458 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
this endeavor is not practical, instead of theoretical and visionary; then I fait 
to understand what in life is important or of any account whatsoever. 
The boys and girls of the farms are our choicest treasures; and whatever 
is for their uplifting and advancement must be our highest aim in life, 
Then, scorn not the timely efforts of the women, as we unceasingly labor to 
accomplish ‘this happy result, but, instead, cheerfully give us your hearty 
“God speed.” 
DISCUSSION ON CURCULIO. 
Prof, Otto Lugger: There are but two curculious that attack 
plums, the plum gouger and the plum curculio. 
Mr. Lord: You say they more particularly affect the outside 
rows of trees. 
Prof. Lugger: That is owing to mechanical reasons; they go 
to the first trees they can reach. 
Mr. Lord: That gives mea new idea. I had a row of Cheney 
trees on the outside of my plum orchard, and they were the most 
damaged. I suppose it was because it was the Cheney. 
Prof. Lugger: Asa general rule, the insects take the first tree 
they can reach. 
Mr. Jewett: Don’t they sometimes hibernate in the orchard? 
Prof. Lugger: Yes, but you hardly find such a condition. 
Keep the ground free from rubbish; that will remedy the evil. It 
is not only the curculio that is harbored in the rubbish, but a great 
many other insects. 
Mr. Lord: From my experience and observation, I believe 
if we were to plant the Cheney, the Hawkeye and the Surprise to- 
gether we would catch all the curculios on the Cheney. 
Prof. Lugger: That is true. I have frequently noticed the 
English sparrows picking to pieces the blossoms. They never eat 
a particle of the flower, as I have killed a great many and examined 
them and never found anything of the kind. Three years ago I had 
the opportunity of looking over the plum trees of Germany, and 
I found that the English sparrows were also picking the plum 
blossoms there, so I concluded it was an inborn habit of the spar- 
row. However, I found in Europe there are other snout beetles 
that make small holes in the young fruit, and the sparrows over 
there were engaged in killing and eating them. So in Europe the 
sparrow is doing some good by eating the injurious insects in the 
flowers, and in this country, after the great number of generations 
he has been away from his native home, the instinct is still there; 
he is looking for something that is not there. 
Mr. Busse: How long do the curculios remain in the plums? 
