84 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FRUIT. 



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not only of the Curculio, but of nearly all the other insect enemies of fruits and fruit 

 trees. But ignorant, careless neighbors, who cannot be brought to terms, are a 

 dreadful encumbrance to the man who fights these enemies single-handed. Either 

 fruit-growers' associations, including all who own fruit trees in a neighborhood, and 

 having laws that shall be enforced absolutely, and that will compel the necessary 

 attention at the proper time, or total isolation of the individual, will soon become 

 indispensable to insure success. 



To-day I strolled through a fruit establishment in this State that a few years ago 

 was quite celebrated. Great pains were taken with it for many years ; more thorough 

 and systematic manuring than I have ever known in any orchard was practised ; but 

 nothing, absolutely nothing, has ever been done to guard against the insect enemies; 

 and a more melancholy wreck than it now is could hardly be imagined. Hogarth's 

 "Last of all Things" would serve to tell the story of this fruit establishment. Apple 

 trees so infested with the Borer as to be irreclaimable mere nurseries for propagating 

 this terrible insect throughout the neighborhood; Cherry trees becoming all knots; 

 Peach trees full of worms ; Plum trees mostly cut down the few left, bearing profuse 

 crops of choice kinds, but all felling to the ground when half grown. Pear trees have 

 been grafted and re-grafted till the right kinds are at length found ; and as there are few 

 Borers in them, and little blight in New Jersey (the Curculio takes but a part of the 

 fruit, and the Apple Moth leaves some of the remainder), the owner generally has 

 some proceeds from his Pear crop. Had this man understood his insect enemies, and 

 fought them resolutely from the beginning, instead of neglecting them till they 

 became masters, he might now have had a fruit establishment not only to be proud of, 

 but one greatly profitable, besides being a public benefactor; for he who contributes 

 largely to the supply of wholesome ripe fruit to cities like New York, also contributes 

 vastly to the pleasure and health of a people who are necessarily confined to such a 

 residence in summer. 



Jyly 10. After an interval of ten days I am again in the old orchard. 

 The same herd of cows is still here ; but, of course, the rich pasture is somewhat 

 subdued, though much of the first growth is still standing ; it is dried up, however, 

 and not so tempting as a young crop. Under the Apple trees the grass is everywhere 

 browsed close, and the apples arc not seen lying on the ground as in unpastured 

 orchards. Under some trees I could find five or six seldom more and they always 

 show that they have recently fallen, as may be seen by the stem. Cows feed in 

 company. In such a large range as this they cannot go all over the ground in a 

 single day, "but the apples are gathered up just as often as they do go all over; and 



