PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 301 



I then plant in drills two feet apart, and as soon as the potatoes are up, 

 plow and brush over the ground, and cultivate flat. I never put ashes or 

 plaster in the hill, but always on the surface. 



Apple-Tree Worms. 



Mr. Solomon Beckley, of Montrose, Iowa, writes for information about a 

 worm which is beginning to infest the orchards of that State. He says: 



"The worm is about one inch in length when full grown, brown color, ■ 

 moves along by measuring his head forward and drawing up its tail for a 

 new start; attacks the trees about the time they commence blooming, 

 destroying the blossoms and eating the leaves. They come in multitudes. 

 Two years ago we found they had destroyed most of the blossoms, and 

 trimmed the leaves on about twenty-five trees before they had been noticed. 

 We endeavored to stop their progress by rapping on the limbs of the trees 

 with poles; the jar would cause a hundred to fall two feet or so, hanging 

 on a thread like a spider-web; we then swept them off with the pole. 

 They would soon return from the ground to the tree again, to prevent 

 which we put tar about the body of the tree, and, as they gathered about 

 it, we killed them by brushing them with old stiff broom-brushes; a thoti- 

 sand would crawl up in a short time. A few days thus employed destroyed 

 most of them. Last year we kept watch, and, as soon as they appeared, 

 not above a quarter of an inch in length, we began to rap and shake the 

 limbs twice a day for several days. We so effectually headed them off, 

 that no material damage to the fruit was done by them. I have not dis- 

 covered how they originate; I know not whether any wash applied to the 

 trees will kill the eggs, or destroy them. I should like very much to hear 

 from your Club on the subject; I have read the essay on Entomology, iu 

 the Patent Office Report, but am not satisfied that this species is men- 

 tioned." 



Dr. Trimble thought from the description this must be the measuring- 

 worm, so common on the trees about this city, and, so long as they exist 

 only in moderate quantities, they may be kept under subjection by the plan 

 recommended by the writer of that letter. 



Birds and Worms. 



Mr. D. A. Barker writes from North Bergen the following letter, which 

 is appropriate to the preceding subject: 



"Mr. Robinson: I have read your stand for the birds and against the 

 dogs with interest. I will add my testimony: Fifteen years ago I came on 

 this farm. Every year the orchard caterpillars have troubled us. One 

 year they took every leaf off the trees; we got no apples that year or the 

 next. Last year, the worms were thick enough to eat half the leaves, and 

 then wound their cocoons in the leaves that were left. Now for the birds: 

 About two hundred common blackbirds came and picked out the cocoons, 

 held them with their feet, and picked out the grub and ate it till there was 

 not a cocoon left on the trees, and consequently there were no millers 

 hatched, except a few that were hatched in the fences and crevices, that 

 the birds could not get into. These birds were worth one hundred dollars 

 to me." 



