Proceedings of the Farmers' Club, 783 



been cultivating small fruits a number of years past ; I soon learned 

 that my interest and the interest of the blue jays were reciprocal, I 

 allow them free access to my corn crib in the winter ; in the summer 

 they provide for themselves, and act the part of a police force to pro- 

 tect my crops. 



Mr, Ira Brewer, Binghamton, N", Y. — In my opinion the wood- 

 pecker is one of the most useful of birds ; but, strange to say, he has 

 become entirely extinct in this region, ISTot a solitary bird of this 

 species has been seen here for years. Tliey have been the sure mark 

 of the wanton sportsman ; the result is that the borer is destroying 

 our apple and other fruit trees by the thousand. His natural instinct 

 taught him where to find the worm with unen-ing certainty. His 

 loss is equivalent to half the loss of our apple crop. 



The Chairman. — Dr. Trimble has often told us of the great value of 

 the woodpecker, and I am pleased to see this indorsement of his views. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — There are several varieties of woodpecker. 

 That I consider most valuable is called the Donny woodpecker. I 

 believe it to be the most valuable bird in the country. He was 

 always after the apple worm ; yet one of our agricultural papers has 

 published an article, advising them to be killed wherever found. It 

 showed a lamentable ignorance, 



Mr, F, D, Curtis, — Sitting at my window a few days since, I saw 

 two woodpeckers near my bee-house. Careful observation convinced 

 me that they were looking for moths and ants. They did not dis- 

 turb the bees. A great many farmers were so unwise as to think 

 they ate the bees. 



Dr. J, Y. C. Smith, — Some of the Club may recollect that last 

 winter I had dissected in your presence a bird of this species, and 

 showed how, by the intensely fine sense of hearing, he is enabled to 

 detect the worm or insect underneath the bark, and then by his strong 

 bill to dig into the recess, and by the peculiar formation of his lono- 

 tongue, to thrust it in and twist the worm out. His was really a 

 wonderful structure. While the forests existed they had a home and 

 a hiding place, but as civilization advanced they fled before it. I 

 think they cannot be too much encouraged, and hope some means 

 ma}^ be adopted for their increase. 



Production of Corn. 

 Mr. J. Disturnell read a carefully prepared and able paper on the 

 production of corn. Of this article the western and southern States 



