Proceebza'Gs of the Farmers' Club. 577 



Mr. F. D. Curtis. — In riding about the cuuntry I have frequentlj 

 observed bottles suspended among the branches of trees, and, on 

 inquiry, found they were tilled with sweetened water, and intended 

 as curculio traps, I have never tried this way myself, but know it is 

 very generally practiced in Saratoga county, and persisted in there 

 year after year. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trini])le. — I have tried it, and never caught a curcu- 

 lio ; but I have caught scavanger flies, house flics and moths in great 

 numbers. 



Mr. J. D. Lyman. — In Cincinnati, recently, I saw a gentleman from 

 Aberdeen, Miss., by the name of Phillips. He says the planters near 

 him have rid themselves of the moth, the boll- worm and the army- 

 worni by a lamp of simple construction. The top is left open, and 

 the bowl containing the oil is shallow, so as to expose a good deal of 

 surface. The moths fly to the flame, drop into the oil, and are 

 drowned. He finds that one lamp of this sort burned for a short 

 time in the evening, when the raoth is laying her eggs, will protect an 

 acre. A tin screen to windward keeps the lamp from being puffed 

 out. ]\Iight not other moths, and possibly the incorrigible curculio,, 

 be lured to destruction in a similar manner ? 



Keeping Cidek Sweet. 

 Mr. Frank D. Curtis. — I believe the Club never goes backward. 

 Cider, to keep well, should be made in cold weather, from sound 

 apples, and be kept in a cool place. The juice should be allowed to 

 settle and then be drawn ; or, as the cider-man would say, " racked 

 oflV' ^^ least three times, to clear it of the floating pomice, which will 

 hasten and augment fermentation. It may then be put into strong 

 bottles and corked up air-tight and kept in the cellar. In this way 

 good cider will remain sweet a long time. If carbonate of lime be 

 put into the cork it will arrest the fermentation of cider, Init I do not 

 fancy cider chemically prepared with any sort of drugs. It will have 

 an unnatural taste, and is not so healthy. Cider is rectified and made 

 much stronger by adding sugar, say ten ])Ounds to the barrel, and a 

 little brandy to give it flavdr. The sugar increases the alcohol, and 

 cider prepared in this manner will not readily ferment to the acetie 

 or vinegar degree, but is very intoxicating, and, lience, sliould not 

 be recommended. It is a favorite way with some to '-rack off" the 

 cider and put into the barrel ten pounds of raisins, which are said to 

 have a sweetening and preserving effect. 

 [Inst.] 37 



