LIGHT FROM THE SOCIETIES. 



191 



chiefly in the time of year when the larva reaches full 

 growth and ceases feeding ; but small as this difference 

 may at first sight appear to be, as was pointed out by 

 Professor Forbes at the last annual meeting of theAssocia- 

 tion of Economic Entomologists, it might lead to unfor- 

 tunate practical mistakes. It was thought that land 

 found to be badly infested in the spring with active 

 larvffi would, for that year, be useless for the cultivation 

 of all such crops as are liable to their attacks. But this 

 we now know is not the case, because nearly all full-grown 

 grubs found in the spring, by the end of June will finish 

 their distinctive larval feeding and turn to pupae. But 

 we also know that grubs that are found in an active state 

 late in autumn, will also be active and injurious the fol- 

 lowing spring and well on into the summer. The 

 greatest injury by white grubs is done to most crops 

 during this last stage of their growth, as for the first 

 year they are too small to do harm, and in the second 

 also unless they occur in very large numbers, and only 

 then to such crops as (like strawberries) are of a per- 

 ennial nature. — Fro7n Discussions of ihe Ontario Friiit- 

 Growers' Association at last meeting. 



Western New York Horticultural Society. — The large 

 attendance, the spirited discussions, and able, rather 

 scientific papers, and fine display of fruits, again justi- 

 fied the national reputation which the Western New 

 York Horticultural Society enjoys, of being the most 

 wide-awake association of its kind. Ellwanger & Barry 

 had their usual exhibit of numerous plates of pears, 

 especially of fine Anjcus, apples and other fruits. 

 Herbert Jones exhibited a few baskets of the Fitzwater 

 pear, which, though appearing rather diminutive in size 

 compared with the enormous high-colored specimens 

 imported from France, on a plate next to them, gave in- 

 dications of being valuable on account of pretty fair 

 quality. Samples of pure unfermented juice of the 

 Niagara grape were shown by C. J. Baldridge, Kendaia, 

 N. Y. 



We recommend the suggestions in President Barry's 

 annual address to the earnest consideration of fruit- 

 growers. Ours, he says, is indeexi a fascinating pur- 

 suit — one which always exerts a refining influence on 

 mankind. It brings us in direct contact with nature in 

 her loveliest forms and moods, and places before us at all 

 times, in the most attractive manner, objects of beauty 

 and interest, which, if examined and studied, excite 

 wonder and admiration. It is an industry which, in ad- 

 dition to the advantages it confers from a business 

 standpoint, contributes largely to the health, pleasure 

 and comfort of mankind. To those engaged in it, it af- 

 fords endless opportunities for experiment and investi- 

 gation, and opens a vast field for improvement. Insep- 

 arable from the toils, anxieties and responsibilities it 

 involves, there are peculiar delights, charms and sur- 

 prises, and when the day's labor is accomplished we 

 can turn from the serious and tedious work of money- 

 getting to the consideration of subjects so beautiful, so 

 wonderful, so interesting, that temporarily we are lifted 



from the scene of our labors here to a new world. I 

 often think that we do not fully appreciate our occu- 

 pation, and that we fail to enjoy much that we could, 

 were we as observant and studious as we should be. 



Mr. Barry warns against packing and marketing in- 

 ferior fruits, and recommends that trial be made in put 

 ting up choice, high-colored apples in smaller packages. 

 Each specimen might be wrapped. His experience has 

 shown that such a course pays with pears, and very 

 likely it will with apples. Fruit-growers lose thousands 

 of dollars in consequence of their neglect to thin their 

 fruits. To maintain proper fertility is essential. Vari- 

 ous difficulties present themselves, but the most formida- 

 ble is the expense and the anxiety lest the fertilizers 

 purchased may not accomplish the desired result. We 

 must experiment. 



The society has never had sufficient funds to meet the 

 expense of publishing more than a fraction of the number 

 of reports that could have been placed to good advan- 

 tage. Now Secretary Smith, of the State Agricultural 

 Society, proposes to incorporate the full report in that 

 of the state society, at state expense ; giving the report 

 a largely increased circulation, and thus enlarging the 

 scope of the society's usefulness. 



W. S. Little names desirable evergreens hardy in 

 western New York. The list is short. Many classed as 

 hardy in the catalogues are not hardy here. This is 

 not a question of temperature alone, but of soil, ex- 

 posure, etc. Even our hardy white pine and hemlocks 

 often suffer. The following will succeed without spe- 

 cial protection. Pimts montana (dwarf pine), which is 

 quite common and inexpensive ; F. cetnbra (Swiss stone 

 pine), more rare, distinct in form, compact and rigidly 

 upright; retinospora, or Japan cypress, especially R. 

 pisifcra, R. plumosa aurea, R. sqttarrosa, R.filifera, and 

 R. obtusa; hardy junipers; dwarf arbor-vitae; blue 

 spruces; Abies Engelmanni, more easily transplanted 

 than the blue spruce ; Abies concohr, if anything more 

 beautiful than either of the others. The tint of the 

 foliage is more silvery than blue, and the same above, 

 as underneath. The tree is, however, more difficult 

 to transplant. 



James McMillan had a number of blue sprucesfor three 

 or four years. They seem to be entirely hardy. D. S. 

 Willard speaks highly of the blue spruce and tells of a 

 specimen 25 feet high on the place of Mr. Maxwell, who 

 probably would not take $500 for it. 



George T. Powell gave a history of that memorable 

 show of fruits at the State Fair. French growers said 

 that the fruit exhibit at the World's Fair in Paris did 

 not compare with this in extent or quality. There were 

 671 entries, and 7,000 plates of fruit. 



Lee C. Corbett, of the Cornell Experiment Station, 

 said of asparagus, that the staminate plants have been 

 found to produce earlier and heavier shoots than the 

 pistillates. In cauliflowers a great step in advance has 

 been made by the successful production of seed near 

 the Pacific Coast. This seed is larger and plumper than 

 imported seed, and has given great satisfaction. It is 



