STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 259 



There is one bird that is very destructive to evergreens, known 

 as the yellow-breasted woodpecker. It is fond of boring holes 

 in the trees. 



Mr. Pearce. Is not that the wood sucker ? 



Mr. Harris. It is. Another is the cherry bird, which is very 

 fond of raspberries and cherries. 



Mr. Sias. I am decidedly opposed to shooting the birds. I 

 like the suggestion of placing basins of water all around the 

 vineyard. I would suggest in addition to that the propriety of 

 putting a loaf of good white bread at each basin. [Laughter.] 



Mr. Pearce. I have noticed the depredations of the birds are 

 worse after the wild fruits are gone; after that they come in and 

 take our grapes. I think this is a local question. 



Mr. Stubbs. I have had some experience in raising grapes. 

 The robins do me a great deal of damage, and the last few years 

 I have adopted the plan of using paper bags. I find the expense 

 is not so great after all, as I actually get enough more from the 

 crop to pay for the extra work, and it proves a complete pro- 

 tection. 



Mr. J. M. Smith. I am afraid our president's cold water 

 won't work very well. My grapes grow right by the side of the 

 water, and the birds certainly like grapes better than they do 

 the water. My protection is to put the sacks on, which can be 

 done very cheaply, and the bunches will be a little larger. 



Prof. Porter. By covering one protects the grapes from dis- 

 ease as well as birds. There is increased growth, and the dust 

 and dirt is guarded against. 



Mr. Pearce. Wouldn't there be danger of water getting in? 



Mr. Stubbs. If lapped around and pinned on at the corner 

 there is no trouble from water. I use a common two-pound gro- 

 cery sack. 



Mr. Gilpatrick. I think it will pay a man five dollars a day 

 to use the sacks, and besides it beats the birds. 



Mrs. Stager. I have tried using coarse cloth with success. 



Mr. C. L. Smith. The advantage of using paper sack is their 

 being so much cheaper, and less work to put them on. 



Mr. Stubbs. I buy the sacks for a dollar and twenty cents 

 per thousand. 



Mr. Grimes offered the following resolution, which was, on 

 motion, adopted: 



Resolved, That the secretary of this Society be instructed to 

 have 5,000 copies of the address of President Northrop, delivered 

 before the Society last evening, printed for general distribution. 



