scheme is one worthy of encourage- 

 ment from all points of view and it is to be hoped that it will become a 

 part of our educational system. Longfellow has fitly expressed their use 

 in the stanza, beginning: 



"You call them thieves and pillagers, but know, 

 They are the winged warders of your farms." 



— Warrensburg Standard. 



IMPKOVED CHESTNUT CULTURE. 



IS THERE ANY PROFIT IN IT! 



What is the present outlook for growing improved varieties *f chest- 

 nuts ? Is it practicable to graft large forest trees to improved varieties ? 



So far as our observations have extended, we do not note any in- 

 creased interest in improved chestnut culture this season. We are slow 

 in advising the clearing of timber land and grafting sprouts, especially if 

 there is any chestnut timber near. There will be too many wormy nuts. 

 This is one of the most serious drawbacks, and unless some way of getting 

 ahead of the weevils is discovered, I doubt if the industry can be made to 

 pay. In orchards away from the native chestnut, the weevils are not so 

 plentiful. The trouble here is that it requires time and money to get an 

 orchard into profitable fruiting. On the whole, we must say we are not 

 so sanguine as we once were. We find, too, that the season for the sale 

 of chestnuts is much shorter than that of other nuts, on account of the 

 difficulty of keeping them in prime condition. Perhaps if this were 

 better understood, their season of sale could be lengthened. 



You do not say how large your trees are. If they are scattered 

 over the place, and not over six or eight inches in diameter, the best way 

 would be to cut off all the branches, where tbev are from one to one and 



