PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 187 



and rivers, so that the producing- country receives a mere trifle in return 

 for all this vast drain. 



" In addition to this there is a large portion of country not content with 

 the usual method of consumption, but converts the various materials into 

 drink, in which a full grown toper will consume nearly one bushel of grain 

 per day, and, after all this vast consumption, the inhabitants of the earth 

 have generally found enough for their use, and all this comes from grass, 

 so that it is almost literally true that, " all flesh is grass." However, I 

 wish to call the attention of the Club to the all-important subject of the 

 preservation of grass. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — Mr. Jefferson said, nearly a century ago, that 

 cities were as cancers on the human S3!'stem; but I suppose he meai^t in a 

 moral point of view, but it seems evident that the same is true physically. 



Caterpillars — How to Kill. 



Mr. B. G. Watkins, Montrose, Pa., says: "I tried burning- caterpillars, 

 and injured my trees. Now I take the pole and swab, and pall of strong- 

 lye, and soak the nest; push the pole and swab through the nest; twist it 

 around, and down will come the nest, and it will kill the worm as quickly 

 as the burning, and the lye will benefit the tree." 



Prof. Mapes. — If burning fluid is used to saturate the swab, the flame 

 will not injure the limbs, yet will be strong- enough to destroy the nest. I 

 have tried lye, and it does not kill caterpillars, 



A Cherry Tree Pest. 

 - Mrs. H. Fry, Ludlow, Vt., speaks thus of a new pest : "It has a slimy 

 appearance and nauseous smell, and feeds upon the leaves of the pear and 

 cherry trees from the lower branches to the top, from early summer till 

 fall. It is half or three-fourths of an inch long — color black — with a large 

 head, larger than any other part of the body, tapering-, and moves but little. 

 Some appear quite large, others very small. I went around every tree in 

 the summer and pinched up every leaf that these worms were on; but it 

 was not long before I perceived another crop. Where they come from I do 

 not know. All the cherry trees that I have examined in this vicinity are 

 affected in the same way, maybe not as badly. If you can give the neces- 

 sary information how to rid oneself of these plagues probably many would 

 be thankful." 



Dr. Trimble. — The description of this insect indicates that it is the com- 

 mon slug, which is so destructive to our rosebushes. I know of no effectual 

 way to destroy it but the one practiced by the lady, that is, pinching- its 

 head. 



Mr. E. Williams, of New Jersey, recommended sprinkling the trees with 

 powdered lime, which Dr. Trimble said would not injure the trees, nor 

 insects neither. 



A Bee-Moth Trap. 



Mr. John Nicholas writes from Meadville, Crawford county. Pa., that one 

 of his neighbors has invented a moth-trap, which is effectual. It is simply 

 a box, with a movable top, and frames which hold pieces of comb, conve- 

 nient to remove for examination and destruction of the moth, which enters 

 through holes, and deposits its eggs in the comb. This box is placed by 



