8O INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FRUIT. 



of one of the large orchards that formerly made Newark so famous for its cider. As 

 an orchard it is now very irregular ; the trees are old, and many are dead. These trees 

 were planted forty-five feet apart, and many are very large measuring from six to 

 seven feet in circumference. 



This orchard is now used year after year as a cow-pasture ; the fences being kept 

 up for the income derived from the board of these cows, otherwise it would soon be 

 a common. It borders the salt marshes, being separated from them only by a belt of 

 swampy woods. Here great numbers of birds are found early in the season, but the 

 idle boys of the city hunt them and rob their nests, so that they become scarce by 

 midsummer. It was here that I shot most of the birds which I have examined, 

 preferring to kill for scientific purposes those that were so liable to be destroyed in 

 mere wantonness. 



This has been a favorite resort for many reasons. Here I have been watching 

 the myriads of plant lice and their effects upon the leaves and young fruit. Here I 

 could see how closely the cows pick up the falling apples. These great Apple trees, 

 of course, show none of the effects of the Borer, so often witnessed in younger orchards. 

 Here I can idle away hour after hour in watching the lower orders of animated nature ; 

 and here I can shoot birds without being fined five dollars apiece. It is, in fact, a kind 

 of Sherwood Forest for many of the younger outlaws of Newark. 



Stopped to-day at the Cherry knots, but found no Curculios. The first time I 

 have not I now always see Ichneumon Flies more or less about these knots ; they 

 are quite small, but all of the same species. Their ovipositors are remarkably long. 

 Find one or two Curculios a day. The Plums first stung are beginning to fall ; 

 they are so young and tender, that if placed in the hot sun they soon wilt, and the 

 grubs die. 



The Plums, where the eggs were dug out, are doing well, and will survive. Shall 

 have a crop yet. The curled leaves of the Apple trees have generally fallen off, and 

 the aphides that caused them have nearly disappeared ; the foliage is now coming 

 out vigorously, and is of a fine color, but the crop of Apples will be thin. Yester- 

 day I noticed on some trees that nearly all had been stung by the Curculio. If this 

 should be general, as I suppose it will, apples will have to come from somewhere 

 else. Some Peach trees are well filled, but where the leaves curled badly most have 

 fallen off, and the Curculio is at work at the remainder. Mr. P. has a fine crop of 

 Plums; the German Prune, as usual, thin, but the black knot does not trouble it 

 much, and the Curculio is less destructive. The Green Gage, Bolmar, and other 

 American sorts are suffering badly, but a number of large trees of common kinds are 

 quite full yet. 



