608 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Those wlio take an interest in liorticultui-al pursuits are much more numer- 

 ous than we may think at first. Every one who occupies a respectable 

 room may grow a flowering plant in it, and we all must know, from our 

 own experience, that the possession of a sing-le plant gives us tlie desire 

 to collect more, and to procure all the information we can about their 

 culture. 



Finally, as a commencement of the good work, I beg leave to hand to 

 the secretary the names of some candidates for membership; and I trust 

 that each one of us will consider himself a special committee of one on 

 recruiting service. 



R. G. Pardee spoke of the influence- of horticultural societies in elevating 

 the taste and exciting a generous rivalry among those who grow fruits 

 and flowers. These associations are the means of combining and concen- 

 trating individual influence and effort, so that the whole may be brought 

 to bear in the collection and diffusion of information. Every one who 

 raises a flower confers a benefit upon his neighbor. He had lately passed 

 a magnrficent conservatory, and the thought tiien occurred that its owner, 

 instead of gratifying his own circle of intimate friends, might be the 

 means of giving delight and instruction to immense numbers had he an 

 organ like this Association, through which he might hold communication. 

 He hoped this was the beginning of a new era. 



Isaac P. Trimble said he had been honored by his appointment as Ento- 

 mologist, but he must tell them at the outset that he was acquainted with 

 the peculiarities of comparatively few of the 400,000 insects which are 

 known to exist on our globe. In looking at the beautiful models of fruit 

 which adorn these rooms, he did not see specimens of Plums, Apricots, or 

 Nectarines. These fruits are gradually disappearing from this section of 

 the country. No doubt many of you are aware of the cause. It is the 

 effect of an insect called the curculio, of which it takes four to weigh a 

 single grain, and we are cowardly letting it do as it pleases. Ho was 

 asked by a gentleman what he should do to destroy the lady bug; his gar- 

 den was full of them. He told him to let them alone until they had eaten 

 all the plant lice, and then they would die of starvation. He had occasion 

 lately to count the eggs of the Dusty Vapor Moth, and the average was 

 four hundred, and tiiis is nearly the average of all our moths and butter- 

 flies. Arithmetic will easily tell the story of how long we could live if any 

 one of these was permitted to multiply without being checked. Among 

 the insects, nearly half are feeding upon the other half ; and we should 

 have the knowledge to know which half are our friends. The birds are 

 important aids in holding in check our insect enemies. Lately, in examin- 

 ing the crop of the Chick-a-dee, (Black-capped Titmouse,) one of the little 

 creeper birds of winter, he found five of the larvae of the apple motli, and 

 the apple moth, next to the curculio, is the most fatal enemy of apples and 

 pears. All animated nature is a cycle of complexity to those who do not 

 study it, but there is a movable harmony in all things. If his friend could 

 have killed all his lady bugs, he would soon have found his mistake. When 

 the small birds have been shot off, noxious insects have increased fearfully. 



Wm. S. Carpenter said he should fill but a small niche in this Society, 

 but would do all in his po.wer to make it valuable to the country. Pomul- 



