291 



Tu the Cabimls — From James Chamberlain ; H. S. 

 Wheeler of Newburyport ; Miss E. K. Roberts ; Mrs. T. 

 Hunt ; 0. H. Haiinclers ; John Robinson. 



Letters were read from Massachusetts Historical Society ; 

 Iowa State Historical Society ; Robert H. Ives of Providence ; 

 H. S. Wheeler of Newl)uryport. 



The Chair introduced Henry L. Okdway of Ipswich who 

 ■exhibited and exjjlained an invention for preserving trees 

 from the ravages of the Canker Worm. — 



Mr. Ordway spoke as follows: — 



A'ery little has been said and written concerning the hab- 

 its of the Canker Worm until quite recently, that is of much 

 benefit to the owners of fruit trees. 



Professor Peck's Natural History of tlic Canker Worm 

 and Dr. Harris' book on Insects have been so universally cir- 

 culated, that a general description of the insect will not be 

 necessary. 



Tlie female, or grub,* commences to ascend the trunks of 

 trees early in autumn, but not before the ground has been 

 slightly frozen. Some seasons I have seen them appear up- 

 on the trees as early as the first week in October ; while 

 this last autumn they did not appear until the second 

 week in November. Thus it would seem the action of the 

 frost has something to do with the time of their appearance. 

 It lias often been remarked that the eggs which are deposi- 

 ted in autumn do not come to maturity, inasmuch as they 

 are destroyed by the severe cold of winter, and that it is 

 needless to prevent the grubs from laying their eggs upon 

 the trees. This is doulitless a mistake, and is one reason 

 why the numerous expedients that have been adopted, to 

 €heck the ravages of the worm have not proved more suc- 

 cessful. For several years past a large majority of the 

 grubs have deposited their eggs in the fall. They have 

 changed their habits in this respect as formerly the grubs 

 were seen in larger numbers in the spring than in autumn. 

 If then a majority of the eggs are deposited in autumn it is 



* The term grub is heie used to deeignate the adnlt female and not the larva. 



