86 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



important that the fallen fruit be gathered and burned, that the iarvit* 

 contained therein may be destroyed. Also here the practice of 

 burning sulphur is a good remedy to drive the beetle away. 



The Imported Currant-worm {Nematus ventricosiis) . This insect 

 is a saw fly ; it comes from Europe, first noticed in America in 1858 ; ac- 

 cording to Mr. Harris, it has within this comparatively short space of 

 time swept over almost all the Union and Canada. It is a very injuri- 

 ous as well as persistent enemy. Very early in Spring the fly appears^ 

 The female lays her eggs on the under side of the leaf on the center 

 veins in rows. In ten days they hatch. At first they eat small- 

 holes in the leaves, but as they approach maturity they eat the 

 whole leaf. Most every fruit grower will have observed this pest 

 in his garden. Very often they strip the bush entirel3\ After 

 maturity they enter the ground for transformation. There are two- 

 broods of this pest, the first appears in June and the next in August,. 

 the latter changing to pupse before the winter sets in. 



Remedy. Visit your currant bushes often after the leaves have 

 come forth, and you will readily detect these pests. Ashes and 

 dust will not kill them. When the larvae are small the leaf where 

 they feed in groups might be picked but if not disturbed till 

 almost full grown syringing with hellebore or hand picking are the 

 only remedies. Air slacked lime around the roots is a good remedy 

 and helps to keep the larvfe from entering the ground. The 

 pupae may always be found in early May around the roots three to 

 four inches under ground, and a good many ma}^ in this way be 

 destroyed. 



CLOSING REMARKS. 



I hope I have succeeded with my rambling remarks in proving to* 

 you that these facts which have been presented to you to-night are 

 very important to know and to understand, and that everyone who 

 loves nature will join us in exclaiming : O, how wonderful is nature I 

 Would we then not delight in the study of these works of nature? 



It will not be diflScult to show to ever^'one who asks the question, 

 whatever his age, profession or pursuit may be, some benefits which 

 these studies can bestow. They have one decided advantage over 

 almost all others ; they bring at once the body and the mind into- 

 action, since everyone who has anything of the naturalist about him, 

 leaves his books and the narrow enclosure of his study and goes forth 

 iiito the open field of nature. It is manifest that pursuits which 



