ANNUAL MEETING AT LEXINGTON. 145 



is wet SO it will bend freely and the slit in the wood where the wire is 

 put on is made for the purpose of preventino^ the wire from dropping 

 when the wood shrinks by drying. I find the material cheap, durable 

 and easily put on, a man and boy wrapping 500 a day. 



The practical value of this material to protect young orchards is, 

 in my opinion, very great, and when generally used will encourage com- 

 mercial planting, from the absolute security it gives to the young trees. 



You will please call the society's attention to this manner of pro- 

 lection, and accei)t this package of material as my contribution for the 

 benefit of Orchardists in general. 



Eespectfully yours, 



JAMES A. BAYLES. 



Clinton, Mo., August 5, 1886. 

 Jj. A. Goodman^ Wcsfport : 



Bear Sir — I have thought for sometime of writing you in regard 

 to an invention of mine, which I think will be of great benefit to every 

 man that raises an orchard or even has a few trees in his yard or gar- 

 den. I have not had it patented and would like to give it to the State, 

 or give the State the benefit of the invention. I have had it in use in 

 my orchard for two years, have been testing it on a small scale for 

 •several years and find it a success in every respect; to prevent rabbits 

 from pealing the trees nothing could be better; and I never have had 

 a tree injured by borers that was protected by it ; it is simply wire cloth 

 such as we use for our doors and windows to keep out the flies. I get 

 it by the bulk for one and one-half cents per square foot, which makes 

 a very cheap protection. I get it twenty-two inches wide, which makes 

 it plenty high for young trees ; it can be cut in strips and rolled on a 

 broom handle, or rollers can be made of wood similar to those used by 

 tinners, which will make them very rapidly ; they can be opened out and 

 placed around the tree and will spring together and stay without any 

 fastening. It will last several years and are so cheap that if we have 

 to replace them with others it won't cost much. I have some closed 

 at the top and some open, but 1 can't see any dift'erence: it has proved 

 a sure preventative in every case, every one that has seen it speaks 

 well of it. Some of our horticultural men here have suggested that it 

 would be well to have it patented so that no one could steal it from us 

 and then turn round and prevent us from using it; if the State Horti- 

 cultural Society sees fit to do so they can. 1 don't care, so every body 

 H. E.— 10 



