STATE HORTICULTtTRAL SOCIETY. 265 



REMEDIES. 



1st. Destroying them in their winter quarters. 



2d. Pasturing the orchard with young pigs and picking off and 

 destroying all wormy fruit. 



3d. Entrapping the worms under bands or other contrivances. 

 The well known habit of the worm to seek shelter under scales of 

 bark and whatever else will afford shelter on the trees where they 

 have been reared when about to transform, renders the latter an 

 easy and very efficient remedy. The bands ma3'^be of an old cloth, 

 carpet, or paper, or even hay. I have found paper the best and 

 most convenient to use. Take manilla paper or second hand flour 

 sacks ; cut wide enough to fold twice, and when done four inches 

 wide, and long enough to reach around the trunk of the tree ; slope 

 a little when put around the tree so that the upper edge shall fit 

 close and the lower a little loose, and fasten with a carpet tack. 

 They should be put on by the last of June and examined every 

 nine days and all worms found between the folds and under them 

 crushed by running the bands through a wringer or by some other 

 method. 



Some species of birds are very beneficial to the farmer in helping 

 to keep insects in check, and should receive protection. The 

 following are beneficial to the orchardist: Bluebird, tit mouse, 

 warblers, wren, nuthatches, creepers, martins, swallows, tanagers, 

 finches, song sparrows, chipping sparrows, field sparrows, bunt- 

 ings, indigo bird, grosbeak, ground robin, blackbirds, king bird, 

 pewee, cucco, or rain crow, night hawk and whippoorwill, wood- 

 pecker, except the yellow-billed (Sphij. rapicus varius)^ and quail. 

 The robin, cat bird and brown thrush are among the doubtful. 

 The birds that ought to be destroyed are cedar bird, Baltimore 

 oriole, and the yellow-billed wood pecker, or sap-sucker. 



GATHERING, KEEPING AND MARKETING OF FRUIT. 



This is a branch of the subject that requires the most careful 

 attention, for after we have taken pains in producing fine fruit it 

 is a great loss if we do not take equal pains in gathering and stor- 

 ing it for home use or the market, and yet very few fruit growers 

 seem to appreciate that this is an important part of their business. 

 Summer apples, and especially those inclined to mealiiiess, should 

 be picked early, or as soon as they are ripe. Ripeness is indicated 

 by the seeds turning dark color and the stem parting readily from 



