1847,] Fruits, Insects ^-c, 169 



myself, I carefully picked up the destroyed fruit, and the affected 

 branches, and burned them in hopes of lessening the influence of 

 this depredator another year. And if all my neighbors had done the 

 same thing, I have no doubt but we should soon rid ourselves of 

 this truly annoying insect ; but here is the trouble, the great ma- 

 jority will neither learn the habits of this fruit destroyer, nor take 

 any steps to protect themselves from its ravages. I have fre- 

 quently called the attention of our community to the subject 

 through the local press, and I have urged our County Agricultur- 

 al Society to appoint a committee to investigate and report on it 

 together with all other insects and worms injurious to vegetation, 

 but thus far my urging has been in vain. It does seem to me, 

 that if all our agricultural societies, instead of spending all their 

 energy and means on an annual fair, and cattle shows, would ap- 

 point committees to investigate, not only the subject of insects 

 and worms, but noxious weeds, wet lands, the proper principles 

 of draining, the varieties of fruit, grain, &c., best adapted to their 

 particular localities ; the kind of manure and mode of cultivation 

 adapted to the same ; and the best means of improving stock and 

 preserving the health of the same, it would not only advance the 

 interests of agriculture an hundred fold faster, but would render 

 such societies more than an hundred fold more interesting. I 

 know the common objection is, that there are not men enough be- 

 longing to the county societies, who are by education &c., capa- 

 ble of acting on such committees ; but if this is so, it is not be- 

 cause there are not men enough in evei-y county capable of serving 

 on such committees ; it is rather because the men best qualified 

 taking but little interest in a mere cattle show, have hitherto stood 

 aloof from active participation in such societies ; only let the 

 cause here proposed be entered upon, and there would be no dif- 

 ficulty in enlisting every intelligent member of the legal, clerical 

 and medical, as well as agricultural pr-ofcssions. The members 

 of the medical profession especially, from the very nature of their 

 education, are peculiarly qualified to aid the agriculturist in 

 many departments of his calling. And our agricultural societies 

 only have to open the way, to ensure their hearty cooperation ; 

 but neither ministers nor doctors often have fine hoi'ses, fat cattle, 

 or big squashes to exhibit, and hence they will never take great 

 interest in a mere agricultui-al exhibition. I am by no means ar- 

 guing against such annual exhibitions, but what I would urge, is, 

 that while " they do the one, they would not leave the others vn- 

 done.'" Will not the whole agricultural press speak out on this 

 subject, that another year may not pass away without more im- 

 provement ? 



Binghamton, 1847. 



N. B. I have omitted the name of the apple worm, because I 

 cannot recall it to mind this moment. 



