8 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, [1868. 



Among our more recent grievances is that of the Currant worm, which has, in 

 this vicinity, to a great extent destroyed the bushes or the annual crop for the 

 last two years. 



This Society offered a premium of $15 for a safe, certain and economical 

 mode of destroying the Currant worm. No formal application has been made 

 for this premium. Various remedies have been tried ; among others, that of 

 mulching the bushes with coal ashes to the depth of several inches. This has 

 proved a failure. The use of white hellebore has been very extensive, and has 

 been found effective. The objection to it is its expense, and that it renders 

 necessary a thorough washing of the fruit before use. Whale oil soap, if fre- 

 quently applied, is also effective, but this does not render the fruit particularly 

 attractive. Slackened lime has been applied successively by our Secretary and 

 others, and at present seems the most economical and feasible remedy. 



Considering the details of the present exhibition as being a matter particu- 

 larly within the province of the various committees, I shall not trespess on 

 their field nor your patience. No one who recalls the continued rains during 

 the spring season, will seek for any other cause to account for the diminished 

 number of entries of fruit. We should rather feel grateful that so much fruit 

 has been perfected. But we are very sorry to miss from our list of entries the 

 names of some of our usually largest contributors, who, discouraged by the in- 

 feriority and scarcity of their fruits may have forgotten that all others have 

 suffered in the same way, and that it is at a season like the present that we 

 most need their efficient co-operation. A natural reluctance to pick fruit still 

 green and hardly full grown has also operated more than before to diminish the 

 number of varieties exhibited. 



It is a matter worthy of consideration whether the objects of the Society 

 may not be better advanced by postponing the annual exhibition to a later day 

 in the autumn season. 



The unusual variety and beauty of the plants and flowers compensates us for 

 the failure in our fruit ; and who can look down upon these tables covered with 

 the choicest fruit, and the tables and stands brilliant with flowers and with 

 plants of varied leaf, without pronouncing our exhibition a success. 



