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that the voracious army-worm would reappear in 1862, in in- 

 creased numbers, although, as stated in our Report for last year, 

 we have no instance in the history of the insect that it has ap- 

 peared in great numbers, in the same locality, two years in suc- 

 cession. 



But we have now to record the singular fact that there is no 

 account of the appearance of the army-worm, in any part of the 

 country, during this year. When we consider that it appeared 

 in myriads last year, in certain districts throughout a vast extent 

 of country, its non-appearance in 1862. is a mystery not easily 

 explained. It is not to be supposed that the insect has become 

 extinct ; it undoubtedly still lives in sufficient numbers to continue 

 the species, though hidden in its secret haunts from ordinary 

 observation. We will not speculate on the causes of the sudden 

 disappearance of this insect, but will merely say, that, as we have 

 intimated previously, the attack on the army-worm by various 

 parasites, has, doubtless, had much to do in lessening its numbers. 



The grain aphis reappeared the past season, though the dam- 

 age it did was less than the previous season. On some farms, 

 where it greatly lessened the yield of Avheat and oats in 1861, 

 little or no injury was experienced from it in 1862. This insect 

 is also attacked by various parasites. The lady-bug (^Coccinella) 

 of several species preys on it ; and on some fields of grain which 

 were attacked by the aphis, these parasites were seen in such 

 numbers that they cleared the grain of its countless enemies in a 

 few days. 



In August the Committee visted the grounds of the President 

 of this Society, Hon. Marshall P. Wilder. It was not the first 

 visit we have made to this place ; but during the present season 

 fruits formed so prominent a feature in the productions of the 

 county, that we gladly availed ourselves of the opportunity of 

 repeating our examination of the President's orchards, &c. Our 

 attention was first called to the peach orchard, which covers about 

 ten acres, and comprises twenty-five hundred trees, which have 

 been planted from five to thirty'- years. A large proportion of 

 these are on quince stocks, Colonel Wilder having always thought 

 favorably of this mode of propagating the pear for such varieties 

 as succeed on the quince. He has beautiful trees of the so-called 

 dwarfs — some of them are thirty feet high — probably as old or 

 older than any in the country, and producing a barrel of excellent 

 fruit in a season. He was one of the first, if not the first, to 

 recommend the planting of dwarfs, so as to entirely cover the 

 quince stock — a method which protects it from the ravages of the 

 borer, causes the quince to swell up evenly with the pear wood, 

 and enables the pear to send out roots, which gives permanence 



