FRUIT committee's REPORT. 27 



sumed before they arrive at a state to undergo their transformation, they con- 

 sequently perish and disappear from such locality. If this theory is true, 

 and some cultivators have acted upon a belief in it by refraining from de- 

 stroying the nests of the common caterpillar, upon trees infested with canker 

 worms, that the ravages of both might conduce to the end in view — the exter- 

 mination of the latter by the speedy consumption of the foliage — the remedy 

 is a harsh one, and the discovery of one more mild is desirable. 



The ravages of these worms may be controlled, and in a great measure 

 prevented, by the application of something to the trunk of the tree that shall 

 prevent the ascent of the grubs among the branches ; many means have been 

 tried for this purpose, a coating of tar round the trunk being the one most 

 usually adopted. This is no doubt to a great extent efficacious, if carefully 

 attended to, but the tar soon congeals in cold weather, and a renewed appli- 

 cation is often necessary. As the tar is very injurious if it comes in contact 

 with the bark, the trunk of the tree should be first covered with a strip of 

 canvas, and upon this the tar applied. As tar is considered on several ac- 

 counts objectionable, the use of other substances to effect the same object 

 have been attempted in some cases with success. 



The extirpation of the canker worm is probably not within the reach of 

 human means, preying, as it does, not only on the apple, but on the foliage of 

 the elm and other trees, it cannot be so deprived of food as to cause the 

 destruction of the race. But, although the process of so doing is expensive, 

 apple orchards may be, in the main, protected from their ravages ; and as, 

 in many cases, those of diflTerent proprietors are often contiguous, in order to 

 guard against injury it is necessary that, in such cases, the owners of con- 

 tiguous orchards should all adopt equally efficacious means for the protection 

 of the trees, to insure desirable results. If this cannot be brought about by 

 mutual agreement, and that public interference with private rights except 

 in extreme cases can never be authorized, to effect it would seem almost to 

 justify legislative interference. 



Although the summer was very wet, and with much close " dog day" 

 weather, a condition apparently not very favorable to the fruit, yet the crop of 

 grapes, judging from the quantity exhibited, must be considered as good, and in 

 quality above an average. The grape appears to be becoming more and more 

 from year to year an object of interest, not only with amateurs, but also with 

 those who are looking to an extensive cultivation of it with a view to pecu- 

 niary results. As an object of interest leading to the collection of all known 

 existing kinds, and also to the originating new varieties from seed, as well as 

 to the consideration of the conditions most favorable to its cultivation, the 

 grape bids fair to share with the pear that attention which at one time the 

 latter seemed almost exclusively to enjoy, and that with some it has not yet 

 wholly ceased to occupy. 



The weekly exhibitions of the Society have been, as customarily, continued 

 through the year at its Rooms. The Annual Exhibition, also, was held in the 



