52 ANNUAL EEPORT. 



The time has arrived wheu our honorable legislature should pro- 

 vide for the employing of a State Entomologist and Microscopist, 

 and the conducting of horticultural experimental stations, or 

 increase the appropriation to this society to enable it to prosecute 

 the work. John S. Harris. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Harris. I want to show the society the work of that in- 

 sect or little animal referred to in the paper. This is a Willow 

 Twig apple and it is a fair specimen of the work that these fel- 

 lows have done. Those conversant with the Willow Twig know 

 that it is a pretty large apple, but this one is a rather gnarly 

 specimen. Here is a Walbridge. I was going to state that in 

 our vicinity hardly one barrel in ten of the Duchess was fit to 

 go to market. I know some of our old orchardists, whose names 

 I need not mention, have had to dry their fruit. The insect stings 

 the fruit and does the mischief in that way. About one-fourth 

 of our fruit crop was in that condition last season. I have been 

 trying to find a man who could give us a paper and tell us of a 

 remedy; I have not yet found him but hope I may. The insect 

 seems to do the mischief about the time strawberries are ripe, 

 and not at the time the apples are in blossom. One of our mem- 

 bers caught them at it at the time we had our June meeting last 

 year. 



Capt. Blakeley. I have been very much interested in the re- 

 port of your committee, especially with regard to the report of 

 the rotting of the graije, noticed at the vineyard near La Crosse. 

 I think it is about the first occasion I now call to mind that has 

 been reported in this vicinity or in this State. I would like to 

 ask if he is quite positive it is the rot or something similar to it, 

 whether there was any inspection by other persons also who 

 were competent to offer an opinion in respect to it. I should hate 

 very much to have a report go oat from this association that rot 

 was in our grape fruit in this vicinity. I should like to know 

 whether it might not be possible that it was something else. Of 

 course I am not competent to inspect fruit, but I know that there 

 are others here who are and who are probably able to give us 

 some opinion, contradictory, i)erhaps; others who have had ex- 

 perience in grape culture. 



Mr. Harris. I should hope that somebody could contradict 

 this and show it is not a rot, for I should hate verv much to have 



