PROCEEDINGS OP THE FAItMERs' CLUB. 103 



•wheat crop, but it was itself destroyed by the ichneumon fly. 

 The curculio is a beetle, and beyond the range of the ichneumon 

 flies, for they attack only the insects that are at one period of 

 their lives caterpillars; they cannot control the coleopteras. 

 There is an immense class of these flies, from three inches long, 

 down to little specks that are hardly visible. Birds are useful 

 in destroying insects, but birds should be selected with long 

 beaks, such as the wren, the thrush, the oriole, and the catbird. 

 Birds with short beaks are seed eating. Let the spiders alone in 

 the stable, and they will protect the horses from the flies. 



Mr. Robinson. — The most troublesome insect on my place is 

 the rose bug. They have taken possession of the apple trees. 

 It is no uncommon thing to see half a dozen of them upon a single 

 apple. 



The Chairman suggested throwing plaster of Paris upon them, 

 killing them when they come down. 



Mr. Robinson said that would not do for such large numbers. 



The Chairman proposed raising smaller trees, pruned upon the 

 spindle system, which would yield better fruit, and as much as 

 large trees. 



Dr. Trimble stated that thousands of these span worms, half 

 grown, are lying dead upon the ground, probably destroyed by 

 the ichneumon fly. The lady bug is a great destroyer of the 

 aphides, but not numerous enough to control them. 



Subject for discussion. — The subjects of " Corn, Fruit and Flow- 

 ers " were continued. 



Mr. Hite proposed at the next meeting to explain his methods 

 of pruning. Adjourned. 



July 8, 1861. 

 Dr. James P. Knight in the chair. 



LANDS ON LONG ISLAND. 



Mr. A. McCotter sent to the Club a specimen of rye grown on 

 Long Island, on land which had never been in cultivation, upon 

 the application of 150 lbs. of guano ta the acre. 



Dr. Peck stated that this rye was remarkable merely from the 

 fact that it was grown on the barrens of Long Island, on land 

 where it is supposed that nothing will grow. It shows that the 

 waste land there may be cleared, and produce a fine crop of rye 



