Seo. 12.] ENTOMOLOGICAL. 223 



the gnil) without injuring tlie tree? If you can do so, you will confer a 

 substantial iavor upon many hundreds of your readers." 



Andkew is. Fullek — The best remedy is to preserve the birds — the natu- 

 ral insect destroyers. It is their decrease that has increased destructive 

 insects. 



Wm. Lawton stated that he had taken great pains to preserve birds around 

 his place, and was now reaping the benefit. As to any outward application 

 to kill the peach-worm, he did not know of anything that would destroy it 

 witliout destroying the trees. If the worms are dug out, and a plaster of 

 soft cow-manure is applied, the tree may recover. It is a very tedious 

 operation. 



Wi'C7}s. — ^The Secretary advocated the cultivation, or rather protection, of 

 wrens and insect destroyers. 



Mr. Fuller said that the M^rcn was a mischievous bird, and destroyed the 

 eggs of other birds. 



A letter from P. M. Goodwin, Kingston, Luzerne County, Pa., says : 



" I observe in the transactions of the Club of July 2, it is tli(jught that if 

 a discussion of the topic of the peach-grub would elicit a remedy, it would 

 be universally entertaining. My conclusion is, that trying to cure the peacli- 

 grub, unless where the soil is light and but few are found, is a humbug. I 

 have a preventive, which I will give cheerfully : 



" When I jnirchased my little place on Iloso Hill, overlooking a portion 

 of ' "Wyoming Valley,' there were one hundred neglected peach-trees thereon 

 — budded, and of excellent varieties — which were full of grubs. Early in 

 iVpril I commenced operations by carefully clearing away the grubs by 

 means of the knife and wire. I then made a funnel-shaped hole aruuud the 

 base of each tree, which would hold three or four quarts of water. I tilled 

 tiie holes with boiling water, which eft'ectually destroyed the progeny. I 

 tiien tilled the holes Mitli a tenacious clay, and tamj^ed it hard, leaving the 

 surface around the tree cone-shaped and hard compacted. I have examined 

 these trees at various times during the intervening five years, and have found 

 but one tree ati'ected, and that with but two grubs. This mode, with mc, 

 has acted as a perfect preventive, and, I have no doubt, will with all who 

 adopt it and exercise the same care. 



'■ These trees were three or four years old, and, at the time the experiment 

 was made, much inferior to some from the same lot growing elsewhere, 

 which were regularly examined and cxirefully cleared of grubs in the usual 

 way. Mv trees are sound in wood, and look well, while the otiiers have dis- 

 appeared. 



" In i)lanting peach-trees now, I would cut away the tap (not top) root 

 cl(i*e under where the horizontal roots put out. Having driven a stake lirmly 

 fcir each tree, I would ])lant it so shallow tliat after the heavy rain the upper 

 side of the roots will become exposed. In this way the trees arc not so liable 

 to become infested with the grub. I i)lanted some trees so a year ago, and 

 tiiul the non-appearance of the grub satisfactory." 



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