6 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Avitli invariably favorable results \\q believe, -whether the test were upon seed or 

 stone fruits. 



If any ask a full explanation of the phenomena of these mysterious opera- 

 tions of gyi)suni upon vegetation and production, we would recommend them to 

 a study of the subject by actual experiment, simply jiromising that this agent 

 of fertilitv and general productiveness is one of the helps that Micliigan jilaces 

 at the door of every grower who will avail himself of its virtues. 



INSECTS. 



"We come now to consider our insect foes. "We have them in common with 

 the rest of the world, their name is legion, one of tlie most destructive of 

 which is the inveterate codling moth. But, my friends, as to its power to 

 ruin and destroy our entire apple crop, despite our best efforts, we say, give way 

 to no fears and misgivings of any such gloomy result. Nor need any but the 

 lazy man give u}) to utter loss his i)lum crop to that deadly desperado, the 

 plum curculio; but take heart of grace and fight these little fiends, both of 

 them, by all the known methods and appliances, by bands of cloth, matting 

 or other material round the trees, examining often and killing their tenants. 

 You will sometimes find the motli worm by the hundred at a time under a sin- 

 gle band left too long unattended. Set the birds to fighting them by the paper 

 bauds around the trees, through which the birds can and do with unerring 

 instinct, strike and extract our hated pest, their loved titbit. Have your hogs 

 fight them too, running in the orchard constantly during the season, devouring 

 insects and imperfect fruit. Fight them by scraping off all loose, rough bark 

 and moss and washing with lye or other washes, which destroy the eggs and 

 larvfe. Fight them by cremation, efiually or more elfective for the jnirpose, 

 passing lighted torches of flame along trunk and limbs, flashing over the bark, 

 it is harmless to the tree, but death to the vermin and their hateful progeny; 

 fight them, we say by all means known for the extermination of the pests, but 

 never give in to them. An easy method witli tlic plum trees is a coop of young 

 chicks under each ; and it is well known that in the pig and chicken yards 

 plums are grown without difficulty. 



We Wolverines are apt to think that New York State is the paradise of 

 orchardists, and, per contra, Yorkers think it located in Michigan. A farmer 

 said to me the other day : '•' They don't have the codling moth in York State ; 

 they don't have wormy apples, either." If this be true it is because they have 

 had their day there, and run out, and may Heaven grant that they may do the 

 same here. May we not conclude that the only serious liindrance to the great- 

 est growth and most triumphant prosperity in Michigan pomology would be 

 the laxity or laziness of the growers of fruits. Tlieir successes have been per- 

 haps too easy. Our grower often has such enormous crops of fruit that he 

 gives up in despair of being able to take care of it all, and follow out the best 

 methods and rules towards his greatest attainable degree of perfection. 



Finally we have cheap and ample transportation for fruits by water and rail, 

 and we have at last gained the substantial sympathy and co-operation of our 

 railroads; with, perhaps, one or two exceptions, very soon there sliall not be 

 one excei)tion, but all meet us half-way and willingly grant all courtesies, to 

 Avhicii our societies are entitled by tlieir gratuitous labors for the great industries. 



The next thing on the programme was a discussion on the topic 



