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number of our native birds, and I have noticed in recent 

 years a large number of outbreaks by leaf eating caterpil- 

 lars in the forests of New York and to a certain extent, in 

 New England. I believe in protecting the birds. The 

 experience of Professor Forbush, who was in charge of the 

 gypsy moths in 1891, is interesting. He had an orchard in 

 a badly infested section where there was about everything 

 in the way of an insect that could be found, and he simply 

 attracted the birds, and. according to his own statement, 

 obtained very desirable returns as a result. Now. for the 

 fruit grower. I do not know that I would advocate relying 

 upon the birds. I would recognize their value, but I would 

 do my part in the fight and try to encourage and protect 

 them, not so much on account of the returns in the orchard, 

 but on account of the protection to forest and shade trees 

 which under many conditions we cannot spray at present. 



THE PRESIDENT. Before we adjourn, I would like 

 to state that I have here a lot of peach twigs brought in 

 yesterday by the vice-president of the Connecticut Pomo- 

 iogical Society. Mr. Barnes has examined them and re- 

 ports that from 75 to 90 per cent of the buds are alive, so 

 if that is correct it looks as though they had come through 

 the cold spell very well. 



(An adjournment was taken to 2.00 p. m.) 



