168 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THE LEAF ROLLER. 



Our strawberry plants have been soinewhat injured the past sea- 

 son bj^ the leaf roller, which was quit(^ destructive about the time 

 the crop was nearly harvested. B}'- mowing- and burning- the tops 

 of the plants and syringing the new foliage with Paris green and 

 Bordeaux mixture, the old beds were renewed very successfully and 

 were in excellent condition on the approach of winter. 



This insect in its mature state is a small moth. The female lays 

 her eggs for the first brood on the leaves earlj^ in the summer. 

 These soon hatch into whitish worms, which roll vip the leaves and 

 eat out the green tissue, leaving it brown and dead. They go 

 through their changes on the leaves, and the females emerge dur- 

 ing July. The worms from the second brood of eggs, which hatch 

 in July and August, pass through the winter in the ground. Be- 

 sides the remedies recommended, hand picking, or rather crushing, 

 maj^ be resorted to when the worms are not very abundant. The5'- 

 are very active and often drop quickly to the ground if disturbed, 

 but one soon comes to understand how best to press the leaf to be 

 svire to kill the worker. 



GRAPES. 



The grape crop was a very large one and generally free from in- 

 sects or diseases. Of the new varieties fruiting this year, I would 

 call especial attention to the Green Mountain, which I think is des- 

 tined to be popular as a very early sweet grape for home use. The 

 vine is vigorous, very productive and the branches of fair size, but 

 the berries are rather small. 



Colerain. Vine vigorous and healthy. Berry large and white; of 

 good qualit3\ Season, with the Worden. 



Mills. Vine very vigorous and healthy. A late variety of a pecu- 

 liar bronzy-purpleish color. Berry of medium size and adheres well 

 to the stem; flesh firm and meaty with a nice, sprightly flavor. 

 Ripens a little later than Concord or about with the later bunches. 



Rommel. Vine very strong and vigorous. Two vines, planted in 

 autumn of '93, bore several bxinches of fruit. Judging from these, 

 I cannot recommend it for planting. The fruit was of inferior qual- 

 ity and little better than the Elvira. Bunches compact, medium 

 size and handsome; berry of medium to large size; skin thin, tough; 

 pulp melting. Seems to be prolific. Not sufficientl}' tried to deter- 

 mine its true value. 



Early Ohio. The earliest purple grape I have ever seen. Fruited 

 with us for the first time the past season. Berry and bunch of 

 medium size. Berry purple, sweet and of very good quality. Well 

 colored and quite palatable. Season, Aug. 16. Seems to be prolific. 

 Vine healthy and vigorous. 



Ebony. This variety fruited with us for the first time. Of inferior 

 quality for table use but, evidently, valuable for wine. Vine vigor- 

 ous and healthy. 



THE LEAF HOPPER. 



The mulched vineyard at the station yielded a very heavy crop of 

 fruit of most varieties. The novel method of cultivation adopted in 

 this vineyard on account of the coarse gravellj- nature of the soil 



