358 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



this year liave been remarkably free from insects. If you know of any means 

 being used by your orchardists to secure such conditions, or can in any way 

 explain the reasons for such a different condition from former years, please 

 inform me. G. C. B. 



Lawrence, Ks. 



AN SAVER : 



It is a very common saying that apples were free from the ravages of the 

 codling moth in 1878, because in 1877 there were not apples enough grown to 

 form habitations for the insects, and hence enough insects were not developed 

 during that year to produce an extensive population for the following year. 



On the other hand there are those who maintain that if these codling moths 

 cannot find apples to build in they will build anywhere — in the bark of trees, 

 in the forest, etc. Again, there is an impression quite general that the meth- 

 ods pursued for the extermination of the insects liave been availing to such an 

 extent as to account for the freedom of the crop of 1878 from insect marks. 

 The probability is that there is some truth in all these hypotheses, and a good 

 deal of error. 



The moths will reproduce more successfully when there are an abundance 

 of apples to develop in; and, at the same time, if there are few apples they 

 will probably adapt themselves to circumstances and seek habitations in wild 

 crabs, thorns, or other fruit allied to the apples; but we should need very 

 strong testimony to convince us that they can develop from the ^gg to the 

 imago in the bark of a tree, or in any tree without fruit, or with fruit outside 

 of the sub-order pomecB. Again, although in a few localities valuable efforts 

 have been made to fight away the little marauders, but that on the whole it has 

 materially influenced our main crop for export, we are in grave doubt. Mich- 

 igan shippers are getting to be more particular about the selection of fruit for 

 foreign markets, and this may account somewhat for the perfect apples sent to 

 Kansas ; but we are convinced that the main cause has not been touched which 

 will give answer to our Kansas correspondent. The winter of 1877 and 1878 

 was an exceptionally mild one and the codling moths were hatching out every 

 month from November until April. After hatching out they sought places to 

 deposit eggs, but there being no blossoms out, the insects died or were destroyed 

 without accomplishing their mission. In orchards within our acquaintance 

 in the month of February, 1878, thousands of these insects hatched out and 

 were destroyed by subsequent cold. In this climatic peculiarity we find the 

 probable solution of this question, and unfortunately it is an influence over 

 which we have so little power or control that there is nothing very promising 

 for assistance in future operations against this dreaded foe to Michigan apple 

 culture. 



SCRAPING FRUIT TREES. 



One of the finest orchards I know in Michigan has been scraped and washed 

 with soap annually in the first week of June for years, and I feel certain it 

 has been benefited thereby. Professor Beal does not say that this may not be 

 an aid in fighting lice and the codling moths. lie thinks that physiologically 

 the trees are not benefited by scraping off the bark, and farther inclines to 

 the opinion that trees so treated may be less fortified to resist severe and long 

 continued cold. 



