314 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE 



after this lie scarcely cauglit any, but from the 24th to the 

 27th inclusive, he caught about 300. On the 6tli of July I 

 accompanied him around the outside rows of his orchard, and 

 caught five under the traps. We had no opportunity to use 

 the sheet, but I am satisfied that more could have been jarred 

 down. Mr. E. had a very fair crop of peaches, and — forget- 

 ting that crops have often been grown before with very little 

 care, and that others around him who did not bug so persist- 

 ently had fruit also this year — is very sanguine of his new 

 method, and too much inclined, perhaps, to attribute his crop 

 solely to this remedy. Nevertheless, contrary to the impres- 

 sions made by his published views, he was candid enough to 

 admit that it might be found necessary to resort to the jarring 

 process, after a certain season of the year ; and indeed the 

 number of stung peaches on the ground showed too plainly 

 that there is no hope of extermi>hATIO]s;" by the chip plan 

 alone. The soil around St. Joseph is, for the most part, a 

 light sandy loam, never packing, and very easily kept in good 

 cultivation. To this character of the soil must be attributed 

 much of the success with the Ransom method ; for I am satis- 

 fied after full experiment, that in the warmer climate and 

 heavier soil of St. Louis it is of no practical use after the 

 middle of May, or, at the farthest, after the first of June. Ths 

 few specimens that I have captured by this method at St. 

 Louis were found under small pieces of new shingle; and 

 Mr.W. T. Durry, who has 2,300 trees in his orchard at St. Joe., 

 also found this the best kind of trap. Mr. Ransom, however, 

 prefers small pieces of oak-bark, which he places close around 

 the tree, with the inner or concave side pressed to the ground. 

 Stones do not answer well, and corn-cobs are objectionable 

 because it requires so much time to discover and destroy the 

 Curculios, which hide in their deep cavities." 



The best time of day to take them from under the chips is 

 undoubtedly in the afternoon ; but it must not be left too 

 long, as they begin to leave and scatter over the trees as soon. 



