SUMMER MEETING AT BROOKFIELD. 69 



I never, for the last thirty years, raised the gun to kill a single one. 

 The past season the cherry crop was simply enormous. The birds 

 allowed us our share of the berries ; and of cherries we had so many 

 more than we could use, there being no sale for them, or than the birds 

 cared to consume, that bushels rotted on the trees, though the season 

 was favorable to have them hang on in good shape nearly a week 

 longer than usual hence not a single bird bit the dust. Variety, Early 

 Richmond. 



In passing, allow me to remark that no fruit canned by my family 

 agrees with me better than tart cherries, even when my health is not 

 good. I like their flavor and they do not impair my digestion. The 

 doctors, perhaps, can tell the why and the wherefore. 



INSECTS. 



Insect depredations were light on peaeh, plum and cherry trees ; 

 none were discovered on berry vines and bushes. The curculio, possi- 

 bly because of the failure of the peach crop for five consecutive years 

 prior to L888, was not numerous and did little damage. Late varieties 

 of peaches — viz. : Crawford and LaGrange — sold at exorbitant prices, 

 while the early sorts, children of the Hale, sold very low and were a 

 drug. 



Of the codling moth, the second and later broods got in their work 

 quite extensively in the apple orchard and did much damage. The 

 canker worm, which threatened the destruction of my little orchard, 

 yielded to treatment. My daughter, the entomologist, and myself also 

 discovered that the worms of all sizes would at midday seek shelter 

 under the scales of the bark of the trees — my orchard is about eighteen 

 years planted — by scraping off these scales many were destroyed and 

 many others became the prey of birds and poultry. In addition to this 

 the orchard had, the previous autumn, been plowed shallow and as 

 close up to the trees as possible. I am of opinion that the same treat- 

 ment, inclusive of fertilization, will nearly if not quite exterminate this 

 direful pest. The moths, being night flyers, can also be trapped or 

 killed by fire. No potato bugs, except late in the season ; then both 

 the Colorado and blister beetle put in their appearance, but not in suf- 

 ficient numbers, except in exceptional localities, to do much harm. 



SUMMER. 



» 

 The summer of 1888 in and near St. Louis was a most beautiful 



season, which left little to be desired except more frequent showers, 



and these of longer duration. Our soil for the most part is a retentive 



■clay and produces well, both grain and fruit, if watered by rain fre- 



