442 ANNUAL REPORT 



exterminated. Paper bands are probably the cheapest in large 

 orchards, although bands of hay, rags or other substances may 

 answer. The paper bands are made and ai^plied as follows: 

 Sheets of straw wrapping paper, say 18x30 inches, each sheet 

 folded twice, giving eight layers between two and three inches 

 wide. One of these are folded about every tree between the 

 ground and the lower limbs, and fastened in place by a carpet 

 tack. The band should completely encircle the tree, the lower* 

 edge being loose enough to permit the worms to crawl under. 

 The object is to furnish the worms a hiding place which they 

 will accept to undergo their transformation. The bands should 

 be put on about the first of June, or before any worms escape 

 from the fruit, and kept on until October. But to be effectual 

 they will require taking off and destroying such insects as have 

 taken refuge uuder them every few days. The better way is to 

 burn the l)ands and replace them with new ones, but if they are 

 made of manilla paper, such as is used for liour sacks, they may 

 be run through a clothes wringer, and replaced, and will ordi- 

 narily last one season. Where but a few trees are to be 

 protected it might be economy to use cloth bands and at each 

 examination to dip them into boiling water to kill the worms 

 taken off, and lay away when the season is over and they would 

 last many years. Another safeguard against them is to remove 

 all worthless varieties of fruit trees from the orchard. 



Many of our farmers have planted largely of Siberians and 

 hybrids that no longer pay for gathering and marketing. The 

 fruit is allowed to remain where it falls upon the ground to de- 

 cay and form a hot bed for the propagation of various insects 

 and the breeding place of blight and fungus. While such re- 

 main, not much headway can be made in fighting the insects 

 upon the trees producing valuable fruit. Lastly, protect and 

 encourage the presence of insectiverous birds. The keen eye 

 of the downy woodpecker will detect the larvfe in it smost secret 

 hiding places and the sharp bill is prompt to bring forth the 

 dainty morsel. The blue j;,;y, blue bird, wren, and many others, 

 are always ready to lend the fruit grower a helping hand. 



FKOM SECRETARY HILLMAN. 



The following letter from S. D. Hillman, Secretary of the State 

 Horticultural Society, was read by President Sias : 



