PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 293 



the birds are ready, aud will uot give it up. I have been trying 

 for a number of years to ascertain if different birde always arrive 

 upon a given day in spring. In the south part of Penn.-'ylvania, 

 the 22d of February is fixed for the time of the blue-bird, and the 

 17th of March for the Phebe-bird or peewit. That date wont 

 answer for this localit3% 



The Chairman said that the holes of wren boxes should be so 

 small that martins cannot get into them. They will certainly drive 

 out the wrens. 



Dr. Hallock. — The martins used to be very abundant in our 

 neighborhood, but they have left that locality. What is the 

 cause, and what shall I do to induce them to return? ' 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — I think one of the main reasons was that 

 they were charged with killing bees; and while they were under ban 

 upon that charge many farmers pulled down their martin boxes, 

 shot the birds, and hunted them away from the premises. I do 

 not blame them for quitting the country. I would have done the 

 same under similar circumstances. 



The Chairman said he had induced them to come back by build- 

 ing them a handsome house. There was but one man in the 

 neighborhood who had martins. The first year after I built my 

 boxes the birds came occasionally during the summer and looked 

 in. Next spring a deputation came early and held a consultation,, 

 and concluded to accept the new premises. 



Blight in Black Raspberries. 



Mr. J. R. Neal, Croton, N. Y. : Several years past I have been 

 trying to cultivate the native black raspberry, but of late a disease, 

 which I call a yellow blight, has attacked the bushes. Yellow 

 fungus patches, nearly an eighth of an inch long, appear upon the 

 under surface of the leaf, aud destroying its vitality. Old canes 

 thus attacked do not fruit, and young canes are quite sure to die 

 before the end of the season. Is there any known remedy for the 

 disease? Are the Doolittle's Black Cap, so highly recommended 

 and other cultivated sorts, liable to this disease? The blight does 

 not appear to be strictly infectious, for, while some canes will be 

 affected, others in close proximity, and, if I mistake not, proceed- 

 ing from the same root, will be healthy and entirely free from 

 blight. I have never noticed the disease on wild bushes in the 

 field — only upon the cultivated ones in my garden." 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — So far as we know this is a new disease. 



