PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 117 



in cultivating' the strawberry here — 'till this year we have met a foul des- 

 troyer, which, if no remedy is found to prevent its ravages, will prove fatal 

 to strawberry culture in this section. 



" This enemy is a borer, like the apple borer, about half an inch long, 

 and goes into the heart of the root of the plant, working its way through, 

 making a hole and dust like the apple borer. We noticed its effects first 

 after the fruit was set, which promised a good crop, but the plant withered 

 and dried up. 



" As the strawberry question is now under discussion in the Club, I for- 

 ward this information, and would inquire if they can suggest a remedy to 

 destroy this pest, and save our strawberries." 



No one present had met this pest or could suggest a remedy. 



Mr. John G. Bergen said that thirty or forty years ago his father had to 

 abandon the cultivation of strawberries on account of a black worm that 

 destroyed the roots. Whether it and the one in Maine are identical is 

 uncertain. 



Adjourned. JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary. 



July 15, 1862. 



Mr, Edward Doughty, of New Jersey, in the chair. 



New Road Laws. 



Mr. Benjamin Clark, of Darien, N. Y., sends the following communication: 



" Presuming the members of the Club would like to hear a word or two 

 how the new law works in Western New York, I would say, among the 

 loyal farmers it works well, but not quite as well with the lawless and 

 disobedient. 



" After fencing half I'ound my farm some forty years, to make a road 

 pasture for other people to keep their cattle, till my fence timber is about 

 used up, I saw by the new road laws that it was made ' unlawful for 

 any cattle, horses, sheep or swine to roam at large in any public highway 

 in this State.' Comparing this with the Prophet (Ezek., 38), where it is 

 said the Lord's people shall ' dwell safely ' — ' all of their dwellings without 

 walls, and having neither bars nor gates.' Accordingly, the 1st of May, 

 1862, I set open my gates, and moved a pari of my road fence, opening 

 to the highway all my fields, meadow and garden, day and night, to this 

 day, with the greatest possible safety, feeling more secure than when the 

 road was filled up with farm stock; and I had rather summer a poor man's 

 cow or two for nothing, and give him the grass in the road to winter his 

 cow on, than to be compelled to make so much road pasture without fence 

 timber. 



" I would respectfully suggest, that if all loyal farmers will open their 

 gates and bars to the road, or move so much of their road fence as will 

 convince passengers that the road is not to be used any more as a pasture, 

 very soon farm stock will disappear from running at large in the highways 

 of the Empire State." 



Prof. Nash. — I want to say a word upon the matter discussed a week or 



