Notes and Gleanings. 109 



and improper culture and pruning; third, increasing severity of summer- 

 droughts ; fourth, deficiency and variability of atmospheric humidity conse- 

 quent on the disappearance of the forests ; fifth, increase of injurious insects ; 

 sixth, increase of fungous diseases. These causes operate in different degrees 

 in ditTerent sections of the State. 



The committee were not prepared to report very definitely in regard to the best 

 means of preventing the evils, preferring to wait till further investigations may 

 enable them to make a fuller report adapted to the different sections of the State. 



For the prevention of insect-ravages, it was urged that hogs should be kept 

 in orchards during the summer, or a flock of sheep turned in to devour the fallen 

 fruit every two or three days. Dr. Warder spoke very favorably of the straw- 

 band remedy of Dr. Trimble for catcliing the apple-moth. It has been described 

 in most of the horticultural papers. 



On small fniits, the discussion was confined mostly to the newer varieties. 

 The Boudinot Strawberry of Licking County, O., was highly commended by 

 several members, it is a seedling of the Wilson, said to be a few days earlier, 

 more productive, the fruit as large and firm, of better flavor, and borne on higher 

 stalks, and thus clear of the soil. The Nicanor, Charles Downing, and Jucunda 

 Strawberries, also received commendation. 



Of raspberries, the Naomi was spoken of by all who had seen it as the 

 handsomest and best variety known ; sufificiently hardy to stand the winters of 

 Northern Ohio, where it had been tested for the past ten or more years. The 

 quality of the fruit and its firmness had been well tested the past season by send- 

 ing boxes of it to Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, in the hottest weather, 

 where it arrived in good condition. The Clarke was also spoken of as a very 

 promising and profitable variety, quite hardy, productive, and good. 



Among blackberries, the Kittatinny had the preference. The Wilson was 

 found a little earlier ; but the habit of plant, and quality of fruit, were not as good. 



Grapes did not occupy as much time as usual ; and but little was elicited by 

 the discussion which has not been already published. The beHef was expressed 

 that the Catawba could not be depended on in the Lake-shore region east of the 

 Collamer Ridge ; and the best vineyards were on elevated ridges of clay and 

 shale lands. The earlier varieties of grapes had generally ripened well through- 

 out the State ; and the lona had proved quite satisfactory wherever the vines 

 were in bearing. A box of this fruit, from Judge Phillips of Erie County, was 

 distributed in the meeting, and highly relished by those present, showing the 

 excellent keeping-qualities of this variety. 



The display oi potatoes was quite an interesting feature of the meeting. It 

 embraced some thirty or forty varieties ; and considerable discussion was had 

 upon their merits, &c. But the season had not been a favorable one for testing 

 the quality of the early sorts. 



Evergreens, and their utility for screens, belts, hedges, &c., as well as for 

 ornament, was the subject of much interesting discussion;; anda« of growing im- 

 portance to the State, now that the forests are so fast disappearing. 



A plan was adopted for securing the co-operation of all the local organiza- 

 tions in the State in the discussion of topics of practical importacce pertaining 



