OCT 7 
8 
689 
THE CODLING MOTH AND IT3 PRO¬ 
GENY. 
8. B. PECK. 
About the year 1870 I had some 300 yotmg 
apple trees beginning to blossom and in the 
Spring of 1672 about half of them set fruit, 
the most of which never came to perfection 
on account of the ravages of the larvae of the 
codling moth. Concluding that the price of 
fruit was “eternal vigilance,” I set myself to 
work under that impulse to see what I could 
learn of the habit* of this pest, Aside from 
all 1 could learn from works on entomology, 
I claim to have made the discovery that the 
worm very soon penetrates the heart of the 
apple and destroys its vitality, then leaves it 
and enters a sound specimen, thus destroy¬ 
ing a large number of apples. I was not slow 
to proclaim this discovery, and nt a pomolog- 
ical convention in 1S?3, I prepared and there 
read an essay, stating my convictions and 
my reasons for them, and related several ex¬ 
periments to show upon what my opinion was 
founded. There was no debate then on the 
subject, but at a subsequent meeting of the 
convention an entomologist with a “Professor’' 
attachment, (ivho did not hear my address nor 
I his) was reported as saying that my 
theory of the emigration of the larvaa was 
“erroneous,” doubtless deeming his bare 
assertion sufficient to upset my theory and 
disprove my arguments. 
But I was not quiet, and offered another 
article to the Secretary of our State Pome ■ 
logical Society for publication, if he saw fit 
on the same subject. It was there held about 
a year and criticised by the business com¬ 
mittee, and the criticisms reported to me and 
replied to; the criticisers evidently siding with 
the Professor. One gaid, “I don’t believe a 
word of it’’—meaning the emigration theory. 
In the meantime I had published other articles 
on the subject in different papers, stating my 
reason*. At last the Secretary of the State 
Pomological Society wivte asking permission 
to publish the article in his hands, saying: 
“The evidence in your favor seems to be accu¬ 
mulating.” It was then published in (I think) 
the Michigan Farmer, and I have since seen 
no further criticisms except from the Profes¬ 
sor mentioned, who has since claimed to have 
proved my position erroneous. 
Sometime in 1879 I received a letter from 
one of the editors of the American Eatcmol* 
ogist (who it seems had seen some of my 
articles on this subject), asking if I still held 
the same opinions as formerly on this emi¬ 
gration theory. I replied tha I did, and I 
wrote out and sent him the main with some 
additional evidences in its favor, which were 
published in the N. Y. Weekly Sun, and 50 
copies sent me of the date of Jan. 7, 1SS0, 
Subsequently in a correspondence with Pro¬ 
fessor C. V. Riley, of Washington, I sent him 
a copy, for which I received his acknowledge¬ 
ment, saying: “I have had your article on the 
codling moth for some ti e—I fully indorse 
your views which I know from experience to 
be essentially correct, and you have per mis. 
sion to quote me if you desire.” 
I also received from Professor W. J. Beal, <.f 
the Michigan Agricultural College a card say. 
ing: “I read your article on the codling moth 
with much interest. I presume you are correct 
in thinking that the insect goes f ruin one apple 
to another in the early part of the year.” 
It will be readily seen that the question at 
issue is: does the worm emigrate, or remain 
in the single apple as it has generally been 
supposed to do; and the importance of the 
question becomes apparent when we wage 
warfare against the enemy. If by a daily or 
frequent examination of the tree and re¬ 
moval of all infected fruit, we save the 15 to 
20 apples which the worm would have de¬ 
stroyed if undisturbed, we shall certainly be 
more successful in saving our fruit than by 
any other process that has been recommended. 
I would not by any means discourage the use 
of the bands around the bodies of the trees 
which are certainly a very effective remedy’ 
as many of the worms escape the closest vigi 
lance in the examination of the trees. 
I ought perhaps to mention the experiments 
I have made that have led me to the con¬ 
clusions at which I have arrived. Myself and 
others have often taken a larva from one 
apple and placed it on another which it has 
soon entered, the more readily when shut 
from the light; we have placed wormy and 
sound apples together, marking the latter, and 
generally found some of the latter occupied; 
and though this test is not positive evidence 
for reasons I will give, it is strongly circum¬ 
stantial. First, it may be that an egg may 
previously have been laid and subsequently 
hatched during the experiments, or, second 
the infested apples may have been tenantle f B 
when plucked, for experiments show con¬ 
clusively that in dissecting wormy apple 3 
taken from the tree, a large majority will be 
found empty, and when taken from the 
ground it is rare to find one tenanted until 
late in the season, when the second crop of 
larvae do not so readily destroy the vitality 
of the fruit. Further, where two apples touch 
each other the trail of the worm can often be 
traced from one to the other, and the worm 
has been caught in its exit. Many other ex* 
periments are open to the curious and the in* 
terested. A most, sweeping evidence I con* 
ceive to be the fact, that by furnishing the 
most enticing hiding places for the larvae, for 
every 1ft worniB you thus catch, you will find 
100 to 150 wormy apples. 
The ravages of this pest may be and prob¬ 
ably are more extensive some years than 
others, but it is quite evident that all the 
remedies thus far practiced have had little 
or no effect to diminish the evil. 
Muskegon, Mich. 
Your Correspondents Carried With the 
Flood of Immigration into Central 
Dakota. Wayside Jottings. 
MESSRS. HOLMES AND SWEETLAND. 
(Special correspondents or the Rubai, New-Yorker.) 
The activity and enterprise as well as the 
sagacity and foresight which always charac¬ 
terize the management of the Chicago, Mil¬ 
waukee and St. Paul Railroad, made it ap¬ 
parent to us, when we were deputed to pre¬ 
pare a series of letters upon the country along 
that line, that our mission would carry us 
into prominent commercial centers, like Chi¬ 
cago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, or Council Bluff*, 
or perhaps into the rich agricultural regions 
of Iowa, Minnesota, or Dakota. 
Ere we begin upon some results of our trip, 
it may not be amiss to say a word regarding 
tbe importance and extent of the road upon 
which our observations are being taken. The 
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul now has a 
total mileage of 4,2C3 miles, the greatest num¬ 
ber owned by any one company in the world. 
Its road bed is good, its track in excellent 
condition, and is equipment is complete. We 
will not duouss tbe many ramifications of the 
1(5 main divisions and their numerous subsidi¬ 
ary branches,but vi ill turn our attention to one, 
viz, the Hastings and Dakota Division, which 
has a mileage of 447 miles, consisting of the 
main line from Hastings, Minn., to Aberdeen, 
a cut-off to Minneapolis, and various exten- 
tions which we will reach in their turn. 
From Hastings westward we whirled 
through a region of timber, lakes, and undu¬ 
lating fanning lands with many of the farms 
in a good state of cultivation, the grain and 
grasses looking exceptionally well. As we 
neared Granite Falls (a run of 124 miles) the 
road borders closely on the Minnesota River 
which it faithfully follows to its source. It is 
graded along the bluffs at the north of the 
river and the vista, reaching far to the south¬ 
ward, of fertile farms in their regularity, in¬ 
tersecting roads, frequent natural and arti¬ 
ficial groves and silvery stream*, is captivating 
in the extreme. In every direction in and 
around Granite Falls, are found abundant 
surface croppings and inexhaustible ledges of 
the stone from which the city takes its name, 
the quality of which is not excelled in the 
State. At this point the fall in the river 
is considerable, furnishing abundant water 
power which is at present but little utilized. 
Late in the afternoon we reach Ortonville 
and Big Stone City, two pretty little towns 
upon the shores of Big Stone Lake, passing 
eti route the active and bustling city of 
Montevideo. This lake is about 30 miles In 
length and varies in width from half a mile 
to two miles. It has clear, pure water, 
bold and often bandsomeshores, fringed with 
trees. It is filled with fish of the usual fresh¬ 
water varieties, and the cities named are at¬ 
tracting many tourists and sportsmen who of¬ 
ten sojourn fora considerable per od lulled 
and rested by tbe quiet, the beauty of the 
scene, tbe cessation from business annoyances> 
and the abundance of sport. 
From this point we pass into Dakota, rest¬ 
ing for tbe night at Milbank from which 
place a branch penetrates to the northwest to 
the edge of the Sessetou Reservation. We note 
that the majority of the passengers left upon 
the train at this point are immigrating farm 
era from the Eastern, tin. Mi.-.o and the 
Western States, and that the destination of 
each and all is yet to the westward in tbe fer 
tile but as yet uncultivated valleys of that 
much-talked-of Territory, Dakota. 
West of Mflbauk we ascended a consider¬ 
able grade for a distance of about 2ft miles, 
and there we scanned the apparently limit¬ 
less plateaus stretching for miles in every di¬ 
rection, and endeavored to estimate the length 
of time it would require at the present rapid 
rate of settlement and scramble for land to 
transform tbi3 comparatively unknown and 
undeveloped region into a succession of fields 
yielding their annual golden harvest. The 
prevailing characteristics of this region con¬ 
tinue until we reach the Jim River Valley 
and the infant City of Aberdeen, the Western 
terminus of the road. From this city to the 
north is the Jim River extension, reaching 
Frederick and Ellendale and pointing still 
further northward. To the south the road is 
completed and in operation as far as Ashton, 
and it is to this region, of which Aberdeen 
may be considered the center, that most of the 
immigration is tending. Immigrants’ "mov¬ 
ables” are transported to this point from Chi¬ 
cago or Milwaukee at $50 per carload, and 
duriDg our short stay in the vicinity we noted 
that the many freight trains were made up 
mainly of this class of property, building ma¬ 
terial and merchandise. 
The productive qualities of the soil of Da¬ 
kota, and particularly of the “Jim River Val¬ 
ley,” have been thoroughly tested during the 
last and the present year for the production 
mainly of wheat and grasses, but collaterally 
of oats, rye, barley and vegetables of almost 
every known variety, and the results (as the 
farmers tell us) are far beyond expectations. 
The soil for the most part is a rich prairie 
loam, quick and friable, resting upon a porous, 
gravelly subsoil, rendering drainage excellent. 
There seem to be no reasons either in the 
character of the soil or the latitude to prevent 
the growth and maturing of com, but as yet 
tbe settlers have made no experiments which 
may be considered satisfactory. 
Numerous lake beds may be found through¬ 
out this region, some filled with pure,sparkling 
water, and others dry, and around them the 
soil is unusually good. 
As most of the land in this valley is subject 
to Government entry the sales are not numer¬ 
ous, but the employes of the Government 
Land Office, located at Aberdeen, are kept 
continually busy supplying both the foreign 
and the American immigrants. As the maxi¬ 
mum of land allowed to any one is 460 acres, 
which can be obtained simply by complying 
with the Government requirements and resid¬ 
ing a given time upon he derired section, 
there is always a good chance in tbe millions 
of acres of unentered lands to obtain a home 
in a most desirable locality and a competence 
within a few years. 
The region under our pen to-day cannot be 
considered to be in the Far Northwest and 
those contemplating making a residence need 
not fear the rigorous Winters. The climate 
in the Summer is incomparable, while the 
Winters are long and sometimes very cold, 
but the purity of the atmosphere and the al¬ 
titude attained indurate one to such an extent 
that we are told no one dreads the approach 
of the lee King. 
There are many active and promising towns 
daily improving and developing along this 
line, but Aberdeen, the present western ter¬ 
minus, has enjoyed the moat rapid growth. 
It is a town of only eleven month’s growth, 
yet it has over fifty business houses, three 
banks, two newspapers, a $20,000 hotel, with 
three smaller ones, and there seems to be 
nothing wanting to insure its success and 
rapid development except to inform tbe 
world of the advantages of its surrounding 
country. 
The water question has been a very im¬ 
portant one for Dakota, and there are many 
places where the well water is heavily impreg¬ 
nated with alkali: but the problem is solved 
in Aberdeen. The C. M. and St. P. Railroad 
Company, at a large expense sank an arte¬ 
sian well. They struck good water in 
abundance at a depth of 960 feet, and now 
possess the finest well in the Territory. When 
at full capacity It flows 2.000 gallons per min¬ 
ute and has a pressure of 175 pounds to the 
square inch. 
The class of people coming to Dakota con¬ 
sists principally of dissatisfied Eastern farm¬ 
ers, who have determined to try a Western 
life, and from the present indications there 
will be no section in the Union to compare 
with the Northwest in computing the influx 
of immigration and actual settlement for the 
year 1S82. 
As a route to this locality from the East 
found most immigrants had reached Chi¬ 
cago via the Pennsylvania and Pittsburg and 
Fort Wayne route, with which they were 
much pleased, and proceeded thence north 
via the C. M. and St. P. Ry—or the “Albert 
Lea Route,” the name by which it is famili¬ 
arly known. 
- » ♦ ♦- 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
Bouvardia Humboldtii is one of the most 
desirable planes we have for flowering during 
the Autumn mouths. Whether grown in beds 
or as single specimens in the mixed border, it 
is truly a beautiful plant; while for cut flowers 
its value is beyond all question. The flowers 
which are borne in large trusses are also very 
fragrant, the single florets being very large 
and of wax-like texture. 
Begonia Weltonienses is one of the prettiest 
and most distinct summer-flowering varieties. 
The plant is of shrubby habit, attaining a 
higbt of six or eight inches. The leaves are 
small, and of a delicate green color, while the 
flowers are of a rosy pink color, and as tbe 
stems of the plant are of a bright crimson 
color this also contributes to the attractive 
appearance of the plant. 
The best seven varieties of flowering Begon¬ 
ias are fuchsioides, hybrida multiflora, inear- 
nata, parviflora, coccinea (or as it is also 
termed rubra) Saundersonii and Weltoniensia. 
Begonias, when grown under favorable 
conditions, are splendid plants for the window 
garden, some of them having beautiful foliage, 
as well as being very free-flowering. They 
are a class of plants that require but little 
skill or care for their cultivation; they succeed 
very well in a compost composed of two thirds 
of well rotted sod3 from an old pasture and 
one-third of well rotted manure, with the 
addition of a little sharp sand. When potting, 
give good drainage; use porous pots; do not 
water freely and give them during 
the Winter season a temperature of from 30 
to 35 degrees. 
Mr. J. T. Lovett made a fine display of 
native grapes at the September meeting of 
the New York Horticultural Society, one of 
the most noticeable varieties being the Wyom¬ 
ing Rod. It strikingly resembles the Delaware, 
and at first sight I was of the opinion that It 
was the Delaware well grown, but a critical 
examination soon convinced me of my error. 
As liefore said, it resembles the Delaware in 
form of bunch as well as color and is very 
much like it in flavor. It differs from it, 
however, in the siz9 of its bunch and berry, 
both being nearly double the size of that well- 
known sort. Regarding its productiveness 
and hardiness, I, of course, cannot give any 
information, but from what I have seen of it 
I regard it as one of the most promising of 
the new varieties and one that is worthy of 
more than a passing notice. 
I have always heard more or less concern- 
ing the value of the different varieties of 
shrubby calceolarias as bedding plants, but I 
have yet to see a good bed of them. I have 
tried them for bedding purposes many times 
with the usual result—failure. Now I trust 
our florists will abandon the use of the term 
“bedding plant” when speaking of the calceo¬ 
laria. 
The most distinct varieties of calceolarias 
are Black Prince, crimson maroon: Emperor, 
chestnut, and Aurea superba, golden yellow, 
tbe latter being of compact shrubby habit and 
a most profuse bloomer. 
Bronze Geranium Marshal McMahon is the 
very best variety of its class; the ground color 
of the leaves is of a golden yellow, marked 
with a deep chocolate ring, the flowers being 
of a scarlet color. It stands our hot, dry 
Summer weather without sustaining the least 
injury. 
While speaking of Geraniums I desire to 
call attention to the scarlet-flowered rose ger¬ 
anium, Mrs. Taylor. It is one of the most 
desirable of the whole tribe, combining the 
large, deep scarlet flowers as well as the free- 
flowering qualities of the Hybrid Perpetual 
class with strong rose fragrant foilage. It 
does well in the flower border during the 
Summer season and is a valuable bedding 
plant, and as a pot plant for the greenhouse 
or window garden it cannot be surpassed. 
Abutilon Boule de Niege is as yet the best 
white-flowering abutilon in cultivation. It is 
of dwarf, compact growth, and an abundant 
bloomer, thus rendering it one of the most 
desirable of the whole tribe for tbe decoration 
of the greenhouse or window garden. 
As single flowering dahlias are attracting 
considerable attention at the present time, I 
would call attention to D. coccinea, a very 
distinct and profuse-flowering species; the 
flowers are freely produced from June until 
frost, and are of a deep crimson color, with a 
bright yellow disc. The plant grows from 
two-and-a-half to three feet in hight and re¬ 
quires a treatment similar to that given other 
dahlias. 
What has become of Horticola, I miss his 
instructive notes very much? [Unfortunately 
he is still very unwell. Eds.] 
Chas. E. Parnell. 
