FRUITS. 141 



they do not ripen their fruits simultaneously, the crop cannot 



be gathered in large quantities. 



The common caterpillar was much more destructive 

 the last season than for many years. On small trees, 

 and perhaps on large trees, the best method to get rid 

 of them is, to take the nests of eggs, as shown in the 

 annexed cut, off either late in the fall or winter. This 

 can be done after the fall of the leaves ; by looking 

 carefully over the trees nearly all can be removed, 

 and in much less time and much more surely than 

 after the worms have hatched out. Besides, it can be 

 done in a season of more leisure. 



J. CuMMiNGS, Jr., for the Committee. 



From the Report of the Committee in Class -11. 



Contrary to the expectations of many, the show of apples at 

 our last annual fair proved, upon ocular demonstration, quite 

 creditable to the society. Long continued east wind, while the 

 trees were in blossom, caused much blight in some varieties at 

 least. 



Later in the season, and when the remaining specimens which 

 had escaped the blight were advancing in growth, we were 

 visited by a severe and pinching drought, and a consequent, in 

 part at least, visitation and almost Avholesale ravage of insects. 

 From the period when the parents of the core-worms emerged 

 from their cells, or cocoons, until their progeny had all found 

 their way into the fruits on which eggs had been previously 

 deposited, no rain fell to interfere with the mothers' operations 

 by washing off eggs, or by drenching and beating to the ground 

 the parents of the troublesome pest. The weather being quite 

 warm at the time, the work of destruction was carried on with 

 vigor, so that we had looked forward with the expectation of 

 finding a large percentage of our apples wormy, and were not 

 disappointed. 1\\ many instances, where a medium or large 

 crop was expected early in the season, the harvest realized was 

 rendered light and meagre by want of moisture in the soil to 

 sustain it ; as a consequence, much ^ruit fell from the trees 

 which was not punctured by worms. 



Notwithstanding the drawbacks upon the apple crop which 

 have been named, the contributors to the show were out in as 



