PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 199 



PARASITES OF CATERPILLARS. 



Dr. Trimble introduced specimens of the caterpillar that preys 

 upon the grapevine, to show that it has its parasite, one of which 

 had just emerged from the body of the caterpillar. This he 

 hoped would prove a sufficient check to the ravages of this par- 

 ticular pest. 



THE CURCULIO. 



Dr. Trimble also showed specimens of the curculio of plums, 

 that he had hatched out in earth covered to prevent escape, to 

 show that the insect becomes perfect from the first laying of eggs 

 in young plums, and, as he thinks, these perfect insects lie dor- 

 mant till spring. The question is, where do they hide them- 

 selves until the young fruit is ready for them to deposit their 

 eggs. 



WASHING INSECTS FROM FRUIT TREES. 



Mr. Pardee read a letter from Chas. Lincoln of North Bridge- 

 water, Mass., which stated that he succeeded in saving his plum 

 trees last spring from insects, by washing them frequently with 

 clear cold water, using for the purpose a little hand instrument 

 called the " hydropult." 



ROT OF PLUMS. 



Dr. Trimble contended that all the rot in plums is caused by 

 the sting of the curculio. 



Mr. Pardee thought that this statement was incorrect ; that 

 plums frequently rot where there are no curculio. He said, 

 thirty years ago, at Seneca Falls, there was no curculio to dis- 

 turb the plum, and we grew great crops, and sometimes nearly 

 all on a tree rotted, almost all at once. 



A NEW CEREAL. 



Wm. S. Carpenter read a letter and showed a sample of a new 

 wild grain, from Washington Territory, which the writer thinks 

 may be an acquisition as a substitute for oats, as it appears to be 

 a hardy plant and productive of a small grain, something like 

 rye grass. 



John G. Bergen. — We have a wild plant here somewhat like 

 this, but we do not appreciate it as of any value for grain or 

 hay. 



SAMPLES OF FRUIT. 



Wm. S. Carpenter made a very handsome exhibition of nine 

 varieties of apples and five of pears, now in season, all except 



