174 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



several times before attaining their maturity, and their cast-off skins may be 

 seen as white specks on the under side of the leaves where they were left. 

 There are several broods diirins: tlie season. In fact there is no distinct line 

 of division between the various broods, and they may be found in all stages of 

 growth at the same time and on the same vine. They are easily alarmed and 

 very sprightly, so that, feeding as they do on the under side of the leaves, 

 even though there are none in sight, yet when we pass among the vines a cloud 

 of them hop out from their unseen retreat and disappear, we hardly know 

 where, but the withered leaves, whose very life they have sucked away, tell us 

 the whole story. 



Judge Ixamsdell. — I know the little fellows and have had mxV tussle with them ; 

 Mr. Kowe's description is accurate. With me they attacked the Rogers' Hy- 

 brids the most, would even pick them out among other vines, leaving the 

 lonas and Ilartfords untouched. 



Mr. Stearns. — It is right the opposite in my experience ; they attacked the 

 lonas in preference to any other varieties. 



Mr. Ilanford. — With me they attack all varieties indiscriminately; but a 

 young man in my employ conceived the idea of using the sulphur bellows and 

 dusting the vines with hot pulverized lime. The process was effectual. The 

 thrips left. Several applications are necessary, but it is not expensive. A 

 man will go over 10 acres in three days. 



Mr. Merriman. — I have been successful with anything caustic, like soda, 

 or even soft soap. A decoction of tobacco I have employed successfully, made 

 by steeping the refuse of tobacco shops. It requires several applications. It 

 is the sly propensities of the little pests and their method of hiding that saves 

 their lives, so it is all important to make any process thorough. 



Thomas Petty, Spring Lake. — I have had my trials with these tormentors. 

 I have used whale oil soap; I have raked up the leaves and burned them in the 

 fall, in truth tried everything that has been suggested for their destruc- 

 tion, or to scare them away. After failing with everything I was turning the 

 matter over in my mind one night, when I hit u))on the plan of catching the 

 little fellows. I took common wall paper of good quality and stretched it over 

 a rectangular frame, giving it a coat of sticky coal tar. Then taking a day 

 when the wind was blowing a little, across the rows of my vines, I placed 

 this in the second space on the windward side and scared the thrips over from 

 the first row. It was a great success, my paper was soon so covered with them 

 that it needed another coat of tar. This plan has the advantage of giving 

 you the satisfaction of seeing your enemy caught. When they strike the tar 

 they are there — you have them caught. 



Geo. Seagrove, Spring Lake. — I can endorse Mr. Petty's statement; after 

 trying everything recommended, I followed his example and succeeded in con- 

 quering the pest. 



Mr. Lyon.— It is a good plan to stir over the rubbish that may lie in the 

 spaces of the vineyard over winter, and the little fellows hibernating there will 

 die from exposure. This would b3 good as a preliminary step to Mr. Petty's 

 plan. 



The next topic for discussion taken up was : 



