86 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



1871 



six to eight inclies in width with strong wrapping 

 paper. If there is any rough, loose bark on the 

 trunk, first scrape it off; draw the paper snug and 

 fasten it top and bottom with twine or tacks. Give 

 it a coat of gas or otlier Itind of tar. Thick sor- 

 ghum, or the refuse skimmings, will answer the 

 purpose, but requires renewal oftener. If used, it 

 may be applied directly — the paper bandage dis- 

 pensed with, for its contact with the bark will work 

 no injury to the tree. The tar must also be re- 

 newed often, as the weather hardens it. We believe 

 n mixture of tar and whale oil well incorporated by 

 heat, will keep fresh much longer than clear tar of 

 any kind. It is said that india rubber dissolved in 

 whale-oil over the fire, will last a long lime without 

 renewal. 



We believe the bandage may be applied to 

 the tree in a way to answer a double purpose — 

 heading otl' both the canker worm and the apple 

 tree borer. The beetle of the borer deposits her 

 eggs on bark close tf^ the ground. Put the bandages 

 close down, haul the dirt up an inch or two above 

 its lower edge, and the beetle is shut off from its 

 usual place of deposit. In such case it imiy go 

 above the bandage to do its work; but if so, the 

 young larvie is likely to peri.sh, for we doubt whcth. 

 er it can penetrate the hard, drj' bark above the 

 surface. We always find its entrance below the 

 surface, where the bark is tender and succulent. At 

 all events, the eggs or larvae can be much more easily 

 detected and destroyed a foot or two above ground 

 than an inch or so below. The bandage will be just 

 as effectual, concerning the canker worm, as if 

 placed a foot or two above. 



The Entomological editor will .soon prepare, with 

 illustrations, an article on the history and habits of 

 the canker worm. In what is said at this time, we 

 have only endeavored to tell the reader how to 

 manage it. 



President, who then delivered his annual address. 

 Following, the annual report of the Secretary was 

 read, and reports from the ad interim committees. 

 The balance of the session was taken up in the dis- 

 cussion of horticultural topics and the reading of 

 essays, all of which will be comprehended in the 

 forthcoming volume of transactions for the last year. 

 In the discussion upon the various topics consider- 

 ed, little or nothing was developed not previously 

 elicited at former meetings of the Society. 



Io\ra State Hortienltnral Society. 



The fourth annual meeting of this Society was 

 held in this city, January 10th to 13th. Tlic attend- 

 ance was fair, but not what it should have been. 

 But few, comparatively, were present of those in the 

 State who make tree and fruit growing rather a 

 specialty, to say nothing of the thousands of farmers 

 who give more or less attention to fruit growing. 

 But what struck us still more forcibly, was the ab- 

 sence of so many of the fruit growers and gardeners 

 living within an hours' ride of Des Jloines, and 

 who, if we may be permitted to judge from their 

 works, manifest a lively interest in the subject of 

 horticulture. 



The meeting was called to order by President 

 Mathews, when the Mayor of the city, Hon. J. H. 

 Hatch, gave a cordial welcome to the members of 

 the Society. A suitable response was made by the 



Peacb Grooving In Winter. 



• The editor of the Massachusetts Ploughman 

 gives the following account of a visit a few days 

 since to a peach-house in the vicinity ot Boston ; 



The peach-house is fifty feet long by twenty wide, 

 heated when necessary by hot water and steam 

 with a simple apparatus costing but $113. The 

 roof is glass, the chief item of expense, and that 

 not large. The house is filled at the present time 

 with peach trees in pots, mo.st of them perfectly 

 covered with blossoms, though some had just pass- 

 ed the blossom, and had "set" an abundance of fruit. 

 One or two Ilea Crawford's were quite loaded with 

 flowers in full perfection. These fruits are three 

 years old from the bud, and bore a large crop last 

 May and June which sold, those not wanted by the 

 family, at a large price. They stood out through 

 the summer requiring only an occasional watering. 

 In November they were removed to the cellar for a 

 short "nap" and after about thirty days' rest were 

 placed in the peach-hou.se about the first of Janu- 

 ary when the mild heat was started up, and for ten 

 days past the whole have presented one mass of 

 flowers quite georgeous to behold. 



To make sure of fruitiflcation in the absence of 

 wind and insects, Mr. Gibbs goes over his 

 trees when in blossom, with a fine camel's hair 

 brush distributing the pollen, a process which occu- 

 pies but little time, and is attended with complete 

 success.. 



Keeping Apples im Saw-dust. — Saw-dust is 

 said to be an excellent material for packing apples 

 in for preservation, and we are inclined to believe it 

 true. Last fall we packed a few Ben Davis and 

 Wagner apples in dry saw-dust — made as dry as it 

 could be by thorough exposure to the sun and air. 

 Just saw-dust enough was used to fill up the inter- 

 stices between the fruit. The bos was placed in a 

 dry, well ventilated cellar, and elevated about three 

 feet from the ground. At present (Feb. 25,) the ap- 

 ples show a remarkable degree of preservation and 

 improvement. They have colored up more highly 

 than any specimens of the same varieties that we 

 have ever seen. They are as firm, tair, sound and 

 plump as at the time of packing, while the Wagner, 

 stored in the usual way, is past its season, in fact 

 gone. 



