THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION
OF
ONTAKIO
1902.
{PUBLISHED BY THE ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TORONTO.)
PRINTED BY ORDER OF
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO.
TORONTO:
Printed by L. K. Cameron,
Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1903.
^yAR\VICK BRO'S & RUTTER, Printers
TORONTO:
CONTENTS.
FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO.
Pages
Report of the Secretary 5
Local Fruit Growers' Associations, 5 — Georgian Bay Fruit Growers' Association, 8 — Rules and
Regulations for Local Associations, 9 — Fruit Institutes, 11 — Pruning Demonstrations, 11— Thin-
ning Fruit, 13— Object Lessons in Spraying, 13— Spraying for the San Jos^ scale, 14— Fruit
Experiment Stations, 14 — Judging at Fall Fairs, 14— Model Prize Lists, 14— Apple Packing
and Grading at Fall Fairs, 16 — Horticultural Societies, 16 — Lecture Course for Horticultural
Societies, 16 — Relation of Horticultural Societies to Fall Fairs, 18— The» School Children, 18—
Canadian Horticulturist, 19.
Financial Statement 20
List of Plants for Home and School : Arch. Gilchrist 22
Reports of Representatives to Fair Boards . . 24
Reports of Directors of Agricultural Divisions 26
President's Address : G. C. Caston, Craighurst 40
Address : C. C. James 44
Address : Dr. James Mills 49
Address : R. M. Palmer : 52
Insects Injurious to Fruit: Dr. James Fletcher 54
Apple Growing in Western New York : Prof. JoHN Craig 55
Special Methods of Cultivation for Special Conditions : W. T. Macoun 56
Devebpment and Growth of Fruiting Branches : Prof. H. L. HuTT 59
Fungous Diseases and Insect Pests of 1902 : Prof. W. Lochhead 62
Varieties— Quality vs. Quantity : Prof. John Craig 63
Controlling Soil Moisture in the Orchard : Prof. J. B. Reynolds 67
Report of Committee on San Jose Scale ! Geo. E. Fisher 69
Report of Committee on New Fruits : Prof. fl. L. HuTT 74
Report of Committee on Codling Moth : Joseph Tweddle 81
The Grading and Packing of Apples : Alex. McNeill 85
Markets and Marketing : D. J. McKinnon 90
Report of Committee on Boxes 9 J
Spraying Apple Trees : Joseph Tweddle 93
The Trade in Fancy Fruits : L. Woolverton 95
Ontario Fruit Stations 97
Report of Committee on Fruit Exhibits: A. E. Sherrington 108
Fruit Growing in Algoma : Chas. Young 110
Resolutions 110
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
The Benefits of Horticultural Societies : J. S. Scarff Ill
The Town Beautiful: C. L. Stephens 113
Outdoor Roses from a Canadian Standpoint : C. M. Webste R I 115
Bedding Geraniums : Wm. Hunt 118
Hardy Annuals : P. W. Hodgetts 120
Some Perennials I have Grown ; Major H. J. Snelgrove 125
Hardy Decorative Shrubs and Plants : Wm. Hunt 129
•Canadian Maples : W. T. Macoun 135
Ficus Elastica: Wm. Hunt 139
Seasonable Notes : Wm. Hunt 145
Ferns for the House : Wm. Hunt 163
Rose Pests: Wm, Hunt 167
JNotes on Conifers: W. T. Macoun 169
-How to build a Rockery : F. B. Greening n 176
Xawus ; how to care for them : A. Alexander 177
[3]
FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO.
OFFICERS FOR 1903.
President , W. H. Bunting, St, Catharines.
Vice-President : Alex. McNeill, Walkerville.
Secretary -Treasurer G. C. Ckeelman, Parliament Buildings, Toronto.
DIRECTORS.
Agricultural Division No. 1 A. D. Harkness, Irena.
" 2 R. B. Whyte, Ottawa.
'* 3 Harold Jones, Maitland.
" 4 W. H. Dempsey, Trenton.
" 5 Wm. RiCKARD, Newcastle.
** 6 Elmer Lick, Oshawa.
*' 7 . . , M. Pettit, Winona.
" 8 E. Morris, Fonthill.
" 9 J. S. ScARFF, Woodstock.
** 10 W. W. Cox, Collingwood.
" 11 T. H. Race, Mitchell.
'* 12 J. H. HiLBORN, Leamington.
" 13 G. C. Caston, Craighurst.
Ontario Agricultural College , Prof. H. L. Hutt.
Honorary Directors : — Thos. Beall, Lindsay ; A. M. Smith, St. Catharines ; Prof. W,
T. Macoun, Horticulturist C.E.F., Ottawa.
Editor of Canadian Horticulturist L. Woolvekton, Grimsby.
Auditor J. M. Duff, Guelph.
REPRESENTATIVES TO FAIR BOARDS.
London T. H. Race, Mitchell ; J. S. Scarff. Woodstock.
Ottawa R. B. Whyte, Ottawa ; Harold Jones, Maitland.
Toroido W. E. Wellington, Toronto ; G. C. Creelman, Toronto.
COMMITTEES.
Executive : President, Vice-President, and Secretary.
Board of Control^ Fruit Experiment Statio7is : Chairman, Dr. James Mills, Messrs.
W. M. Orr, a. H. Pettit, A. M. Smitb and G. C. Creelman (ex-offlcio).
Neiv Fruits : Prof. H. L. Hutt, Prof. W. T. Macoun.
Canadian Horticulturist : G. C. Creelman, T. H. Race.
Transportation : G. C. Caston, Craighurst ; H. W. Dawson, Toronto ; W. H. Bunting,
St. Catharines ; D. D. Wilson, Seaforth.
[4]
FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO,
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting was held in the Court House, Walkerton, on Monday
Afternoon, December 1, 1902. The chair was taken by the President, Mr. G. 0.
Gaston, at 3 o'clock.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY.
By G. C. Creelman, Toronto.
In presenting this, my first annual report as Secretary of the Ontario
Fruit Growers' Association, I wish first to thank each and all of the offlceri
arc3 f>th Gnelph. March 12^h Hagersville.
Maivh 71 M H«^speler.
Vt. Fl<^tcher also addressed the Society at Cardinal later in the reason.
Wber rrran^e^ents wer^ ciimrleted the following letter was sent to the
Secret a-T of the Horticultura*! Societies :
Dear Sir. — Encloaerl von will find a li'^t. < f meetings to be held in your district under the
auspic s of tho Hor^ionUu'•al Sori^^ty We hav*» selected speakers this year from a long list of
applicants, a^d hope that yotir nnomhers will not fail to ask questions and get as much infor-
mation as possible from the lec»^urer.
2 F.G.
18 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
Last year the lecturers visited the schools in the afternoon, and addressed the school
children upon some topic connected with horticulture. This seems to have been appreciated,
for we have had many applications f(»r similar instructions We hope you will make arrange-
ments to have this feature of the work repeated, for, besides the interest which the scholars
may take in it, it will be a good advertisement for the evening meeting.
Wishing you a successful meetmg and a prosperous year in the work of your Society.
Relation of Horticultural Societies to Fall Fairs.
I believe that the Horticultural Societies could profit by the
assembling of people at the Fall Fairs to advertise their work, and
at the same time impart much instruction. Instead of giving
money to Agricultural Societies to be used in the prize list, the
local society should first suggest to the Fair Board the propriety of revising
Ijhe list each year. The society should then select those varieties of fruit and
Iflowers that they wish to encourage, and specify that the society funds must
be used for those classes or sections only. The Societies might also have one
of their members present near the fiower a«nd fruit exhibit who could give
fthe visitors information as to how to plant, cultivate a' Institutes and the local Fruit Growers' Associations overlaps con-
siderably ; and we must admit that, as a rule, the intelligent farmers, who
take '^n active interest in Institute work, are the same people to be found
an attendance, at the fruit growers' meetings. Many of them practice economy
to such a.n extent that they object to paying a double membership fee. I
30 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
can assure you that this duplication of fees is a stumbling-block to many.
How are we going to get around it ? is the question.
In reference to our official magazine, " The Canadian Horticulturist," some
of the societies which I represent have requested me to ask the Board to re-
duce the subscription price of this magazine to 50 cents a year. I kaow you
will agree with me when I say that " The Canadian Horticulturist " is most
ably edited and conducted, both from a literary and practical standpoint ;
and it is a very valuable and admirable adjunct to the work of this Asso-
ciation ; but everything betokens that we live in a great competitive age,
a«nd to keep up-to-date it is necessary ever to be o^i the alert and ready to
adopt new ideas that are demanded by the spirit of the. times. Now, when
our horticultural societies are being offered such garden and orchard pub-
lications as I here lay before you, at clubbing rates of 15 cents and 25 cents
a year, I respectfully submit it is only natural that they should object to pay-
ing 80 cents a year for our magazine.
A supposed invasion of the dreaded Sam Jose scale was reported to me
from the Baltimore Hills. I immediately sent a< specimen to Inspector Pisher,
who had the pleasure of advising me that it warchard meeting was intensely inter
esting to the farmers, and produced splendid results.
The second orchard meeting wias held in Mr. W. T. Pattullo's orchard, ou
May 26th. Mr. Alex. McNeill was the principal speaker. He lectured on spray-
ing to destroy the mate changes materially.
The soil and rock of this district is generally warm, by rea.son of the com-
position, the granite formation being a great absorbent of heat; so that
during the growing season vegetation is rapid. Therefore, it is not well to
encourage too ra«pid growth in trees, as they are sure to suffer in winter.
However, the many troubles we have had in the past are now practically
overcome. We have a better knowledge of the class of plants likely to
succeed; in short, we must acclimatize and winter trees a^nd stock, so as to
bring it through the winter (sometimes 30 deg. below zero) with strong,
(healthy buds. Then we may expect a fair crop of a number of the standard
sorts of apples. The following have been most successfully grown, the
specimens generally being the best of their kinds:
Summer: Duchess, Yellow Transparent, Red Astrachan, St. Lawrence,
and Trenton; for later crop, Wealthy, Sadly Brown.
Fall: The Beautiful Mcintosh, Longfield, and several very valua^ble seed-
lings (local).
Winter: Golden Russett, Pomme Grise, Labrador, Pewaukee, Scott^s
Winter, Nora, and Minto.
We have a number of most promisinor seedlings grown by observing
tpeople here, to wit, the Rev. W. Reeve, W. N. Moody, James Brydon, Wm.
.Ta^rvis, J. W. Slater-, James Brown, and myself. Many of these seedlings
should be propagated by some local nurseryman, to the benefit of the nur-
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 39
«erymaii and the lasting benefit of this district, and the cold north up to
James' Bay. As it is, we have been practising a*nd experimenting in our
own quiet way till we have made a partial success of growing the most
beautiful apples to be seen on the market anywhere — to wit, My Own Rus-
sett, which was so successful at the Pan-American. At our high school
practical botany aap"e was done by the prevalence of scab and other fungous
diseases. The frequent a«nd heavy rains prevented effective spraying.
Yet those who were fortunate enough to have a good crop of apples of
good quality have been able to realize good prices for their fruit. Owing
to the scarcity of apples in Europe, all those arriving in sound condition
realized good prices. It is seldom that fall apples and early winters realize
as good prices a^s obtained this year.
And now a word about the work of the Association during the year.
At the last annual meeting, as many of you are aware, Mr. Woolverton
asked to be relieved from the duties of Secretary-Treasurer of the Associa-
tion, in order that he might be able to devote more time and attention to
the editing of our journaJ. This request was complied with, and we were
fortunately able to secure the services of Mr. G. C. Creelman as Secretary-
Treasurer of our Association, a man well known throughout the Province
as Superintendent of Farmers' Institutes, and also for the zeal, energy, and
executive ability he brino^s to bear upon this work.
A committee was appointed, composed of some of our best men, to act
as a sort of Advisory Board, and as a result of this division of work our
journal has been improved, until it is now one of the best of its kind pub-
lished. The Association has been able to enlarge its scope, and develop a
great deal of new work which cannot fa«il to be of srreat benefit to the fruit
interests of the Provinr-^^
It has been felt for some time that our Association should in some
way seek to eet in closer touch with the individual fruit growers of the
Province; also that there wa«s need for a great deal of educational work, end
^hat no educational work was of such value as object lessons given in the
orchard.
On the initiative of Mr. Creelman, the Executive secured a small
grant for this purpose, and decided to undertake work along this line.
During March and April 45 orchard meetings were held, where lessons were
1002 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 43
^ven on pruning, grafting, budding, etc. In May, 18 meetings were held
•where demonstrations on the proper spraying of fruit trees were given.
In July, 15 meetings were held, giving object lessons in thinning fruit, and
general discussions on the care of orchards.
In the course of these meetings 27 Local Fruit Growers' Associations
^ere formed, which we expect will become affiliated with our Association.
Our membership has increased, and we justly pride ourselves on being the
largest society of this kind on the continent, if not in the world. The work
of the year will be fully brought out in the Secretary's Report; also the sat-
isfactory sta^tement that although a great amount of work has been done
^during the year, our finances are in good shape, with a balance of 1241.50
'on the right side of the ledger. I am sure all fruit growers will be gratified
at the success of our Inspector, Mr. Fisher, in his persistent fight against
itlhat insiduons e-nemy, the San Jose Scale, and for the valuable assista.nce of
the Department of Agriculture, which has enabled him to wage a vigorous
:war against the pest. And the success that has been attained goes to show
that while we may not be apted to fruit growing, but which in ten or twenty years from now
^11 b« fonnd to be very productive. Perhaps some of us will be here to see
whether that prophecy or suggestion will hold good or not.
What is the object o'f an Association of this kind ? I do not know whether
^rou are accustomed to have Association meetic^gs in this place or not — whether
persons concerned in other lines of work have at any time met here in con-
vention or not. If they have, or if you have been elsewhere at conventions,
you will find that in one or two particulars this Association in its meetings
•differs very materially from them. In the first place,the doors are open for every-
body to come in and attend, and I trust that the people of Walkerton and
Ticinity will take full advantage of this and not allow this convention to
-oome and go without atteDdincr as many of the sessions as possible. In the
next place you will find that there are no restrictions or pass words to pre-
T-ent (^'Uyone and every one from coming in and associating. What I want
•to convey is that this is an association for the general good ; it is for no
persons in particular ; it is for everybody, although, perhaps, we might
say that it is intended in particular for persons concerned in the growing
x)f fruit. The aim and object of the Association may be summed up in the
iword ^'Education." We have a great many modes of education in this
Province, but this is the one great line along which the fruit growers are
to receive their education. We have a large number of other associations
-which a«re allied to this Association : We have an association for
the development of our live stock industries, for the development
of the bee-keeping industry, the poultry industry ; and so we
might na*me ten or a dozen of these, all working along similar lines — that
is, all more or less educa;tive in their nature. It seems to me, therefore, that
for a few moments this evening I might talk to you about the possibilities —
■what there is ahead — what is being gained by education.
What is the result o'f the educational work of this Association, and of
-other similar organizations tha^t are being used in various ways to help on
the one great common industry which embodies them all — our great agri-
'Cultural industry ? A few days ago an announcement was made in the papers
:|t;hat we were to have shortly a new" transcontinental railroad, and in dis-
play figures were set across these articles, " One hundred millions of dollars.'^
We read these figures, and, possibly, some said : '^ It will be a magnificent
thing for this country to have that amount of money spent in Canada in the
next five yea-rs ; it will be enongh to make the country rich." It is certain-
ly a very large item, but if the prosperity of the country has to depend on
this, it would be very little indeed. If you take the agriculture of the Pro-
vince of Ontario from its extreme east to its extreme west and put it all to-
.gether — farms, buildings, live stock, and implements — ^to make up what we
•call our agriculture, it would amount not to one hundred millions, but to a
little over ten times that sum. So that when we hold up this large amount
which is to be spent on a ra«ilway and think of it as something of very great
importance, let us not forget that we are engaged in an industry that has
invested in it an amount not less than a thousand millions, or a billion of
dollars.
46 THE REPORT OF THE No. IG
Now, eduoation in connection with an industry that has an investment
of this enormous amount must be of importa^nce. In this business we have
in Ontario about 175,000 shareholders. These produce annually from two
hundred to two hundred and fifty millions of dollars' worth of produce.
Here, then, we have an industry beside which all the other industries of the
country sink into insignificance. Is it not, therefore, important that asso-
ciations for the improvement of our frnit and live stock, for the education
of our farmers along these lines — is it not of importance that such associa«tions
should receive as much encouragement as possible, and be allowed to do as
much good as possible. ?
Let me put it in another light : We have in the Province nine million
acres of land under crop. I am not going to speak solely about fruit growing^
to-night, because I think that in this section of the Province you are interest-
ed in all the a«spects of agriculture, and possibly at this convention you will
have a surfeit of talk on the subject of fruit growing. We have, as I said,.
nine million acres of land producing field crops. You know very well what
we grow upon those fields. Would it be possible by improved methods^ — that
is, by an improved educational system — to add a dollar a year to every one
of those acres ? If so, you will see that our Provincial income would be in-
creased by nine millions of dollars. If we could add only one cent per bushel
to the value of the grain that is produced, we should add annually a million
and a half to the receipits of this Province. Sometimes people may say that
it does not make very much difference whether you get that extra cent for
your grain or not ; or whether you have to pay that extra cent for
transportation ; or whether your crop is just a little bit less or not. Per-
haps to each individual it may mean only a few dollars, but when you take it
in the aggregate and make this improfvement all over the Province, whether
in the production of the crop or in the amount received per bushel, you will
see that you can count it not by hundreds of thousa^nds, but by millions of
dollars. Here is something tha«t will appeal to us as fruit growers : If we
could take the apple trees of this Province and improve the product of each
one by only fifteen cents (and you will notice that in all these calculations
I am keeping them at a minimum)^ we should be adding a million dollars'"
worth of fruit to our Province. One dollar on the milk produced by every
milch cow would add a million dollars to our revenue, and only a quarter
of a cent per pound on every cheese would add three hundred thousand dol-
lars. Suppose we could improve, our fields so that each one would produce
a little more ; suppose we could improve the product of our animals, and
so, working from the bottom up, we could add a very little indeed to the aver-
age production of this Province, you see we should improve our annual income
b'y ten, fifteen or twenty millions of dollars. How is this to be done ? It is
summed up in Educa4:ion — educating our farmers, dairymen, fruit growers,,
grain growers, live stoerma-
nently to their homes and to their country. The prospef-c^iis farmer is tied
down to his land. The man in the towns and cities who becomes wealthy
is in nine cases out of ten likely to move. He will perhaps q:o to some centre
where he has an opportunity of spending his money more rapidly ; but the
more prosperous you make an agricultural community, the more permanently
ycu tie that community down to the soil. It is not from the country that"
revolutions proceed ; it is not from the country that great social troubles
emanate. Given a country with a hardy, prosperous, contented rural com-
munity, and you are not likely to have much trouble proceeding from that
source. The more prosperous you make the agricultural community sur-
rounding the towns, the more prosperous must that town become. A man
in a« town may amass a large fortune, and it may have very little effect upon
the surrounding community ; he may build a fine house and add a few labor-
ers and servants to his domain, but the great community outside is not im-
proved very much. But the money you send back through the dairy industry
and the fruit industry to the five hundred homes surrounding the town — does
it stay there ? It begins at once to flow back into the town. It seems lo
Tne that again and again our towns have been very short-sighted. I have
known places where the surrounding country has been entirely neglected, and
the people, in the town have given no thought to the prosperity of the people
in the vicinity. Perhaps they have passed a large bonus to build up an in-
dustry that has afterwards moved away. To a large extent that prosperity is
evanescent. If the same money had been used in developing the prosperity
of the farming communitv around the town, there would have been built up
something that would not move away, something that could not have been
liept to itself ; and you will always find that a. prosperous agricultural com-
munity necessarily means a well-to-do town in its centre. I would like to
say to you living in the town of Walkerton that you have as much interest
in the prosperity of the country around you as have those who live there. It
iss important to you whether the farmers shall be prosperous — whether the
fruit growers here are well-to-do or not ; it is importa^nt to you how the dairy
industry is going on ; and when our towns take a rational interest in the
rural communities around them, we shall set up an educational influence that
will affect the whole community, and then both town and country will pro
gress in unison.
t^OS FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 49
ADDRESS.
By Dr. James Mills, President Ontaria Agricultural College, Guelph.
I am here to-night not because I have anything special to say to you as
A Fruit Growers' Association, or even to the people of the Town of Walker-
iton, but because I wish to keep in touch with the fruit growers. I wish
to become better acquainted with them, and to know what they require of us
lit Guelph. The only way we can do this is to attend their meetings, listen
ito their discussions and criticisms, and hear what they have to say. I bring
greetings from the Agricultural College to this Association, and to the people
of the town of Walkei^ton. I never had the pleasure of visiting this locality
before. Hence, I am glad to have an opportunity of meeting such a
large representation of the people of this town, especially the young men
and young women, who are the hope of the country. We are all struggling
jn this country after we reach fifteen or sixteen to make a living as best we
can. We have certain natural resources of soil, timber, and minerals, and cer-
tain conditions as to climate. Most of us think we have a very good climate.
We have also a given amount of capital, which we are anxious to increase.
We use these natural resources and capital to produce wealth, and the great
instrument in the production of wealth through the agency of resources and
"^japital, is labor. We cannot improve much on our natural resources, and
we cannot very quickly increase our capital; it is to some extent a fixed quan-
tity. The only thing we can really improve is the labor, — the industrial qual-
ities of our people — our men and women and our boys and girls as they grow
up — with a view to make them more successful workers.
*rhe problem of production in this country, and in every other, is really
the problem of how to improve the industrial qualities of its people. I like
a meeting of this character, because it is a contribution to what I call prac-
tical education — education that tends to make us more successful workers,
more effective producers; that will tend to make us wealthier, and enable
us to secure a larger share of the necessaries, comforts, and
luxuries of life in exchange for our labor. I have been sur
prised at the record our people have made in the matter of fruit
growing. You have been engaged in several large international exhibitions
One, as you remember, was held at Chicago, and we certainly had little ex
-peotation that our Ontario, much as we prize it, would stand abreast of Cali
fornia, Michigan, New York, and other great States in the matter of fruit;
but we happen td know that Ontario took a larger number of marks for fruit
than any State in the great American Union. I do not think that this was
due to any superiority in natural resources. Of course, it is admitted
Ithat the further north you can successfully raise anything, the better will
i>e its quality. Our fruit is of excellent quality, and that no doubt added a
^ood deal to the number of marks gained at Chicago. But, after all, I do
not think our resources are in any way superior to those of New York, Michi-
gan, Ohio, and other fine States in the northern and western part of the
Republic. Why is it that we stood first at Chicago and second at the Pan-
American ? I think it is due to the high standard of industrial qualities to
-which our people have attained. They have a large foreign population across
the line, which has hardly been assimilated yet, while we have in this Pro-
vince a combination of English, Irish, and Scotch, and a little German, which
has produced a very high type of workers among us ; and when it comes to
an international competition, our men tell every time. The one that counts
Is the men. If you can raise a higher type of men, you will make a higher
4 F G.
50 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
record every time. I am glad to see meetings of this kind, that contribute-
towards practical education — towards the raising of the people to a higher
level as workers ; and our education is beginning to point in that direction^
even in the public and hi^h schools. They were hard to move, but they have
come to it at last, and all are aiming to give our education more of a practi-
cal bearing, so as to make our people better producers, that they may get a
larger share of the necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of life for their labor^
I think the result will be that we shall get as much of general education a&
we have had, and at the same time more of the practical.
This Province has already spent a considerable sum in the development
of the fruit industry, and a great deal of valuable work has been done. \
good deal has been done by this Association — by such meetings as this, by the
press reports thereof, by the publication a^nd distribution of your annual report,
by the publication of the " Horticulturist,'' and by holding meetings here
and there at various centres to discuss questions pertaining to fruit growing-
and floriculture I am inclined to think, however, that they have not yet
done so much as they ousfht in the matter of vegetable gardening. I have
not yet heard anything worth listening to on that line. I think it is im-
portant that our people should be taught to raise the best quality and the
largest quantity of vegetables in the gardens of the country ; a»nd, in my
judgment, it would be well if this Association would give the matter a little
more attention.
I think that even better work is going to be done under the plan of hold-
ing orchard demonstrations in the spring in spraying and pruning and how
(to care for orchards generally. I would sa.y, go ahead on this line, as I think
![fchere is a wide field for very valuable work in this direction.
I am a member of a Board, a very modest Board, that has not said much'
about what it is doing. I mean the Board which controls the Fruit Experi-
ment Sta«tions of Ontario. We have in this Province what many people re-
gard as the simplest, cheapest, and most effective plan for fruit
experimentation that has been devised by this or any other country.
We have a Board of five men. The President of the O.A.C. is Chairman, with
no pay for his services; the Horticulturist of the O.A.C. is a member of the*
Board, with a reasonable allowance for visiting stations and reporting on them;
a«nd the Fruit Growers' Association contributes three of its most progressive,
wide-awake members, whose remuneration consists of their travelling expenses-
and a per diem allowa^nce for the time spent. What do we do ? We test
varieties of fruit, to see what kinds are of value to the people^,
and to determine which are best adapted to the different localities-
and different soils. Howi do we do this? By buying land and'
supporting experiment stations, and erecting buildings and equip-
ment would have been one way ; but that would ha«ve cost a great
deal of money. Instead of that, someone vrisely suggested another line of
action, and said to the Board, " Select in different pa^rts of the Province-
some well-established fruit .growers, who have good orchards already bearing-
— one in the southwest, with peaches as a specialty, one in the Grimsby re-
gion for grapes, one in the Burlington district for small fruits, one somewhere*
else for apples, aT>ortunity of
visiting the Harrilton and Grimsby districts, and of inspecting some of the
large apple orchards there, and almost immediately afterwards of travel-
ling more than 350 miles east to Montreal and vicinity, and examining large
orchards there also. The contrast in methods wa^s very marked, yet as good
fruit was s^-en at one place as at the other. In the West, clean culture, heavy
pruning, and thorough spraying resulted in good fruit. In the East, there
was good fruit where the orchard was in sod, the trees lightly pruned, bui
thoroughly sprayed. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture is necessary every-
where, but methods of pruning and soil culture must be governed by climate^
In the West the soil is cultivaited principally to conserve moisture. In the
East, especially in the Ottawa Valley, this is not usually necessary, as there
is sufiScient moisture to ensure a thrifty growth and well-developed fruit. Im
■the West, severe pruning invigorates the tree, the result being larger fruit.
In the Ea^st, there is danger of sun scald from severe pruning, though iSght
pruning is necessary.
In Eastern Ontario and the Province of Quebec protection for the root»
in winter is, in the writer's opinion, necessary, a^nd as a rule more important
than conservation of moisture. A young, bearing orchard may be ruined by
winter-killing if the roots are not protected by grass, sod, or some clover crop.
There is no better svstem of cultivation known for Western Ontario thao
190a FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 57
clean culture in spring and early summer, followed by a cover
crop for winter protection, and for adding humus to the soil. It is doubtful^
however, if this system should be recommended without restrictions for all
sections. The writer believes that after the young trees a^re established good
results will be obtained, where the trees do not suffer from drouth and where-
the soil is good, by keeping the orchard in grass or clover all the year round,,
and mulching the ground with the grass or clover, which should be cut sev-
eral times during the season. The soil may be top-dressed with manure of
other fertilizers as often as is found necessary to maintain its fertility. There-
is much more likely to be immature wood where the clean culture a«nd cover
forop system is adopted than where the trees are in sod, and well ripened
wood is very essential in, Eastern Ontario and the Province of Quebec.
In the American agricultural and horticultural periodicals there has beeik
much discussion for a year or more over the splendid results obtained by Mr.
Grant Hitchings, Ononda.ga, N.Y., in growing his apple trees in sod and^
mulching with the cut grass. The fine results obtained by this gentleman
has fully justified the discussion on his methods, but it is unfortunate that
more prominence has not been given to the special conditions of soil moisture
which are said to exist at his place, making apparently an unfair comparison
with the general conditions in that pa«rt of New York State, which, I be-
lieve, are such as require clean culture, to conserve moisture. Mr. Hitching?''
results, however, prove that where there is abundant moisture, as in many
parts of Eastern Ontario and Quebec, his method may be adopted with good
success. At the Central Experimental Farm it has been found that growing^^
clover in the orcha-rds and mulching with it has resulted in a thrifty growth
and better fruit, and the writer has seen many orchards in sod producing fine-
fruit. Every orohardist must, however, study his own conditions, espe'cially
those of moisture and soil.
Another fruit which requires special culture for special conditions is the
grape. An entirely different system of cultivation is required in Eastern
Ontario from that in West and Southwestern Ontario. In the West U/O pro-
tection for the vines is necessary. In the East, unless the vines are laid
down a^nd covered with soil, no crop need be expected. On account of this
necessary protection, a different system of pruning has to be adopted in order
that the vines may be laid down and covered with the least expense. It has-
been found that the most satisfactory method is a modification of what is-
known as the High Renew\il. In the system we have adopted the vines have
two arms which are trained in opposite directions. These arms spring from
a stub near the ground, and not more than 18 inches from it. The arms-
are removed, and new ones left as soon as enough buds are killed or die to
leave them unprofitable. If the buds all live, the arms are renewed before
they get stiff, as when they are pliant they are much more readily covered.
A description of this system may be found in the report of the Centra^l Ex-
perimental Farm for 1901. As many as 115 varieties of grapes have ripened
at Ottawa in one season, but not this year.
Strawberries can be grown as successfully at Ottawa as in any place in
Canada, though the successful wintering of them is uncertain unless protec-
tion is given. All that is necessary, however, is a light covering of straw,
which prevents much of the alternating thawing and freezing of the soil in
winter and ea^rly spring, and retards the growth of the plants in spring, so
[that the blossom? are more likely to escape spring frosts.
Abundant evidence was afforded last spring of the value of this special
method for the special conditions we have in the East. The growers in the
vicinity of Ottawa who did not cover last winter had very little fruit owing
to May frosts, which destroyed the pistils of the flowers. Others uncovered
early and suffered as badly. At the Farm we did not uncover, as usual, un-
58 THE REPORT OF THE ]So. 16
%n there was danger of the plants heating. As a result, only a few of the
earliest blooming varieties were injured. There is a great temptation to un-
cover early, and even not to cover at all, as the fruit ripens earlier, but as
the best prices an those markets whei»e a knowledge
of lits character has been acquired. Writing under date of October 20th, P
M. Kiely, of St. Louis, Mo., says:
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. Q&
"We sold Saturday, for instance, the day that showed the largest re-
ceipts and lowest prices of the season, a lot of Huntsman's Favorite apples,
from J. L. Graff, of Murphysboro, 111., at $3.50 per bairrel. At the same
time, reaJly choice Ben Davis was offered at the levee at |1.50. We sold
on the same dav Grimes' Golden at |2.50 to |2.75, Rome Beauty at f2.00 to
12.50; Willow Twig, |2.25 to |2.50; Jonathan, |2.50 to |2J5; Northern Spy,
Missouri Pippin, Gano and similar varieties, |2.00." This is the heart of the
Ben Davis country.
Another dealer of Kansas City predicts that long after Mr. Kiely, with
him&elf, has made their entry into the a.pple orchards of the other world,
we wall look down upon our brother merchants left behind, and will see
them handling apples just the same, and three-fourths of them wlill be Ben
Davis. We will look upon the orchardists setting out new orchards, and
three-fourths of them will be Ben Davis! Judge Wellhouse, the apple king
of Kansas, however, acknowledges the truth of Mr. Kiely^s statement, bat
says the low prices w'ere a result of peculia^r condillions, and that Ben Davis
and Gano are still the most profitable varieties. Secretary L. A. Goodman,
of the Missouri Horticultural Society, reaches the core of the matter, to my
mind, when he says that the Ben Davis of the Ozarks as not the Ben Davis
of the north and east. Ben Davis is a variety that requires sun and heat to
mellow, produce flavor and add juice. In the average of seasons I do not be-
lieve that this can be done in the best apple growing sections of Ontarfio. I
do not believe that we should try to grow the apple that cannot be grown
to the same degree of perfection as elsewhere when we can grow something
else better. It is true that Ben Davis of large size and handsome a«ppe.ar-
ance can be and is produced in Ontario; nevertheless, the proof of this pud-
ding is distinctly in the eating. Compare this Ontario specimen with a
well grow^n Ozark representative, and lit is not difficult to realize that the
Ontario individual is outclassed. But how can you turn the tables with
crisp Spy, juicy King, and aroma^tic Molntosh! It is a matter of environ-
ment, and why not recognize it. Compare the flavor of a Concord grape,
handsome, large, as it is possible to grow it in favorable seasons at Ottawa,
w^ith that found under the limestone escarpment of Southern Ontario or on
the gravelly reaches of southwestern Lake Erie. Both look equally tempt-
ing, but oh, the difference in quality! Concord is a favorite table grape of
mine whe.m I can get it from the place of my own selection. The question,
therefore, hinges largely on the factor of adaptat)ion. Let us find the place
where each variety reaches its highest sta^te of perfection, and then cultivate
our natural advantages. It is much better to do this than to try and adapt
or acclimate a foreigner of uncertain qualities and attainments. This brings
me back to one of the first principles enumera«ted, viz.: that as time goes
on, quality, as influenced by local environments, will receive an increasing
meed of consideration at the hands of purchasers and consumers.
Va^rieties to Plant: My recommendations wonld be of little value to
you, because each one is more or less influenced by a personal blias. By all
mea«ns in growing fruit jrrow your favorites, because I think a man might
as well grow something he likes as well as something he does not like.
Those likes are very strong at times. I knew a man once who had such an
antipathy for soft maples that he said he could not sleep if one grew near
his bed. Looking at the fruit of the apple from the standpoint of quality
and general externa.l appearance, it is possible to throw them by a natural
method of cla,ssificattion into more or less coherent and consistent groups.
This is the field of systematic pomology. For instance:
1. Ben Davis group might contain Gano, Black, Ben Davis, and Beach.
5 F.G.
THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
2. The Fameuse Group would contain Mcintosh, Shiawassie, Princess
Louise, Scarlet Pippin, etc.
o. Blenheim (jioup: Hubbardston, Ribston and Sutton.
4, Newton Group: Green and Peck's Pleasant, and perhaps Greening.
5. Spy Group: Ontario, Wagener.
' 6. Winesap Group: Stayman, Paragon, Arkansas.
7. Rome Beauty Group: Salome.
8. Alexander Group: a number of Russians and Wolf Raver.
9. Russet Group: Roxbury, Golden, Pomme Grise, etc.
Each of these groups of apples has certain more or less well marked
characteristics which separate it from the others. These characters are in-
timately associated with definite cHimatic conditions. A knowledge, there-
fore, of these group characters, coupled with a knowledge of the place
w^here the members of the group reach their highest degree of perfection,
may be used to guide the intending planter. For instance, members of the
Fameuse group are natives of the w^estern portion of the St. Lawrence
regio;n in Quebec and Ontario. They reach the acme of their excellence on
•the islands of Lake Champlain and along the St. Lawrence. The relatively
cool summer of this region brings out the handsome color, gives spr(ightli-
ness to the flavor, and prolongs the keeping quality. In Southern Ontario
and Western New York, Fameuse and Mcintosh are rated as fall apples;
ceiLher are they as highly colored nor as crisp in texture.
Aga.in. let us consider the Blenheim group, which we may say includes
Ribston and Hubbardston. Ribston is na^tive of the cool, equable climate
of England. It is not strange, therefore, to find it a favored variety in Nova
Seotia, while it hardly has a place in the commercial lists of Ontario. As
we pass from the coast to the interior, the climatic conditions become less
favorable for the development of its peculiar quailities; so it is also with
Blenheim, and to a less extent with Hubbardston, possibly because the last
named is a native of Massachusetts.
Returning again to apple products of our own country, we may cite the
Ben DaVis group, including Gano and Black Ben Davis. These are products
of the middle west. To strengthen my contention, that locality has much
to do with quality, I have but ti draw attention to Downini-'s estimate of
Ben Davis, based on specimens grown :in the southwest. ^^Good, to very
good!" he says, and he was usually conservative. I am safe in saying that
it would be difficult to find confirmation of that opinion by a commtittee of
Ontario experts passing judgment on Ontario grown Ben Davis at this
meetiing. (Mo. B. D. at Ames.)
A few years ago the Russian apple occupied a prominent place in the
pomolog cal stage. Great things were expected. The vast north was to be
shorn of its ill repute as an inhospitable home for the apple. The fever
has passed; a few varieties have been added to our list of early summer and
faJl varieties, and none to our list of reliable winter sorts. The impress
of environment was upon the^e apples. They came from a region having a short,
hot growing season, and when the^ had receiived their accustomed amount
of heat in the new courtry, they ripened, wiiether the fruit grower desired
it or not. Much good will come from this importation eventually, but in
the mixed offspring is our hope, and not in the pure blood foreigner. Have
I made mv pcfint clear? Local adaptations in the production of fruit of the
highest excellence is worthy of our most thoughtful study. These problems
a^e being studied by your Provincial experiment stations with a thorough-
ness which, so far as my knowledge goes, has no parallel (in the fruit grow-
iB-g world of North America. It has been a -pleasure to* me to see their in-
190S FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 67
fluence for the good oi horticulture grow and develop; it is a source of the
(keenest personal gra^tification to look over the reports of thlis Association
of nearly a decade ago, and find that I was permitted to l^nd a helping hand
in the organization of these now powerful factors in the educational work
of the Association.
CONTROLLING SOIL MOISTURE IN THE ORCHARD.
By Prof. J. B. Reynolds, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph.
In dealing with this subject, I shaJl present it under a number of heads,
which you may ejnlarge from- your own expei'ience.
First, Preparation of the La.nd : Before planting the orchard it is neces-
sary to prepare the land properly, and as 3'ou are all planting or replanting
from time to time, I think that a few remarks under this head wJill be oppor-
tune, iou must get the la\«'«^
But a llittle later on, when the breeding season commenced we found tha^
wile the trees fhat hk not been treated were swarming with larvae, no larva^
could be found on the treated trees. The mothers were there m a fat and
healfhy condition but under the microscope they showed not a single 'arvae
and contained no'young. Now we know that m the -fJCow furSr £?
are three or four times as many males as females. We know further that
kter°n the season the female ha« in herself the power of reproduction, but
S the beginning of the season the fact that there are so many more ma s
than females would seem to indicate the necessity for a very perfect f ertil-
zat^on of the females early in the season. It was evident m the case m
St tha the ma.les had been destroyed by the treatment, while the females
had escaped. The reason for this is that the females are protected beneath the
incrustation of several generations.
W H Bunting, St. Catharines : Mr. Fisher has gone into the details
of his work in the last few years, and I think that as fruit growers the thanks
of verTmember of this Associa.tion is certainly due to the department of Ag-
riculture for the earnest effort they have made to assist "^^n th s difficulty.
We have now reached a stage in the work that has passed that of expen-
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 73
*anen,t, and the Inspector has succeeded in demonstrating to a very great ex-
tent the efficacy of the lime and sulphur treatment. All these other treat-
ments and remedies are beneficial, and we have advocates of them all in the
•differont distrHcts. One objection to whale oil soap is its expense. So long
as the Department could come to the assistance of the grower and pay part
of the cost, it was not felt to be such a burden, but now that we are thrown
«pon our own resources it is a< different matter. In crude oil there is dan-
.:ger, as Mr. Fisher has stated, to certain classes of trees. When we come to
lime and sulphur, we find that iit is a safe and cheap treatment, and one that
indicates from the white appearance of the trees whether the work has
been performed thoroughly or not. I think this is a very important point,
because unless the scale is covered with the preparation used, destruction
will not result.
What are we going to do about this matter ? We have the scale with
^^s in some sections, and whether it is on our trees or not we are all in-
terested. Unless determiined efforts are. made to combat it, sooner or later
the pest will have obtained a foothold in all our orchards, and they will be
of much lessened market value in consequence. We ha«ve had great help from
the Department, but I do not know to what extent it will be continued ; and
^It seems to me that we should now unite and co-operate to provide the ma-
terial and get lit on the trees in the most effective manner possible. The
idea of co-operation is the one thing I wish to bring out. We all have an in-
terest in the matter, and must be up and doing if we are to control this sca.le.
Mr. Creelman : The scale question is one of the most difficult the De-
partment has ever had to contend with. Mr. Fisher has labored hard in its
-extermination, and yet we. have it. We want to bring all the facts from this
and other countries to bear and endea^vor to help Mr. Fisher and the De-
partment. I ,see it is stated in British Columbia that lime and sulphur can
be ohitained in the combined form. You will realize what an immense amount
-of work would be involved in boiling the mixture in a kettle for two hours.
Mr. Fisher has solved this to some extent by employing the steam from a
threshing engine for this purpose. I should like to ask Mr. Palmer the ex-
perfence of British Columbia with the remedy in its combined form.
Mr. R. M. Palmer, Freight Rate Commissioner for British Columbia : My
■ experience leads me to believe that the conditions have to be carefully studied
in each district before you are safe in arriving at conclusions. After examin-
ing the conditions in California and Oregon and the methods adopted there,
we were satisfied to adopt them in British Columbia. I am glad to tell you
that although we have very little trouble with the scale there, we have found
that the use of this wash has been followed by the very best results in our
orchards. When they first began tO' use. the remedy in Oregon, they found
the same difficulty in dissolving the sulphur, but finally hit upon a combin-
ation in a sol'id form. We imported a quantity of this mixture, and it was
found entirely satisfactorv. We afterwards induced one of our manufac-
turers to prepare the material, and this was done under the superintend-
ence of the Board of Horticulture, so that we were assured that it was pro-
perly made. I do not know to what extent it could be adopted here, as the
condit*;ons may be different.
The greatest dansrer with the San Jose Scale or any other in*tct pest
is from the man who has only a few trees. He takes the greatest a«mount
of looking after. The large grower, on the other hand, will usually avail
himself of every means to rid his orchard of these pests. We have
found the best results to follow^ the use of freshly made mixture, so that al-
"though you can ma-ke a soHd form, it should not be kept too long before it
is applied.
74 THE REPORT OF THE No. 1^
Q. : Do you apply hot ?
A.: Yes ; in making the solution from the solid form, hot water is
used ; usually boiling water. I notice that you omit the salt from your mix-
ture. As we understand it, the use of salt is to cause the mixture to adhere
to the trees. I do not think it has any other value.
Mr. Fisher : Wha«t is the object in that ? I understand that in Southerly
California, they have discarded the use of salt.
Q.: Do they use copper sulphate in their wash in Oregon ?
Mr. Palmer : They have another formula which contains it. This ha»
given better results in some districts. We find that lime, sulphur, and salt
is of decided value against fungous diseases where we have no scale at all.
Mr. Fisher : Do you understand the method of preparing the lime a«nd
sulphur in solid form ?
Mr. Palmer : To a certain extent. The prinqiple of it is this : The mix-
ture is made in a steam jacketed vat, such as you find in soap works, and the*
water is evaporated from it.
Q.: Have you the San Jose Scale ini British Columbia, and ha^ve you the
Codling Moth ? If so, to what extent ?
Mr. Palmer : We had some cases of scale, but not duping the last three-
years ; in every case the infested area has been destroyed. In regard to the
Codling Moth, we have endea. From Geo. P. McNish. Lyn, Ont.:
A large, white fall apple, having a* crisp, white, juicy flesh and pleasant
sub-acid flavor. Would make s* nice dessert apple for home use, but would be
too tender in the skin ,to be of any value commercially.
No. 4. From Peter Dunbar, Guelph, Ont.:
A medium-sized, yellow summer apple ; but not so good as Primate or
Yellow Transparent.
No. 5. From C. A. Cass, L'Orignal, Ont.:
A large, handsome red apple, of good quality ; in season about Septem-
ber. The tree is said to be " a< wonderful bearer," and is loaded nearly every
year. !Mr. Macoun thiinks this might prove an acquisition, coming in between
Duchess and Wealthy.
No. 6. From J. P. Cockburn, Gravenhurst, Ont.:
In all respects so much like Duchess that it would be useless to give it
any other name.
No. 7. From Thos. Beall, Lindsay, Ont.:
A large, roundish, conical apple, somewhat angular. Stem short and stout,
in a. deep cavity ; calyx open in a deep basin. Color yellow, washed witli
76 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
orange and purplish red, mos;tly on sunny side. Flesh yellow, tender, juicy.
Flavor rich, pleasant, sub-acid ; quality very good. Season, September and
October. Tree said to have been bearing five or six years.
Mr. Macoun says : This apple is quite promising, and well worthy of be-
ing g'lven a thorough test.
No. 8. From C. L. Stephens, Orillia, Ont. :
Al medium-sized apple of yellowish green color, well splashed and washed
with deep red. Evidently a seedling of Fameuse, as it resembles that variety
in several particulars ; but it is in no respect superior to it.
No. 9. From Mr. Marr, Simcoe, Ont.:
A large, coarse, greenish-yellow apple, with bronze cheek, in season about
October. Too coarse for dessert, and not long enough keeper to be of value.
No. 10. From J. R. Ballantyne, Ottawa*, Ont. :
A very large, red fall apple, but not sufficiently promising to make it
worthy of propagation.
No. 11. From F. Birch, Wode House, Ont.:
A seedling from the Fameuse, pale green in color, wdth a broDzy or dull
red cheek ; flesh, like its parent, white, and of good quality, but Hot worth
propagating when compared with Fameuse or Mcintosh.
No. 12. From T. W.Gibbs, Bracebridge, Ont.:
A medium-sized, pale green a«pple, splashed and streaked with purplish
red ; of fa^r quality, and something of a Fameuse flavor. In season about
September, but not sufficiently valuable to take the place of Duchess or
Pameuse.
Seedling Pear.
The number of varieties of pears in cultivation in this country is not so
great, but there is room for a few more good varieties, particularly those
which have greater hardiness, and also those having fruit of greater keeping
quality. # J
In our report last year, we mentioned a promising seedling pear raised
^by Mr. E. C. Beman, Newcastle, Ont. This is a large, handsome pear, some-
what resembling Sheldon ; but I hesitated about recommending it last year
because the texture and quality were hardly what I thought they should be
in a variety, if it was to be added to the list now in cultivation. As Mr.
Woolverton and Mr. Ma^coun both spoke well of the quality of the specimens
"they sampled, I concluded I might have tested those sent me a little too early,
«o I asked Mr. Beman to send me another lot this year. This he did o^n the
■23rd of November, just one month later than last year. In the letter accom-
panying them he says : " I have kept them as long as I thought advisable.
They are now in about right condition for eating. I think probably you did
not let them get soft enough last year. They will get very soft, without
Totting at the core, which is one good quality they possess." After trying
these again this year, I can say that when they are kept long enough the tex-
ture becomes as melting or buttery as could be desired ; but as regards the
•quality, I think Mr. Beman in his letter last year has very fairly sadd all that
could be said in their favor : " The quality is not so good as I would like,
but it is much better than that of many varieties considered first-class for
market." I think the variety is well worthy of further trial, and would re-
commend it to be thoroughlv tested at one or more of the Fruit Experiment
'Stations.
190a FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 7T
Seedling Plums.
No seedling plums were sent to the comm'ittee this year, but mention.
should be made of the native plum seedlings which are grown by H. C. Cars-
teseni, Billing's > Bridge, Ont. (near Ottawa). Mr. Carstesen does not grow
seedlings for experimental purposes, but for profit. Praetioally every tree
in his little orchard of between 300 and 400 trees is a different seedling. His
most promising varieties are those which ripen early in August before any of
the named American varieties. Some of these are of very good qua^lity, and he
gets high prices for the fruit, as there is little competition in plums at that
time.
A large number of seedling American, European, and Japanese plum
trees are now growing at the Central Experimental Farm. Already some
very promising American seedlings have been orig'inated, two of which were
named last year. The following are two which are thought worthy of being
named:
No. 1. Consul — a seedling from Wolfe.
Roundish; large ; cavity narrow, medium depth ; suture a distinct line ;
a])ex round ; deep red ; dots moderately numerous, yellow, distinct ; bloom^
light ; skin moderately thick, tough ; flesh deep yellow, juicy ; stone medium-
size, oval, flattened, almost free ; quality good.
Will probablv prove a useful late plum. Ripened September 24th in 1901,,
and October 14th' in 1902.
No. 2. Sunrise — sl seedling of De Soto :
Oval ; large ; cavity narrow, shallow, abrupt ; suture a distinct line,,
mot depressed ; apex rounded ; yellow, more or less covered with bright red ;
dots few, yellow, distinct ; bloom moderate ; skin thick, moderately tough ;
flesh deep yellow, juicy ; stone large, flat, oval, practically free ; flavor sweet ;;
quality good ; season ; promising.
Seedling Peaches.
The peach, one of our choicest Canadian fruits, is extensively grown m
the soithein sections of the Province, particularly in the Niaga«ra and Essex
peninsulas. In the inland and northern sections it is grown only to a limited'
extent, and that only in sheltered situations. One of the most desired qualities, .
then, in new varieties of peaches is greater hardiness; and I believe we will*
yet obtain varieties hardy enough to enable it to be grown much more widely
than 'M present.
If we are to have such varieties, I believe also they will be found among
seedlings grown in northern and inla.nd sections. At Guelph, we are so far-
inland, and our climate is so severe tha : the idea of buying and planting peach
trees there is seldom thought of, yet in and about Guelph there was grown,
this yea«r, on seedling trees, probably over a hundred bushels of excellent
peaches.
Through the kindness of the editors of the Guelph Daily Mercury,,
who took the matter in hand and stirred up quite a boom in peaches, we were-
enabled to procure samples of fruit from 30 different seedling peach trees
fruiting in Guelph this year.
In this connection it may be well to mention just one other feature,,
which must not be lost sisht of in looking for new^ varieties, and that is thai
peaches may Ix' had in season for at least three months of the year.
At our Fiuit Experiment Stetion at I^amington we have under test
about 150 varieties, and from among these it is possible to select a dozen var-
ieties that will give peaches in season from July to NoA'ember. The best vari--
78 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
-eties, as a rule, come in about midsea«son. All of the very early varieties are
white-fleshed cLng-stones, of somewhat inferior quality, while the fruit in
^.greatest demand in the market and for canning are yellow-fleshed freestones
of high quality. If, then, besides getting varieties of greater hardiness, we
a. so get varieties of better quality, we will be supplying a requirement of
growers even in the most favored peach sections.
Amongst the Guelph seedlings there were no early ones, all of the fruit
being received between the middle of September and the middle of October.
Of the thirty varieties examined, at last one-third of them would rank as
first-class peaches, and had it not been that in many cases the trees were
.allowed to overload, probably one-half of them might have been so graded.
We have not time to speak of all, but would mention a few of those which
'were most promising :
No. 1. From Walter Grierson, Gait street :
A large, handsome, yellow-fleshed freestone ; ripe September 25th.
No. 2. From Wilber Snyder, Glasgow street :
A good-sized, yellow, showy peach, with bright red cheek ; freestone :
ripe September 20th ; tree six years old from seed, and bore about a bushel
this year.
No. 3. From Wm. Cowan, Paisley Block :
A large, showy, yellow peach of the Crawford type ; freestone, of good
quality ; ripe September 20th.
No. 4. From the late Dr. Cowan, Trafalgar Square :
A large, oval, red-cheeked, yellow-fleshed peach ; freestone ; of good
'-quality ; ripe September 25th. Tree only 4 years old ; in exposed position,
and bore 40 fine peaches this year. Name suggested, " Polar Beauty."
No. 5. From Samuel Brown, Devonshire street :
A good-sized, handsome yellow peach; a freestone of fine quality, and
witli vCiV small pit. Ripe September 25th. Tree eight years old, and bore a
bushel and a half of fruit this year.
No. 0. From Edwin Sanderson, George street :
A la.rge, showy, yellow peach; a freestone of good quality. Ripe Septem-
'^ber 25th. Tree five years old, and bore a basket of fine fruit this year.
No. 7. From Miss A. Smith, Norwich street :
A very large, handsome, yellow peach, with red cheek ; a freestone of ex-
cellent quality. Ripe September 25th. This was one of the finest of the
lot. From a young tree fruiting this year for the first time, which bore
twenty poaches.
No. 8. From Mrs. Bower, Derry street :
A large, showy yellow peach, from a six-year-old tree, which bore nearly
a bushel of fruit. Ripe about October 5th.
No. 0. From John Bowman, Wood street :
A very large, liandsome, yellow-fleshed peach ; freestone, of excellent
quality. Ripe October 1st. From a tree eight years old, which bore only
about one dozen peaches.
From the most promising of the a«bove list we have procured quite a
number of pits, which have been planted at the College, where we intend to
•grow the seedlings in a less sheltered situation than most of them are grown
in the city, in the hope of fixing, if possible, their hardiness, without losing
any of their other good qualities.
This plan of raising seedlings from the finest specimens of northern
grown fruits is well worthy of a trial by those outsido of the peach sections,
-who would like to grow this luscious fruit for themselves.
190a FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 79
The pits should be planted in the fall, while, they are fresh, and the
i:rees should be given plenty of room for development, and not be over-pro-
iiected. If any protection is given, it should be from the warm sun in the
la.te winter and early spring, which often causes the too early swelling of
the buds.
Seedling Gooseberries.
Mr. C. L. Stephens, of Orillia, has given a good deal of attention to the
improvement of the gooseberry, and has been raising quite a number of
•seedlings. Two ye:u-s ago, we reported upon several of these, and this year
Mr. Stephens has sent us a half dozen more, which are well worthy of fur-
ther trial.
No. 1 — Is a hirge red. oval berry, much like Industry, and said by Mr.
^Stephens to be one of his best.
No. 2 — A large pale-green, oval berry, said to be a strong grower and very
prolific.
No. 8 — Called ^'Imperial Seedling," is a large green, oval berry, of thin
skin and good quality.
No. 4 — Called ^'Foundling," a medium-sized, bright red berry, somewha^t
spiny, a«nd said to be the best of its size.
No. 5 — A large yellow, oval berry, thick skinned, and said to be very
j)roductive.
Currant Seedlings.
A large number of seedling black currants have been originated by Dr.
Saunders at Ottawa, quite a number of which have been named and de-
scribed in the annua«l reports of the Central Experimental Farm. Another
one has been named this year, which perhaps is the best of all. It has been
•^called ^^Topsy."
Topsy: Fruit large, black, very glossy; sweet, fine flavor; quality, very
good; productive; ripens evenly, and clings exceptionally well to the bush,
which makes it exceptionally valuable.
Hybrid Crab Apples.
A number of Dr. Saunders' cross-bred and hybrid a^pples fruited this
year. The following five varieties, which compare favorably with those
named previously, were named this year:
Prince — Pyrus bucatta (female) X Tetopsky (male)
Manitou — Pyrus bucatta (female) X McMahon White (male)
Tony — Pyrus bucatta (female) X McMahon White (male)
Alberta — Pyrus bucatta (female) X Haas (male)
Elsa — Pyrus bucatta (female) X Yellow Transparent (male)
Some of these may prove useful in Northern Ontario or the Northwest.
H. L. HuTT,
W. T. Macoun,
L. WOOLVKRTON.
Committee.
Prof. W. T. Macoun: The fact that we received so many seedling varie-
"iies foe examination shows the appreciation of the people of Ontario in the
work of the Committee. We have only recommended one variety of apples
80 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
for name. We do not believe in recommending anything that we do not
consider better of its kind than any of the commercial varieties already oiu.
the market. But we must remember that we have many districts in On-
tario to take into consideration, and varieties that might not seem to be
of much value in one section might be of great value in others. For in-
stance, in Eastern and Northern Ontario we are looking for a winter apple^.
and a winter apple which you might not think much of might be considerecfc
of great value in those sections. The plan I work on, therefore, in pa»ssing:
judgment on the seedlings submitted is to make a list of those I consider
most suitable for various parts of the country. In my district, for example^
I take for a standard those varieties that are already recognized as the-
leading varieties, a^id if the specimens submitted do not come up to these^.
ithey are not recommended.
In connection with this question of new varieties, it is interesting to
note that our present standard fruits are the result of selection from un-
limited numbers of seedlings produced during a long period in the United'
States. To show how many varieties are required to provide something of
merit, I may say that 3,000 Russian seedling* apples, which had been grown
in latitude 60, have been tested at the Ottawa Experimental Farm, but
failed to get a^nything that would be of value to Northern Ontario. The rea-
son for this is that Russian apples are grown in a short season, and they
necessarily mature quickly. The comsequence is, that when they are grown
in our comparatively long seo-son, they become summer apples. What we-
want is an apple that takes a long season' to mature, and we shall have to
look, I think, to the southwestern States for some of our best winter
apples. Such apples, requiring a long period for maturing, would, when
grown in our comparatively short season, become a« winter apple.
Vs'e are trying to do some work at Ottawa in originating new kinds or
apples. We grow a large number of seedlings from standard varieties, and
hope before long to be able to put before the Society some winter apples
that will be better for some districts than those you have at the present time.
I think that in future in recommending new varieties we shall haA'e-
to consider their power in resisting insects and disease. I was glad to hear
from Mr. Palmer that in British Columbia they are giving this matter seri-
ous consideration. If in this wa*y we could reduce the necessity for spraying,^
it would be a great thing.
Mr. F. Metoalf, Blyth: I think if it were better known where seed-
lings could be sent to be tested, it would facilitate the work.
The President: Prof. Hutt and Prof. Macoun are always glad to re-
ceive and test them, either at Guelph or Ottawa.
Mr. Woolverton: In behalf of the Experiment Stations, let me say that
we are always anxious to get trees and fruits that are really worthy of being-
tested. Our plan is to try to secure plants of the varieties recommendecf
by this committee, and to test them at the various stations, so as to decide
definitely as to their merits.
Mr. Joseph Tweddle, Fruitland: With reference to the pest-resistant
varieties, I think we should be careful before we discard our old and welT
established varieties. We have been looking in tha«t direction, and the re
suit is the, Ben Davis. When looking for strong varieties, there is a danger-
of going down hill in point of quality. Instead of looking for disease-re-
sisting varieties, we should take greater care of the more tender varieties-
of good quality that we now have.
1903 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 81
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE CODLING MOTH.
Your Cammittee have to report the following: We are pleased to state
that on account of the low temperatures of the past season, comparatively
little damage has been sustained by the work of this much-dreaded pest.
We know of mo municipality, other than the Township of Saltfleet, where
any attempt has been made to control it by the a«doptiou and enforcement
of the Insects^ Act and its provisions therefor; and in this township we
have to report only a very lax enforcement by our municipal board. This we
regret, and have only to account for it from two causes : First, the heavy
expense re the thorough inspection for San Jose Scale, costing the muni-
cipality over 1700.00, and secondly, the almost total extinction of the cod-
ling moth by wea-ther conditions of this season, and the very light crop of
the previous year. The bandages were removed and examined early in
July in many orchards, and so few larva found that to many growers it
seemed unnecessary to continue the work. However^ later in the. season
the larva appeared in varia^ble proportions, but on the whole only a small
proportion of the crop was affected, but where the bandages were well and
thoroughly attended to, almost perfect immunity from damage resulted.
And notwithstanding the lax enforcement by our council in Saltfleet town-
ship, ypur committee believe, and would respectfully submit, that a general
adoption and enforcement of the Act for its suppression is advisable and
necessary.
Patent tree protectors are in use to a small extent, but as none of
your Committee ha^ve used them, and as reports concerning them are to come
from the Experimental Stations,^ we respectfully submit the above.
Signed in behalf of the Committee,
Joseph Tweddle,
Chairman.
Mr. Tweddle: We arranged that later in the season the Committee
should examine some of the tree-proteetors provided for under the Act,
but the wea'ther turned cold, and the examination could not be made.
Q.: What has been your experience in spraying to control the codling
m^th?
A.: I believe it does something towards killing them. For the last
two years we have sprayed late in July or early in August, using white
arsenic instead of Paris green. We have used the mixture as strong as half
a pound of arsenic to fifty gallons of water. This is much stronger than
the prescribed mixture, but I found by experiment that the foliage would
stand it. This has been of considerable benefit in ridding our orchards of
the moth, and I am hopeful that we shall yet be able to find some powerful
insecticide which will keep it under control.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION.
By H. W. Dawson, Toronto.
The term transportation is usually accepted to mean the moving of
commodities from ome point to another. I look upon it has halving a wider
meaning and scope where fruit is considered. The business of transportation
begins with the picking of the fruit. It is at this point that as much intelli-
gence and common sense is required as at any other stage. After picking,
comes packing and the package. These subjects will be taken up later, but
6 F.G.
82 THE REPORT OF THE No. 1«
both are necessary to proper tra«nsportation. Due care must be taken in the
packing whether in basket, box or barrel, and also in conveying the fruit ta
the railway station or boat landing.
IThe next stage is when the fruit i^ delivered to the carrying company^
and it is right here that there is room for grave complaint, both as to the
manner in which it is ha^ndled and as to the time taken in loading and un-
loading. So long as we put up with it the companies will make no improve-
ment. It is right here that the producer and shipper should join hands*,
and insist on getting better service from the transportatio'n companies. I
have seen cars of fruit that should have been in the market early in the
morning, side-tracked for all through freight to pass. The proba^bilities are
that it would not reach the market until the day's sales were over. You
know what effect that would have on its quality, and consequently on the-
price that would be obtained for it, because most of the fruit is conveyed in
cars not specially built for the purpose, and when the weather is warm, such
delaer racking of the barrel. By this I mean the gentle
shakir>o- of the barrel as it is being filled. The inspeetoT's at Montreal report
that more apples are spoiled through over pressinir than under pressing.
There is a tendency of late years to over press a^pples. This requires nice
discrimination and proper supervision. Open a barrel occasionally after it
has been pnrked just to observe the condition in this respect. T think every
dealer should lest the work of his help by opening a certain number of bar-
rels in every shipment.
1903 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 87
I believe the time is coming whep fancy apples will be packed altogether
in boxes, and the poorer gi-ades in barrels. 'To put the box trade on a sat-
isfactory basis, we should have a standard size, and 1 think it would be well
for the Association to discuss this question. An assortment of sizes coming
from one country is confusing to the buyer. If our boxes- were uniform Id
■size, we should make an impression on the market much quicker. Last
season 1*50,000 boxes were received in Great Britain, and 200,000 of these
-came from the United States, and were of the CaJifornian size. Why should
we. not adopt that size ?
As to material, the Canadian box has unyielding sides, ends and lids.
Their box is made of tough, thin wood, the springiness of which enables the
Californians to pack their boxes tight. They claim that their packages never
get slaxik.
Q.: What quantity does the Canadian box hold ?
A.; Between 45 and 50 pounds.
The President : I have been using a fifty-pound box. They call it a
bushel box.
George E. Fisher, Freeman : A marked improvement in packing has no
Kioubt resulted from this Act, but it has resulted principally from section 7,
fwhich requires the fruit on the face of the package to fairly represent the
<5onte'nts, and from sub-section " a* " of section 4, which provides for the
packer's name appearing on the package. This is not too much to expect
from a farmer, who can readily understand the difference between honest
and fraudulent packing, and this feature of the Act should be upheld.
W^hen we come to the amendment of last session, which requires com-
pulsory grading, I wish to be understood as giving tha^t my unqualified con-
demnation, and to go on record to that effect.
Sub-section c of section 4 provides for arbitrary grading, and to my mind
is an unwarranted interference with the fruit industry and with the rights
of citizens. Parties packing fruit are by that section required to grade to
a specified standard, a«nd to take the responsibility of branding their pack-
ages to these grades, which no other class is compelled to do. There is a
responsibility put upon the poor farmer that no Government would think
of putting on any other class, and which no other class of the community
would tolerate. Fruit differs so in different sections, and people's ideas dif-
fer as to what should constitute the several grades, that one main's No. 2
^ill be better than another man's No. 1. Uniformity cannot be got in this
way. Inspectors themselves cannot do it. It cannot be done by any class of
men ; it is an impossibility. Yet under section 8 of this Act a farmer is
fined if he does not judge and brand his own fruit and his judgment does
not coincide with that of the Inspector. Why should the fruit grower and
farmer be saddled with a responsibility which is noft only unprecedented but
:inipossible to perform ? It seriously hampers trade by terrorizing the
farmer, who rather tha^n take the risk of marking his packages and incurring
the odium of being fined, disposes of his fruit at a low price or *ieaves It to
Tot in the orchard. The fruit growers of the country are thousands of dollars
worse off this year because of this clause.
A Member : No ; no.
Mr. Fisher : They are, undoubtedly. Lots of my apples went to the
•evaporator because I was afraid to take the responsibility of grading them.
Mr. McNeill : That's where they should have gone.
Mr. Fisher : We have about us on all sides evidences of the injustice
fhe Act Is working, and also letters from the British markets expladnlng
that the marks have no meaning there, and that fruit is sold strictlv on Its
88 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
merits. Being the marks of the owner, who is an interested party, these
marks would not be considered in any court, and would consequently have
no commercial value in case of a dispute between the seller and the buyer.
There should be no compulsory gra-de marks. The responsibility for grades
should not rest upon the farmers, but upon the inspectors, who should be
available to do inspection work and issue certificates when required, as in
other lines of business. It should be entirely optional with a shipper whe-
ther he has his fruit graded to standard or not, and if it be so graded, it
should be merely to serve his own purposes ; there should be no compulsory
marking of the grade. Millions of bushels of grain change hands without
inspection ; and when it is inspected the owner is not required to indica^te
the quality, but the inspector makes his examination and gives his certificate.
There should be clearly expressed definitions of the three grades of ap*
pies and pears for the use- of inspectors only. Section 14 provides for sum-
mary conviction and imprisonment, and places the case under the criminal
code. It demands a deposit of costs in case of a«n appeal, and denies the
right of trial by jury in a criminal case. Who ever heard of a criminal be-
ing denied the right of trial by his peers or of being required to put up costs ?
In my judgment the clause should be repealed.
Elmer Lick, Oshawa : I do not believe that parties who can trust their
own judgment as to what constitutes a No. 1 a^pple have any complaint to-
make against the Act. If a farmer knows what a No. 1 apple is, he will
put himself in the position of an inspector and will not go far wrong. Mr.
Fisher appears to be a little afraid to trust the judgment of those packing-
the apples. Very la«rge shipments have been made from the Brighton dis-
triet, and there has been no difficulty there. They realized that this year-
a la4rge proportion of the fruit was second quality, and marked it accordingly.
The question is, Shall we have marks that mean anything in the British
market ? They have not mea«nt anything in the past ; they do mean some-
thing to-day. The greater portion of the apples shipped in former years
bore the mark "XX X." Where the apples really were No. 1, the shipper's
own name was added ; where they were not, the XXX was still put on,
but an employee's name was added instead of the exporter's. These fraudu-
lent No. 1 apples come into competition with the genuine No. 1 fruit of the
honest shipper. This year No. 1 a^pples have been No. 1, and as a result the-
fruit brought from 50 to 75 cents per barrel more in the British market.
Even if it does work a little hardship, is it not better that we should put
up with it than go back to the old system ? If you have inferior apples, had"
you not better mark them' accordingly and wait till you get No. I's ?
Mr. McNeill : Or work till you get No. I's ?
Mr. Lick : That is it.
A. H. Pettit : I wish to say that I have been an advoca^te of the Inspec-
tion Act from the beginning. To-day I feel that there is a great deal of com-
plaint throughont the country in regard to it. If there is a body of men-
who feel that the Act is oppressive, I feel that they should be given an
opportunity to express their views. A committee should be appointed ta
consider any amendments that may be deemed necessa.ry. Many orchards
in our part of the country this season have scarcely contained a barrel of
fruit that could properly be marked No. 1. If fruit growers consider the
Act too stringent, let them express themselves as to the way in which it
should be amended.
F. G. H. Pattison, Grimsby : The Act has caused considerable injustice
as between growers a«nd dealers. The growers contracted early in the sea-
son at a certain price for No. I's and a certain price for No. 2's. The grower.**
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 8»
understanding in making the sale was that No. 1 meant the same as in for*
mer years ; the dealer understood it to mean No. 1 as defined by the Act^
As a result the grower was compelled to accept No. 2 prices for what he-
considejed to be No. 1 fruit. The buyer might also reject fruit altogether^
while the apples lay under the trees after picking and were still at the
grower's risk, if there happened to be a fall in prices, on the ground that
they were not No. 1.
Robert Thompson, St. Catharines : I think it is possible in a case of
that kind that the fruit might, owing to the deve*iopment of a fungous condi-
tion, become worse in the meantime. As a« grower, I should have no hesi-
tation in m akin 12: the buyer take as No. 1 all the fruit that would come under
that class that he had contracted for. I believe the Act is all right ; but we^
should have the privilege of calling in the inspector to grade our fruit be-
fore selling, so that we could sell on the grade.
A. E. Sherrington : There is no doubit that the law caused serious losa
this season throughout this section, because farmers were afraid to pack for-
fear they should make a mistake in the grading and be fined for it. I think
apples should be inspected at the point of shipment, and marked by the in-
spector before they are shipped. Under present conditions, if the buyer com-
plained of the quality of the fruit on arrival, and refused to pay the price
agreed upon, we have no redress. If the apples were inspected and ma«rked
by the inspector before shipment, payment could be enforced.
A. W. Peart : I think it would be of interest to know at whose insti*
gation the amendment quoted by Mr. Fisher was incorporated in the Act.
I think that the Act as it stood in 1901 was perfectly satisfactory, and ir^
the interest of honest packing. No other industry is required by law ta
place arbitraluestone before adding the full quantity of water. If this is done, chemical
action results which renders the mixture altogether useless as a fungicide.
In order to avoid this, we must add half the necessarv water to the dissolved
94 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
lime, a.nd the remaining half of the water to the dissolved bluestone, and
then combine the two. This plan wi'il give a perfect Bordeaux mixture and
an efficient fungicide. We have obtained splendid results by a more con-
venient process, namely, by diluting our lime in enough water to strain it
through a fifty to the inch brass wire strainer, and filling the spray barrel
nearly full of the lime and water, a.nd then adding our dissolved bluestone.
It is very important to keep the mixture we'll agitated just before and while
spraying. I do not consider that there is any necessity for spraying in win-
ter time, but we start operations as soon as there is foliage to protect. The
trees should be given two sprayings, if possible, before the bloom starts.
Directly the bloom is off the trees we go at it with all hands and three
pumps, so as to get over the orchards within a week after the blossoms drop.
The apple curculio does its work at that particular time, causing many rough,,
uneven specimens, and the only way to prevent it from stinging the fruit is
to get promptly to work. For this work we prefer white arsenic to Parij^
green for mixing with Bordeaux; but it must be properly prepared, or it
will burn the foliage. We use two pounds of fresh lime to one pound of
arsenic, and boil in two gallons of water for forty-five minutes, using four
quarts of this to 40 gallons Bordeaux. With this mixture we cleaned the
curcu*lio right out this year (we use Vermorell nozzles, 20 to the inch), and I
can recommend it to careful people as being very much better than Paris green.
I think it is very poor practice to attempt! to spray against the wind.
We always spray on the windward side of the trees. After we have sprayed
one side, we wait until the wind changes, wlhich usually occurs in from one
to three days, making iihe circuit in a week, and then spray the other side.
The on*iy failures we have had were when the winds were very variable^
and we were in a hurry to finish up the work, in cases of imme.dia*te danger.
If the season is particularly favorable to the development of the codling
moth, we usually keep right at it, giving an application every two or three
weeks. About the 15th of June, we usually mana.ge to catch the bu*lk of
tlhe first brood, and the second brood about the middle of August. We also
use the bandages.
As to the treatment of scab, I may say that 48 hours' rain, with high
temperature, will germinate the spores of this fungus, and bring it on so fast
that it will get rooted in the leaf or the apple before the foliage dries. You
will therefore understand how important it is to have the fungicide on the
trees beforehand (fore-sprayed is fore-armed), but if not on before, get your
pumps going just as soon as possible when this condition occurs. I do not
agree with those who say that the Bordeaux mixture wiW not stay on the
trees when the rain oomes. I have found foliage covered with the mixture
at the end of the season, after the rains of all summer.
The codling moth is very destructive in our district. It will sometimes
thin the fruit to such an extent that we do not get half a crop. I under-
stand that arsenate of lead, with the Bordeaux, is coming into use as a
remedy for this pest, and that it is perfectly harmless to the foliage, and
does not easily wash off.
The President: I think tha«t Paris green washes off, but the Bordeaux
mixture does not wash off so easily.
Mr. Tweddle: I do not see how that can be when the poison is mixed
with the Bordeaux. I shou*ld like to say something as to what returns a pro-
perly managed orchard will give. I have been shipping apples to Germany
this season, and have just received the returns. My Greenings netted me
|3 per barrel; Baldwins, 13.12, a«nd Spies, |3.82. From four and a half acres
of orchard, which I rented at |65 per year, we packed 800 bbls., 80 per cent.
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 95
No. 1, for which I netted |2,000 for my apples this year, f.o.b. here. From,
another orchard, covering 25 acres, and rented for |10() a year, we packed^
1,150 bbls., and I realized |3,000. The Baldwins gave me 95 per cent, of No.
1 fruit, ard the Greenings 80 per cent. But, of course, I did the work neces-
sary to produce the tinest of fruit. My neighbors begged me to take their
apples at T5c to |1.00 per bbl., but they were scabby, and I would not take*
them if I got them for nothing, as Iwou*ld not ship them.
In making statements of such crops and prices before the pj^blic, I
think it is right for me to properly qualify them, or they may appear extreme-
^nd misleading. Let me say that the past season was an ideal one for
apple growing, excepting for the attack of scab. With thorough pruning
and spraying, perfect fruit was easy to secure. The season was cool and
moist, causing perfect fruit, and at the same time it was unfavorable to the-
propagation of insect life; hence, where general conditions were nearly right,.
the whole crop set and came to perfection, for in such cases no June drop
occurred.
In the 41/^ acre orchard, yielding 800 barrels, we have thrown winter
eover-cro])s of rye, and plowed them do win in the spring, and several
pruned each year. This was the fourth year of my lease. In the 25-acre or-
chard, the yield of 1,150 ba.rrels was only one-quarter of the amount per
acre produced in the 4i/4-acre orchard. The difference was caused by this
orchard being badly injured for years before I took it, in the spring of 1901,.
by canker worm and general neglect, which allowed me only two seasons
to prune it of its tangled masses of brush and destroy the worms; also to
work up the soil, which I did not get completed, a part of it being sti*il in
sod. Two years hence this orchard, under similar climatic conditions, ideal
culture, and general care, should yield from .3,000 to 4,000 barrefis of choice
apples.
In regard to the high prices, I may sa«y that just as favorable conditions
prevailed. Prime, clean stock was very scarce, and with a record of five
years' honest packing, the consignee was enabled to secure me the highest
prices going. In many cases the fruit was practically sold before arrival. It
takes time aenefit of all our fancy packing, and we get but too small an advance on or-
dinary packing.
Several firms in Great Britain offer to handle such fancy packages of
-choice fruit through travellers, thus placing them by private sale at the
bfest value, and this we believe the ideal plan.
Indeed, it does not matter where we p*iace such stock on sa*le, in Chi-
•cago, Winnipeg, Ottawa, or Toronto ; or in England, Germany, or South
Africa, if proiperly sold, it will bring excellent value.
It will be a grand day when we can have co-operative cold storage near
liome, and send out our fine stock on orders through the year just when it is
most wanted.
The size of the box tha*t we ought to use for fancy apples is still unset-
tled. W^e began with one 24 x 12 x 12 outside, ho*lding a full bushel, and
measuring for storage two cubic feet. Of these, about two and one-half equal-
led a barrel. To make even measurement, we adopted a box 22 x lOi/^ x
111/2, which we reckoned would go three to the barrel ; and now we are
advised by brokers in Great Britadn that a box 21 long x 11 wide x 9 deep
Inside, measuring four to the barrel, is the box most known in Covent Gar-
den, and on which the price per box is biased. The latter box, of which we
have a sample here, takes three layers deep of apples instead of four.
' An average of four to five shillings a box for one measuring four to a
ba.rre'i is an excellent price, even for fancy stock, but when you get the same
for a box only three or even less to the barrel, you are out of pocket.
190a FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 97
THE ONTARIO FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
By L. Woolverton, Secretary.
Nine years ago we plann^ed out the present system of fruit testing sta-
tions, so distributed as to cover the whole Province. The object was (.1) to
test the absolute value of all fruits, and to discourage the cultivation of
those that were of least value in the commercial orcha«rds. (2) To test and
report upon the real va*iue of new varieties which gave promise of merit, thus
helping Ontario fruit growers to avoid wasting their money on useless novel-
ties, and to know which of them really possessed merit. (3) To carefully test
the adaptability of the whole list of desirable kinds to the various parts of
the Province, a.nd keep fruit growers so informed of the results that they
may be guided in planting only such varieties as will succeed in their locality.
Out of these has grown a fourth object, viz., the condensing of all this
information into one permanent volume, to be known as '^ The Fruits of
Ontario," which, when completed, shall give reliaMe descriptions and pho-
tographs of aJl our desirable varieties, and give each planter full informa-
tion regarding them. With this object in view, the Secretary has planted
about eight hundred varieties at Maplehurst, and each of the thirteen ex-
perimenters situated in various sections, from Brockville, on the St. Lawrence,
to Wabigoon, have planted from three to five hundred varieties each.
All these varieties are now beginning to come into bearing, and notes
will be taken of the characteristics both of tree, plaint, and fruit, year by
year. The work is now beginning to assume vast proportions, and the small
amount of |2,600, which has so far been given for this work each year, must
soon be largely increased if the full advanta^ge of the work of the various
stations is to be made use of for the good of the Ontario fruit grower.
As you are already aware, the work of all the experimenters is directed
by the Board of Control, through its Secretary, and the Board is kept thor-
oughly posted about the actual work aest we have in this section.
Q.: What about the Duke of York ?
A.: It has not been much tested. It is very much like the Crosby. So
far as we have seen, it is a splendid peach, hardy, and produces large crops.
Grapes. By Murray Pettit, Winona.
My experimental work with grapes started in 1881. I planted about
fifty varieties in addition to my vineyard, and kept increasing the number
until I had about 100 varieties, in 1894. Of these about the only varieties
I consider worth mentioning are the foWowing : Armenia (Roger 39), Doctor
Collier, Moore's Diamond, Woodruff Red, and the Mills. The latter shows
weakness of vine, and is inclined to overload. It is an excellent winter grape
— no better for keeping — and it ripens by Christmas. I think it superior to
any other long-keeping variety.
In 1895 six va^rieties were sent to test. Of the^e the Brilliant is the only
one of much value. In 1896 eighteen varieties were sent out, and none of
them would I recommend. Among them was the A*ilice, which was highly
lauded by the originator. It was sent out under seal at |2 per vine, but was
toothing but the old Diana under a new name, which we have grown for
thirty years. This will show you what a lot of humbug there is about these
new varieties.
In 1897 six varieties wer sent out, a*nd the only one worthy of note is
"CampbelFs Early, which is of very good quality for a very early grape, but
its chief quality is its earliness. I think it shou*id take the place of Cham-
pion, as it is better in appearance and flavor.
The following list I consider profitable in our district for commercial
purposes, given in order of ripening : First, Cha«mpion«. This has been the
most profitable in our section this year. Then, Worden, Lindley, Delaware,
Niagara, Coneord, Wilder, Agawam, Requa, Catawba, and Vergennes. The
latter is an excellent late keeping grape, and a good yie'ider, but there is
little to choose between tha-t and Agawam. It is inclined to overload if not
pruned very closely, and then it does not make enough vigorous wood for
next year's crop.
Q. : What do you think of Moore's Diamond ?
A.: It might be included in the list.
Q. : Where would you put it in order of ripening ?
A.: After Worden. Its principal value is in its earliness, quality and
appearance. It is not as productive as Niagara, but you will get a much higher
price, as it is the first of the white grapes that comes in. If you want a
nice early white gra
bruised by throwing into the basket — the condition they are in when they
reaKJhed the consumer can readily be understood.
Blackberries and Currants. By A. W. Peart, Burlington.
It is a difficult thing for an experimenter to decide at this stage of the
work in the Province a^s to which are the best varieties to recommend. It-
is far easier to say which are unprofitable. If I were asked the question.
Which is the b-est variety of currants ? I confess I could not tell you. Tak-
ing one year with another, I find there are several varieties that are pretty
wiearly equa*J. For currants, I find that the best soils sure rich ones, with
damp subsoil. With blackberries, I think that the best results are obtained in
my district on a moderately dry, rich soil, having a quicksand bottom. I
have not found many of the new varieties of currants I have tested to be
superior to the old varieties. Of the red currants planted in 1896, I consider
the following the most profitable : Wilder, Cherry, Pomona, Fay's Prolific^.
Red Victoria, and North Star.
Q.: Can you name one out of the lot ?
A. : I should not like to give one, because seasons vary, but I am rather
partial to the Wilder ; it is very productive, is large, and of fine quality,,
and ha*s all the qualities that go to make a profitable commercial variety..
This year, however, it ha^s developed leaf blight, which went through one part
of the Province in currants. It completely stripped some varieties, and.
others lost a large percentage of their leaves. New Victoria, Raby Castle, and'i
Old Victoria lost none, however.
QJ, What was the nature of the blight ?
A.: The leaives first turned yellow, then grey, and then dropped off.
Q.: Can you suggest a remedy ?
A.: I do not know that I can ; perhaps spraying with the Bordeaux:
mixture at the proper time w,ould prove a remedy.
190a FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 101
IThe reason I like the varieties named is that they are from medium-
sized to large varieties. I have discarded some old varieties, such as Ra«by
Castle, Red Cross, Red Dutch, and Versailles, because the currants are too
small to be profitab*le in a commercial way. There is a difference of a cent
to a cent and a half per quart in the price. Belle of St. Giles is a large and
beautiful currant of fine quality, but it is not very productive, and for that
reason I would not plant it.
Q.: How does the Wilder compare in size with the Fay ?
A.: It is as large, a-nd in my opinion higher in quality.
Of the black currants tested, I think most of the following : Saunders,
Naples, Black Victoria, and Collins^ Prolific.
Q.: What about the Black Champion ?
A.: It is not sufficiently productive with me. I ami scarcely able to say
much about Collins' Prolific as yet, but it seems varia*ble in fruiting. Last
year each bush gave seven quarts. They are rank, strong-growing bushes.
IThis year they averaged only two or three quarts each. In regard to the
'whites, I have two varieties. The Grape is the larger and the more pro-
ductive, but the Imperiase observer of everything pertaining to horti-
culture and floriculture for the last 20 yearsi. During these years I have seen
smany advantages and improvements that have come through our local Hor-
ticultural Society in the city of Woodstock, and other cities and towns
throughout the Province.
The greait volume of information which has bee^ collected and dis-
tributed among the thousands of horticulturists and floriculturists through-
out this Province has been chiefly through the various Horticultural Societies
of Ontario, ard I am glad to know that the past year has been a successful
one, both in the increase of membership in these societies and the increased
interest taken in their meetings.
The study of horticulture and floriculture is not of recent date. His-
tory informs us tha-t the Greeks and Romans delighted in horticulture, and
-to til em we are indebted for many of our most useful plants. They cul-
tivated flowers very extensively, and with great success, but long as their
Cultivation had beo.D carried on, it had by no means reached perfection.
Looking bac^k during the last thirty years reveals the fact that great
progress has been made in floriculture in all parts of the civilized world.
Apart from wiiat Horticultural Socieries have done, I am also pleased
to see throughout the country the manner in which our universities and
higher edurational institutions are taking up the wiork of landscape gar-
•dening and kindred subjects. Floriculture, when broaink, and a-
©mall bloom of mixed pink and white color. The growth is vigorous and"
pretty, and the plant spreading, and well worth having in the border.
Xeranthemumi annuum i,s a type of the everlasting flowers, and its pretty
blossoms may be cut, and kept like the wild everlasting. The blooms show-
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' aSSOCIATIOin. 125
several shades of pink and white, and a*re from 3-4 to 1 inch iu diameter.
The plant is easily grown and is quite hardy.
Hawkweod is a pretty annual with a bad name. It is practically a pink
dandelion, giving a profusion of bloom, aT^iong^st the Arbior Vitae, the variety Little Gem is perhaps the dwarf-
est and prettiest, having dark green foliage, and attaining a height of only
About two feet usually ; makes a good lawn hedge.
Thuya compacta and T. globosa are both good hardy varieties of dwarf
habit, ar.
137
MW
Iu^Ebc,
^ ^^^^^^^^^^kM^''
1
p
:^^m
m
ji%.
^iMk-. wi/:>^*'4 i '
.>..-^- .,.-.' mf
The Siver Maple is not as well distributed as either of the precedinof species.
It is found in New Brunswick in a few places, and is quite rare in the Province
■ of Quebec, but is abundant in the
Province of Ontario. It appears
to succeed iartlier north than either
the Sugar Maple or Red Maple, a
few specimens planted near the
Canadian PaciKc Railway at Port-
age la Prairie, Man., being quite
hardy. It has also been planted
at Brandon, Man., and although not
perfectly hardy does not always
kill outright.
This ti'ee is less valuable than
the Red Maple for timber or fuel,
being very soft ; nor does it color
as highly in the autumn as either
the Red or Sugar Maple, but it is
a more graceful tree than either
of the others, being of more spread-
ing habit and having more finely
cut foliage. Like the Red Maple,
this species thrives best in moist
ground, and where the conditions
are favorable attains a great size.
It is a very rapid growing species,
and on this account is often planted
in preference to other kinds.
The Silver Maple blooms ear-
lier than the Red Maple, but the
flowers are not so attractive. The fruit, which is of large size, ripens about the
middle of June, at Ottawa, and is very noticeable when lying on the footpath.
There is a well known cut-leaved pendulous variety called Wieri which is a very
graceful tree.
5. Large-Leaved Maple (Acer macrophyllurti, Pursh). — " Tree 100 feet
high ; leaves cordate, deeply 3-5 lobed or cleft, pubescent when young, pale
green beneath, 8-12 inches across, middle lobe mostly 3-lobed ; racemes pendu-
lous ; fruit with yellow, bristly hair, largely winged."
The Large-Leaved Maple is confined to the Province of British Columbia
and is only found there in the valleys along the coast in the southern part of
the province and on Vancouver Island. It is a majestic tree, and reaches a
great size in favored spots in British Columbia. The leaves are of great size,
often measuring a foot in diameter, which distinguishes this maple very readily
from other Canadian species. Unfortunately, it winter kills at Ottawa. Nor
do I know where there is a large specimen growing in Canada outside of British
•Columbia. The leaf in the illustration is a very small one, but gives an idea of
its shape.
6, Ash -leaved Maple, Box Elder (Acer Negundo, Linn ; Negundo aceroides,
Moench. — " Large tree, 70 feet ; leaves pinnate ; leaflets 3-5, ovate or oblong
lanceolate, coarsely serrate or 3-lobed, mostly glabrous, 3-5 inches long ; flo .vers
before the leaves, staminate flowers in pendulous corymbs, pistillate flowers in
pendulous racemes."
A separate genus was formerly made of this tree and it was called Negundo
-ace/ c>ic?es, but in recent years it has been included with the maples. The Box
Elder is not found in a wild state in the Maritime Provinces and in the Prov.
Smooth Maple.
(Acer Glahrum, Terr.
138
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 16
1. Acer saccharinum, Wsixig. 2. A. nigrum, Michx. 3. A. rtibrum, Linn.
4. A. dasycarpum, Erhr. 5. A. macrophylhim, Pursh.
6. A. neg undo, liinn. 7. A. pennsylvanicum.IAnn. 8. ^ . «j?ica(wm, Lam.
9. A. glabrum, Torr. 10. A. circinatum, Piirsh.
ince of Quebec. In
Ontario large trees-
have been found in
the valley of the-
Humber, near Tor-
onto, and near Chat-
ham, which w e r e-
thought not to have
been introduced ;.
but apart from
these two localities,
it is not found wild
to the writer 'fs-
knowledge else in
the province east of
the Kaministiqua
River, which is west
of Lake Superior.
It becomes m o r e-
abundant westward^
and is very common
in Manitoba and the
Northwest Terri-
tories. On account
of its very rapid
growth and ease of culture, this tree is oitfen planted in Ontario for shade and
ornamental purposes. It, however, usually proves unsatisfactory, being un-
shapely and breaking down easily. The fruit also remains on the female trees-
during winter, making them quite unsightly. In Manitoba and the Northwest-
Territories, however, this tree has great value. It is a veritable ironclad and
withstands the severest winters. It grows to be a handsome and shapely tree
on the prairies, and is very useful for shade, for windbreaks, for firewood, and
for other purposes. What the Sugar Maple is to Ontario, the Box Elder is to-
Manitoba and the Northwest Ter-
ritories. The male and female flow-
ers of this maple 9,re borne on dif-
ferent trees.
7. Striped Maple {Acer penn-
sylvanicum, Linn). — " Tree rarely
40 feet; bark greenish, striped with
white lines; leaves slightly cordate,
roundish obovate, 3-lobed at the
apex, 6-8 inches long, finely serrate,
ferrugineously pubescent beneath
when young ; racemes glabrous,
drooping."
The Striped Maple is common
in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Quebec, and in Ontario as far as
Lake Superior. It is a very hand-
some little upright tree, with large
attractive foliage and curiously
striped bark, the stripes being well
defined and very noticeable. The
flowers, which are yellowish green.
:4
W^
1
,^
'
'■i
1^8
^-^-.
- f.
^''i^
'«
Flow-is of 8u<;ar Maple.
Acer Saccharimim, Wang.
190a FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 139
are borne in pendulous racemes and add to the attractiveness of the tree. This,
maple delights in cool, shady woods, and does not thrive in the open as well
as most of the species. The leaves are not highly colored in autumn, but become
a pleasing yellow.
8. Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum, Lam). — " Shrub or small tree, rarely 30
feet; leaves 3 or slightly 5-lobed, coarsely serrate, pubescent beneath, 2J to 4^.
inches long; racemes rather dense, long, upright; fiuit with diverging wings,,
bright red in summer."
This is a very common maple in damp or wet woods from Nova Scotia to-
the northern part of Manitoba and as far north as York Factory along the
Hudson Bay. In the east it is little more than a shrub, but in northern Manitoba,
it becomes a small tree. As this species grows more in the open woods than the
Striped Maple it usually succeeds better in cultivation. It has its own good
points and is well worthy of a place in the ornamental grounds. It blooms-
during the month of June, and the flowers are followed by bright red fruit which
makes the tree quite attractive ; the leaves, also, are more or less highly colored
in autumn.
9. Smooth Maple (Acer glabrum, Torr). — " Shrub or small tree, 25 feet, quite
glabrous; petioles bright red; leaves deeply 3-5 lobed or 3-parted, 1-5 inches,
across, dark green and shining above, pale or glaucous beneath ; lobes doubly
serrate "
This is a western species and grows wild from Vancouver Island eastward
to Banff, in the Rocky Mountains. It has succeeded remarkably well at Ottawa,
and has proven quite ornamental, the red petioles of the leaves and the red
branches contrasting well with the gloss}^ green foliage. The largest specimen,
at the Experimental Farm is about twelve feet high and twelve or thirteen feet
across. It is asserted that there are two species in what was formerly regarded
as one, and that the form found along the western coast is quite a distinct species-
from that growing in the mountains. If this division is made we shall have
eleven species in Canada instead of ten.
10. Vine Maple (Acer circinatum, Pursh). — "Small tree, rarely 40 feet;.
petioles and peduncles glabrous ; leaves 7-9 lobed, 2-7 inches across, glabrous ;
lobes acute, doubly serrate ; flowers in drooping corymbs with purple sepals."
The beautiful little Vine Maple has quite a limited range in Canada, being
confined to Vancouver Island and to the valleys near the coast along the
mainland of British Columbia. The leaves of the Vine Maple are paler green
than the other species, which gives them a more delicate appearance. They are-
somewhat similar to the Japanese Acer palmatuiQi, and it is possible that the-
two were originally derived from the same species. The handsome flowers,
fruit and leaves, and graceful appearance of this maple, make it very desirable-
for ornamental purposes wdiere it will succeed. At Ottawa it is only half hardy,,,
though one specimen has now been nearly hardy since 1897.
FICUS ELASTICA.
By Wm. Hunt, 0. A. C, Guelph.
The Ficus elastica, or Rubber plant, as it is commonly called, is without doubt
one of the best and most enduring of decorative plants, eithei for the greenhouse
or the more trying conditions that exist in a window or room of a dwelling
house. Although its habit of growth is not as graceful as man}- well known
Louse plants, such as palms, aspidistra, etc., the thick leathtry leaves of thisv
140
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 16
Ficus will often retain their bright glossy appearance for a much longer period
■than most varieties of house plants including those just mentioned, even under
more adverse treatment. The propagation of the rubber-plant is, however, the
most difficult problem foi* the amateur plant grower to solve, in connection with
its cultui e. Laige plants have frequently to be cut back in order to secure a
more shapely plant, or to keep its strong growing branches within reasonable
bounds. It is seldom, however, that the growth taken from an ill-shaped plant
is successfully propagated. A description of some of the methods usually adopted
by florists in the piopagation of the Ficus will perhaps be acceptable to readers
•of the Horticulhirid who may perhaps have a plant that may require cutting
back so as to make it more shapely and symmetrical looking. The pruning or
cutting back does not injure the plant unless cut back too severely, as it soon
breaks into new growth again if not cut back too far into old wood. Even in the
Jatter case it is only a question of time before it starts into growth again.
Mossing Cuttings. — This
method of mossing partially sev-
ered cuttings of the Ficus, is prob-
ably the best and surest method
of propagation for the amateur to
attempt. For the operation of
mossing, a fairly strong and heal-
thy branch or shoot should be
selected. One or two of the leaves
should first be cut away at the
place selected for the base of the
cutting. The selection of the part
of the branch that is to form the
base of the cutting is an import-
ant point toward being successful
in the cutting taking root, as the
wood must not be too old and hard,
or too soft and pulpy. Usually,
the wood is in a suitable condition
about ten or twelve inches from
the terminal point of the shoot or
branch. After the removal of the
leaves, as before mentioned, an in-
cision should be made on the under
neath side with a sharp knife, as
shown in the accompanying cut.
The incision should be made in a
■slanting direction, running from the base of the cutting toward the tip, and from
a half to three-quarters- of an inch in length, and should extend about two-thirds
through the branch, leaving the remaining one-third of the branch uncut. The
incision should terminate close under a leaf joint if possible. After the incision
has been made a small thin piece of chip, about one-sixteenth of an inch thick,
should be inserted at the termination of the cut. This is done to keep the incision
open, so as to allow the thick sap to flow clear away from the incision, as other-
wise it would congeal and prevent the cutting from callusing and rooting. The
chip should be long enough to extend just through the cutting.
^^"^ A small stick, or piece of wire should be tied along side of the cutting for a
few inches above and below the incision, to keep the cutting in its proper posi-
tion. Sufficient wet moss should then be wrapped around the cutting so as to
•<;over the incision fully an inch thick after it has been bound tightly around
'The wrapping of moss should extend about three inches above and below the
Ficus Cutting-, Showing Incision.
1902
FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION.
141
incisioiJ, tapering gradually to each end, as shown in the cut. The moss should
be bound tightly around the cutting with raffia or fine twine. Sphagnum moss,
is the best if it can be obtained, if not, ordinary green moss can be used. The
bandage of moss should never be allowed to become dry, but should be kept quite
moist by syringing or sprinkling with water once or twice every day. In about,
five or six weeks after the mossing process the cutting should be examined, when,,
if rooted, it can be severed entirely from the plant, as shown in engraving and
potted. If not rooted the moss should be again put around the cutting as before
described, and left for a week or two longer. If on examination the base of the
cutting shows signs of decay instead of rooting, it should be severed entirely fronx
the plant. In this case the cutting
could then be shortened a joint or two
at the base, and placed in a four-inch
pot filled with sharp sand. Place the
pot in a shaded warm part of the
green-house or window and keep the
sanri moist. A plant may possibly be
obtained in this way
The best time of the year for
striking cuttings of the Ficus, wheth-
er by ordinal y or moss cuttings, is
during July and August. A warm,
Rooted Ficus Cutting,
sheltered, and fairly well shaded pen.
sition in the greenhouse or conserva-
tory, is the best place for the plant to
ensure success with this method of
mossing cuttings. A greenhouse,
however, is not absolutely necessary
to be successful, as I have rooted
Mossed Ficus Cutting. cuttiugs by this method out of doors
during the hot months of summer
by standing the plants in a warm, well sheltered position.
In potting the cutting most of the moss should be first removed and the
plant securely staked. The leaves should also be tied together fairly tight, so as
to prevent the cutting from shifting about in the pot. U>e light sandy soil for
the first potting, and not too rich. Water the cutting rather sparingly until it,
has become well rooted in the pot, and keep it in a ^warm shaded place for a
time. I have attempted to describe as clearly as possible the method of rooting
cuttings by mossing them. Some allowance, however, must be made as to depth
142
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 16
and length of incision, lenoth of cutting, etc, as these must of necessity vary a
little according to the growth of the branch made use of.
\C^ Single Joint Cuttings : These cuttings consist of a single joint with leaf
attached. The best part of the branch to secure these cuttings from, is from a few
joints above and below the part of the branch described as suitable for cuttings
for mossing Insert the cutting firmly in sharp sand, so that the base of the leaf
and stem at the joint is just under the suiface of the sand. A shallow box about
two inches deep, well drained and filled with sand, will perhaps be better than
pots for these cuttings, as they are less liable to be shifted about in the sand.
These pots or boxes — as the case may be — of cuttings can be placed in a warm
shaded part of the greenhouse, or in a frame that should be covered closely with
a sash thickly shaded, so as to exclude the
direct rays of the sun. Careful watering, so
as to keep the sand always fairly moist is
necessary to be successful with these cuttings.
I have known cuttings of this kind to strike
root successfully when the pots have been
placed in a window. Single joint cuttings,
however, must be taken in the hot weather if
they are to be rooted successfully. The after
treatment of the single joint cutting will be the
same as recommended for the mossed cuttings.
Terminal Cuttings: These cuttings and
the method of taking them differs very little
— except so far as the strong growth of the
Ficus necessitates — from a gernanium or al-
most any ordinary cutting or slip. The cutt-
ing may possibly be a little shorter than that
recommended for mossing, especially if the
growth of the cutting is short and close jointed.
The leaves of these should be tied up fairly close
together and inserted in sand, one in a three
or four inch pot and the cutting securely
staked. The staking is a very necessary part
of the operation, as the weight of the leaves
may cause the cutting to move or shift about
in the sand and thus prevent its rooting. The
same position, etc., will suit these as recom-
mended for single joint cuttings. Oftentimes
short cuttings can be taken from the large
branches of an old plant with what is known
heel " attached. This " heel " is simply a small piece of the stem, from
which the cutting is growing, taken oflf, with the cutting as shown in the cut. If
these kind of cuttings can be obtained they will, as a rule, root more readily
than the terminal or plain cuttings before mentioned. Terminal cuttings should
be cut off near to and close below a leaf joint, as they strike more readily than
if severed mid-way between the leaf joints.
I have recently had several letters from subscribers to the Horticulturist,
asking for information respecting the propagation of the Ficus elastica, hence
my reason for writing such a lengthy paper on this subject. I may, however,
say in conclusion that the method of mossing cuttings as described for the Ficus,
can be successfully applied to other plants, more especially to the tall and over-
grown stems of Dracenas and Cordylines, that have a natural habit of becoming
tall and unsightly looking as decorative plants.
Ficus Cutting with "Heel.
as a
1903 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 143
SEASONABLE NOTES.
By Wm. Hunt, O.A.C, Guelph.
february.
The Greenhouse.
The propagation of bedding out plants will be one of the main features of
February work in the greenhouse. Coleus, ageratum, alternanthera, heliotrope
«.nd cuttings from similar plants will root readily now in sand. Shade them
iioin the hot sun for a few hours at mid-day.
Carnation cuttings root best in sand in shallow boxes, two inches deep.
Place the boxes near the glass in a cool part of the greenhouse ; 50° at night and
■€0° in the day time suits carnation cuttings splendidly. Keep the sand moist but
not soddened with water.
All ferns should be re-potted at once, if not already done. January is the
best time to re-pot ferns, before the young fronds have made much headway.
Cyclamens and Freesias, that have done flowering, should still have suflR-
-cient water to keep the soil fairly well moistened. Pick the decayed flowers,
^nd seed pods (if any) from these plants ; it will help to strengthen and mature
the bulbs for next season.
Annuals : It is a little early for sowing annuals, even for early flowering,
but a few pots of petunia and verbena seed can be sown toward the end of the
month. Lobelia seed should be sown at once so as to secure good sized plants
ior hanging baskets, window boxes, etc. Cuttings of all trailing plants for hang-
ing baskets., etc., should be started without delay.
Azaleas that are out of flower should be syringed every day to promote new
growth, and keep down red spider. Fuchsias should be syringed daily.
Use more copious supplies of water for syringing purposes, as the heat of
"the sun increases. Syringe early in the day, and on warm sunny daj^^s if pos-
sible. Use plenty of water on the floors. Evaporation of moisture is good for
the plants, and keeps down insect pests.
Easter is early this year. Easter lilies, to be on time, will require to be
^Drought into a warm part of the house.
Holland bulbs for Easter flowering should be in the greenhouse now. Better
loe a week too early than a week too late. The flowering period of plants can
be retarded, or the flowers retained, much better as a rule, than they can be
forced into flower. Undue forcing is dangerous, even by experienced plant
growers.
Give a little air on hot sunny days, 70° to 75° in day time and 55° to 60° at>
night is a good temperature at this season of the year. Close ventilators early
in the day.
The Windoiv.
Plants in the window will begin to feel the increased heat of the sun. The
latter will necessitate a close watch being kept for insect pests. The best way
to avoid trouble with the insect pests is to try and prevent them from making
their appearance at all. Keeping all growing plants such as fuchsias, cyperus,
geraniums, calla lilies, etc., fairly well moistened at the roots, and springing or
sprinkling the foliage of the plants two or three times a week with luke-warm
water, are about the safest preventives of the appearance of insect pests. A
little weak tobacco water in the water the plants are syringed with, applied once
a week, will prevent the attacks of some of these enemies of plant life No
plant can flourish when attacked by insects, and it is very hard to get rid of them
when once they have gained headway.
144
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 16
Chrysanthemum plants, that are wanted to be kept for cuttings, should be
kept in a rather cool temperature, about 50° suits them. They require less water
now than when in flower.
Seed sowing : There are few seeds that caii be sown to advantage just yet,
except perhaps those recommended for the greenhouse, such as petunias and ver-
bena^, both of which require quite a length of time before good sized plants
will be produced. 7?^^^
Cold dips: Watch out for sudden cold dips. February and March are
treacherous months in this respect. The hot sun in the day time often lures the
plant lover into a feeling of false security and induces neglect in taking proper
precautions aofainst the extreme cold
often experienced at night at this season
of the year. If by any chance your
plants should be frozen, place them at
once in a warm corner of the room
where the temperature is a few degrees
above freezing. Cover the plants up
carefully and keep them in the dark for
twenty-four hours until the frost is out
of them. You may perhaps in this way
save them, if not frozen too badly. I
consider this treatment preferable to
deluging the plants with cold water, as
is sometimes recommended. Even if
the latter course is taken with the
Abutilon Savitzi.
Chinese Primula.
plants, keeping them dark for a day
or so will help them materially.
Avoid bringing plants that have
been frozen into a high tempera-
ture, and keep them away from
bright sunlight for a week or two
after they have been frozen. They
will also need less water for a time,
until root action and growth have
well commenced.
MARCH.
The Greenhouse.
Toward the end of the month, or at least early in the month of April, it
will be necessary to give partial shading to palms and ferns as well as to newly
potted cuttings or young seedling plants. If the shading is delayed too late in
the season many of the plants (especially the young growth of palms) will suflfer
from sun scald. There is even greater danger in this respect at this early season
than later on, when ventilation can be given more freely than now during the
treacherous weather often experienced in March. Bright hot sun, accompanied
\99Z ^mJlT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION, 145
witk keen, Ifeitang, frosty wimds, makes it difficult to give ventilation sufficient tor
keep down 'the t©m,parature without exposing the plants to danger. A light-
shading will prevent the hot sun from doing any great damage on bright, cold
day«, whenTpe-rhaps it i« difficult to open the ventilators. Plants in flower will'
scarcely need shade i"«a)T a week or two yet.
Water must be used more freely than hitherto, not only to the roots of
plants, but on the floors as well as overhead syringing. Sprinkling the floors
liberally with water, early in the afternoon, will benefit the plants very much.
Freesi&s. Pots of these useful greenhouse plants should be given an ample
supply of water, after they have done flowering, if good strong flowering pips
orHDulbsare required for use next season. Freesias commence to form youno-
bulbs just about the time the plants are in full flower, so that it is necessary to
give them water several weeks after they are out of flower. The drying off" or
resting period must not be commenced until the young bulbs have attained to
almost mature growth, which is usually three or four weeks from the time the
old bulbs are out of flower. After this period water can be withheld gradually
until they .«,re dried oflf completely, when no more water must be given them
un^il time to re-pot them in August or September.
Eoses. These, whether in pots or planted out, will require regular daily
syringing on bright days. A little fertilizer will be found beneficial now that a
more active growth has commenced.
OyclameQ. Continue to water cyclamen rather liberally, even when they
have done flowering. In fact at no time should the soil become quite dry, even
during the summer resting period. Pick off' all the seed pods unless seed from
them i« required, as the production of seed reduces the strength and vitality of
the corms or bulbs considerably.
Fuchsias. These should be coming into flower nicely now. A little shade,
plenty of water at the roots and a gentle syringing every day will help fuchsias
greatly. A little fertilizer once a week will also help them along.
Azaleas. Syringe azalea^ every day when they are out of flower. Water
at the roots must be given in sufficient quantities to thoroughly moisten all the
roots.
Primulas. Less water should be given these plants when out of flower.
The double variety (Primula alba plena), as shown in the engraving, should be
propagated as soon as they are out of flower. Cuttings of this useful variety
strike readily in sand in a shady position. This double variety of the Chinese
Primulas is one of the best and most satisfactory for an amateur grower. Like
all other primulas it delights in a well drained soil, with a good admixture of
leaf soil added to rich loamy potting soil, as well as a little sand mixed in.
Annuals. Seeds of these for early flowering can be sown now. Better
results will, however, probably be obtained by sowing them a month later.
Bedding Stock. Cuttings of coleus,
to four good strong eyes. This can be done by simply breaking away the one-
section from the other with the hands. The use of the knife in this operation
should be avoided if possible. Pot the small clumps into fairly light soil and
water thoroughly once. \' ery little-
water will be required afterwards
until the plants have become well
established. Cannas treated in this
way can be brought on early, and
give immediate results when planted
out. The pots of these can be stood
down on the walks to start them, if
the situation is not too dark, and
care is taken that they do not get
too much water. The possibilities-
of the canna as a summer decorative
plant are only commencing to be
realized. The recent introductions
of dwarfer growing, large flowering
plants will assist greatly in advanc-
ing their present popularity. It is-
quite possible, taking the coleus as
an example in this respect, that we
may see as great an advancement
in cannas in regard to decorative
foliage during the next decade as-
there has been with coleus, when
compared with the first introduc-
tions of the ''East Indian Nettle,"
as coleus were at first commonly^
termed. Imagine a canna of dwarf-
er habit than the Charles Hender-
son (three feet), a spike of flowers-
equal to the flowers of the Bur bank
Canna, and folias^e that will vie
with the beautiful markings and
rich coloring of a pandanus veitchii,
or of a spotted difienbachia, or with
the deep rich shadings of a maranta ;
and you will have an imaginary
glimpse of what I predict will be a
near approach to the ideal canna of
the future. But this is prediction
and not seasonable notes on the cul-
ture of the canna.
Annual Larkspur. The foHagc of the cauna, espe-
cially when young, is very tender,,,
and on that account requires care on first taking the plants out of doors. Late
in May or early in June is about the best time to expose them outside.
Shading. Plants will require careful shading and an increased supply of
water as the heat of the sun increases. Water and syringe the plants early in>
the day. Close ventilators early in the afternoon. Give increased ventilation as
required.
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 149
The Herbaceous Border. About the end of April or early in May is the best
time to attend to herbaceous plants in the flower (garden. Any dividing or trans-
planting of the early flowering perennials should be done as early as possible.
The pretty little pink and white flowering pJilox subulata, or moss phlox, as it is
sometimes called, should be divided and transplanted very early. A better time
to do this, however, is early in September, so unless the growth has got very
straggling this can be left over until early fall.
Both the herbaceous and tree paeonies should be transplanted early if done
at all. Dielytras and clumps of German Iris should be divided early. All of
the plants just mentitmed will, however, grow and thrive and produce their
flowers in abundance for three or four years without being divided. After that
period transplanting is beneficial, as larger flowers, higher colored and more
luxuriant foliage can be obtained than b}^ leaving them in dense matted clumps
for too long a time.
Herbaceous spireas {Spircea aicy^uncus and S. filipendula ff. plena) can also
be transplanted early. About the first week in May will be early enough for
most of the later flowering perennials. A good general rule to work on at this
season of the year in regard to transplanting perennials is to divide and trans-
plant them when the young growth is about an inch high. Exact dates for a
week or so cannot be given as the best time for these operations, as situations
and seasons vary so much, but about the end of April and early in May is about
the right time in this section of Ontario.
Best Twelve Herbaceous Plants. I am often asked what I consider are the
best twelve varieties of herbaceous perennials. The following twelve species,
many of which can be had in several varieties, will be found to be hardy, easy
of culture, and will come into flower in succession from early spring until late
autumn. This latter feature, viz., successive flowering period, 1 consider one of
the main points to be thought of when planting a border, or even a few plants
•of herbaceous perennials. Hardiness, and an adaptability to grow readily in
almost any soil, is another point that has been taken into consideration in mak-
ing up this selection, as well as their suitability for cut flower purposes. They
are given here in about the order that they will come into flower. I have also
^iven the average height of the plants, a point lost sight of sometimes and one
that causes dissatisfaction oftentimes later on.
1. Iberis semper virens, 6 inches.
2. Dielytra spectabilis, 2 feet.
3. Iris Gernianica, 18 inches (in variety).
4. Herbaceous Faeony, 2 feet (in variety.)
5. Gaillardia grandiHora, 1 8 inches.
6. Campanula persicefolia alba,.
7. Aquilegia, 2 feet (in variety).
8. Heraerocallis flava, 2 feet.
9. Phlox paniculata, 2 to 3 feet (in variety.)
10. Pyrethruni hybrida, 18 inches.
11. Achillea, The Pearl, 2 feet.
12. Rud.beckia lanceolata, 5 feet.
This will be found to be a good list of twelve iron clad border plants, many
of which can be had in great variety, especially the iris, paeony, aquilegia and
phlox. I would very much like to have added the delphinium, coreopsis, and
one of the thalictrums and the beautiful little gypsophilla paniculata so useful
for cut flowers, but I could not see my way clear to omit any of the foregoing
list. The thalictrums are mo^t useful for cutting for bouquet green, but
succeed best in a shaded position, such as on the north side of a fence or
building.
150 THE REPORT OF THE No. 16
Hardy Roses. These shouid be pruned as early as possible, if not already
done. Prune closely, leaving from 4 to 6 inches of last year's growth below
where the shoots are pruned off. Any planting of these, or of hardy shrubs or
trees, should be done at once. Fork over the rose beds after pruning the bushes.
A little fertilizer, such as bone meal, very rotten stable manure, forked in around
rose bushes or flowering shrubs will help them materially.
Annuals. These can be sown outside now. A small frame made of boards
and placed in a warm position with a few inches of jjjood soil will be a good
place to sow most annuals in. They are easier cared for in the eariy stages of
growth treated in this way than if sown in the open border. Mignonette and
nasturtium, and perhaps stocks, are best sown in pots or in the place they are ta
grow in, as they do not tran.-plant very easily.
July,
Flower Garden. — Constant surface stirring of the soil in flower beds or
borders will not only destroy weed crops, but will also materially help the-
growth of all kinds of bedding plants. Deep stirring of the soil is not necessary^
if the ground was properly prepared before planting. A very small three or
four-toothed rake, or a light scuffle hoe, are the best tools for this work, which
should be done when the soil is fairly dry, and before it has had time to crust,
over very hard on the surface.
Staking and Tying. These operations are often left until the plants are
badly damaged by wind or rain storms, or perhaps entirely ruined by not being
attended to earlier. It is always a good plan to have stakes for such plants as.
dahlias, ricinus, etc., driven in near the plants requiring support. Many a fine
plant has come to grief because a stake could not be found handily just when the
plant needed tying. In the matter of tying up plants always endeavor to stake
and tie plants so that they are as natural looking as possible after the operation
is performed. Avoid the close bunching process of tying that makes the plants-
look more like bundles of stems and foliage, than growing plants. Another
point deserving attention when tying plants is to endeavor to place the stakes
in such a position that they will be hidden from view as much a possible by the
foliage. Use soft twine for tying purposes, so as to prevent as much as possible^
damage from friction, and use neat sizeable stakes.
Decayed Flowers. These should be kept picked off regularly, unless requir-
ed to remain on the plants to help produce seed. Decayed blossoms are not only-
unsightly, but also exhaust uselessly the vitality of the plant. In this respect-
do not forget that daily picking of sweet-pea blossoms, and not allowing them
to go to seed, not only improves the size and depth of color of later blossoms,.
but also helps materially to extend the flowering period of the plants.
The Greenhouse. If ferns and exotic plants occupy the greenhouse during
the summer months, the glass must be heavily shaded. These plants will require-
plenty of water at the roots and a moist atmosphere maintained by daily syring-
ing, as well as heavy sprinklings of water on the floor when the ventilators are
closed. Where choice ferns and exotic plants are growing the ventilators should
be closed an houi or two before the sun ceases to shine on the greenhouse.
Roses and Chrysanthemums. If roses and chrysanthemums occupy the^
greenhouse, much more ventilation is necessary, and far less shading required
than for ferns, etc. In fact the shading for both roses and chrysanthemums
should be very light, as c^ose shading induces a weak spindled growth that is-
not conducive to good flowering results. Roses and chrysanthemums should
have liberal supplies of water at the roots and daily syringing on bright days.
Pick every bud off the roses as soon as the bud is formed, so that the whola?
strength of the plant can be used to produce a good stocky growth of wood.
lOOJJ
FRUIT GROWERS' ASSSOCIATION.
151
Beg-onia, Weltoniensis Alba.
Freesias. These useful winter
flowering bulbs should now be kept
quite dry and doimant until they
are potted on. They can be left in
the soil they were grown in and the
pots stood away in a dry, cool shed,
or the bulbs can be picked out from
the soil and put in a pot or box,
with sufficient dry sand or earth
thrown over them to keep them
from getting too dry and shrivelled.
In either case keep the bulbs quite
dry, and in a cool place. A shelf
in a shed is a good place for them.
August and September are the best
months for starting freesias into
growth.
The Window Garden.
Window-boxes form the most
prominent feature for window dec-
oration during the summer months.
It is oftentimes a difficult matter to
secure flowering plants that are
suited ibr shaded positions on the
north side of the house. Foliage plants and ferns can be easily selected for
these positions ; flowering plants in variety are not so easily obtained. Many
varieties of summer flowering begonias can be had however that will give
splendid results in windows or on verandahs where the sun shines for
perhaps only an hour or two, morning and evening. Amongst the most
effective and easily grown kinds is the pink flowering Weltoniensis begonia,,
also the white flowering variety Weltoniensis alba (^See cut), the former l)eing
the more robust and easier to grow
.of the two kinds. Being of a
semi-tub rous nature both of them
can be kept partially dormant
during the winter, but must not
be dried off completely in the
same way that the tuberous varie-
ties are.
Another good variety for sum-
mer flowering is the dwarf growing,
white flowering begonia Bruant
(See cut). This pretty little begonia
can be easily kept during the win-
ter, its blight, glossy, green foliage
being most acceptable even when
not biiohtened up with its ivory
white blossoms. It must not be
given as much water, however, dur-
ing the winter as when it is in active
growth in the summer time. The
Begonias mentioned as bedding
varieties in last month's journal are also good varieties for culture in windows,
either as pot plants oi- in window boxes. These Begonias will be found to be
Besonia, Bruaiit.
152
THE REPORT OF THE
No. X6
be quite an acquisition to the comparatively limited list of flowering plants
suited for window boxes in shaded positions.
Geraniums for winter. This is
a good time to commence preparing
a stock of these ever popular and
useful plants for winter flowering
in the window.
It is quite possible that many-
readers of this journal have a fav-
orite geranium plant that has be-
come gaunt and unshapely in
growth similiar to the one shown
in the accompanying illustration.
Instead of planting it out in the
border, as is often done to try and
make a shapely plant of it before
autumn, it would be far better to
treat it as shown in the engraving
by giving it a severe cutting back.
If the growth of the plant is very
soft and sappy the cutting back
process should be deferred until the
plant has been stood outside in the
pot in a sunny position for the
wood to harden a little. It can
then be pruned back as shown in
the cut, by pruning the growth back
to within a few joints of the hard
Geranium before being cut back.
growth of the stem. After the
pruning back, the plant should be
put in a partially shaded position
near a building or fence. Very little
water should be given until it shows
signs of growth but the soil should
never become really dust dry. As
soon as growth commences, shake
the plant out of the earth and re-pot
it into a size smaller pot in rather
sandy soil. Plunge the pot up to the
rim in sand or coal ashes, and water
well once, after that water only
when the soil shows signs of dry-
ness. In about five or six weeks the
plant will require a larger pot, prob-
ably two sizes larger than what it
was potted back into before. When
it has become established in this size
pot it will probably be time to take
it into the window where it should
give good flowering results. Old ger-
anium plants give good results if
treated in this way; much better oftentimes than young plants taken from cuttings.
The cuttings, however, taken from the plant when cut back should be pLiced in
Geranium after being- cut back.
190!^
FRUfT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION.
153
sand, either in a pot or shallow box. Tliese will also make nice little plants by
autumn for the window. The tips of the shoots should be r,;iken for the cuttings,
five or six inches being a good
length for the cuttintr. Bv treat-
ing overgrown, gaunt specimens of
geraniums in the way I have at-
tempted to describe, niany plants
that gave good flowering results
last winter can be had in better
shape and condition than during last
season. It is useless and unnatural
to expect even the all-enduring
geranium to flower and i>row the
whole year round. This pruning
back and partial resting process, as
described, gives a good shapely
plant as well as allowing it a par-
tial rest which all plants require in
greater or less degree to "be suc-
cessful.
August.
Freesias. A few of these pret-
ty little Cape bulbs should be
started now for early winter flow-
ering. Reserve some bulbs for later
potting, so as to have a succession
of their sweet-scented flowers from
December to April. Plant five or
six bulbs in a 4 or 5-in. pot. Very rich soil is not necessary ; soil that geraniums
will grow well in will suit freesias. Cover the tips of the bulbs so that they are
almost a quarter of an inch under the surface of the soil. The top of the soil
should be about half an inch from the rim of the pot to allow room for water-
ing. Stand the pots outside where it is not too sunny, never allow them to dry
out, and do not keep the soil soaked with water all the time. Let the pots
stand outside until early in September, then remove them to the window or
greenhouse. Place them in a cool part of the house, as the freesia dislikes forc-
ing. Larger blooms, and more of them, are the results of letting freesias take
their time in growino-.
Calla Lilies. These should now be re-potted if they require it. Do not over-
pot them. Too large a pot often means lots of leaves, but no lilies. Sometimes
a top dressing is better than re potting. This is done by taking about an inch or
so of the old top soil, and putting some good rich soil in its place. Keep the
calla lilies outside in partial shade until there is danger of early frosts. Water
well when once established in the pots.
Pelavgoniu-ns. These are often known as " Lady Washington" geraniums.
August is a good time to cut the old plants well back. Cut the growth of the
past season back to within an inch or so of its base. Water the plants very
sparingl}^ until the stems show signs of growth. When the young buds or
growth is scarcely one- eighth of an inch long, the plants should be shaken out
of the soil they are in. ]f too heavily rooted, which is not often the case, cut off
the tips of the roots and re-pot the plants into a size smaller pot. Use two parts
of good loamy potting soil, and one part of sharp, tine sand well mixed together.
Water the plants once thoroughly, then withhold water until the soil shows signs
of dryness. Place the pots outside in a shad}' position on some coal ashes or
Calla Lil}-,
154
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 16
boards, the latter are to keep worms out of the pots. A shaded sash and frame
is a jn^ood place for pelargoniums after re potting, until they are taken in- doors.
Re-pot the plants into pots one or two sizes larger in December. Use richer soil
and less sani for potting them in at this time. The tips of the growth taken
from the pelargoniums now will strike readily in sand in pots. The cuttings of
these should have about five or six joints, unless the growth is hard, when
shorter cuttings may be used.
Geraniums arid Coleus. Cuttings of these should be taken now so as to get
the plants established before winter sets in. Five or six cuttings put in sand in a
4-in. pot, and the pot plunged in the-
ground out side where the hot sun
does not strike it, will suit geranium
cuttings very well. Keep the sand
moist, but not soddened with water..
Pansies. If these are wanted
for early spring flowering the seed
should be sown now. Sow in a
shallow box in fairly light soil.
Place the box in a shaded place out
of doors. When the plants are
large enough to handle, plant them
out in light, rich well drained soil
in a shaded frame facing the south.
A sash should be placed over them
in very severe weather in winter, or
the plants should have a light pro-
tection of brush and leaves from
December to March, instead of the
sash.
Petunias and Verbenas. If you
have a choice variety of these you
wish to take up to save over winter »
cut the plants well back now. As
soon as young growth commences,
take them up carefully when the
soil is moist, and pot them into
Place the pots in the shade or in a frame with a.
Water sparingly for a time after the firtt watering.
Hibiscus inoanus
some good .potting soil.
shaded sash if you can.
SEPTEMBER.
Tender Plants.
All tender greenhouse and window plants that are required for winter
decorative purposes or for beautifying the garden next season will have to be-
closely watched if they are still out of doors, so as to prevent unpleasant and
damaging surprises by early frost. Stock plants or cuttings of coleus, heliotrope,,
achyranthes, salvias, and ageraturp should be at once secured, if not already
attended to, as these plants are susceptible to cold, chilly weather and are easily
damaged by the slightest frost. Petunias, verbenas and geraniums, being of a
hardier nature, may perhaps be safe until about the end of the month, but it is
always well to be on the safe side and secure a stock of cuttings or plants before
they are damaged by frost. Plant growth that has been frozen only very
slightly is often difficult to propagate, even if the growth does not appear to
have been damaged. Begonias, cactus, calla lilies, agaves and all plants of a
1902 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 15)
similar tender nature should be taken indoors when chilly, cold weather prevails.
Palms, cordylines, oleanders, hydrangeas and even aspidistras ma}^ perhaps be
left outside until towards the end of the month, at least in the day time. Fresh
air and a fair amount of sunshine out of doors is much better for plants than the
close, dry atmosphere of a dwelling house, or the super-heated temperature of a
greenhouse at this season of the year, as long as the plants are safe from frost.
The temporary protection of a sash and frame, or even the protection afforded by
.a verandah, or some slight covering placed over plants for a few nights, will
often extend their period of outdoor life for several weeks at this season of the
year, as it is seldom that early frosts prolong their visits beyond one or two
nights.
Chrysanthemums. Although these plants are almost hardy, they must not
be exposed to frost, or even to continued cold, wet weather, if good flowering
results are to be obtained. Where only one or two are grown in pots for the
window they can be lifted under cover for the night and set out of doors again
in the morning. If the plants arc put into the greenhouse, or even into frames,
they must be given plenty of air and water, especially on warm, sunny days.
Syringing, or sprinkling the foliage early in the day on hot days, will also
benefit them materially. Disbudding will also soon have to be attended to with
chrysanthemums. This is done by picking off with the thumb and finger all the
lower buds as soon as they are about the size of small peas, I'eaving only one, or
perhaps two of the top or terminal buds at the top of each branch or stem. By
taking ofi these lateral buds, fewer but very much larger Bowers are obtained
than if all the buds were left to mature. As soon as the buds are formed on the
plants liquid manure should be given them about once a week until the flowers
are fully developed. Tobacco water, or fumigating with tobacco, are the most
efiectual remedies for the attacks of black or green fly on chrysanthemums.
The black fiy is oftentimes very persistent in its attacks, and close watch will
have to be kept to prevent its appearance. As tobacco stems or the raw leaf of
tobacco is sometimes difiicult to obtain, a good substitute can be found by using
a cheap cigar for making tobacco water or for fumigating plants with. By
pouring about a quart of boiling water on a cigar after it has been unrolled
sufficient tobacco water can be obtained to sprinkle a number of plants with.
The solution must be allowed to cool before using. If any of the tobacco water
is left over it can be kept a lung time in a bottle tightly corked. Start with the
tobacco solution before the plants are badly infested, as, if the aphis or fly once
gets into the flowers, they cannot be eradicated without injuring the blossoms.
Roman Hyacinths. If the beautiful white sweet scented spikes of these
early flowering hyacinths are wanted lor Christmas time the bulbs should be
secured and potted as early as it is possible to get them. By planting two or
three bulbs in a four or five inch pot early in September and plunging the pot
outside in ashes or sand — or even sandy soil — until the bulbs have made good
root, which will be in three or four weeks, and then placing the pot in the win-
dow or greenhouse, these useful winter flowering bulbs can be had in flower
even before Christmas if required. Plai t the bulbs about half an inch under
the surface of the soil so that the tops of the bulbs are well covered, water them
well once and then plunge or bury the pot in an upright position until the bulbs
are well rooted and you will be rewarded by a nice pot of sweet scented flowers
for your trouble. The soil in the pot should never be allowed to get quite dry
whilst the plant is growing and when in flower. The pink and blue varieties of
the Roman Hyacinths are very pretty, but not as early or as easily grown. By
potting a few of these bulbs every two or three weeks until November, or even
later, a succession of their beautiful blooms may be had until quite late in the-
spring. These later planted bulbs must, however, be covered with ashes or soil
156 THE RjEPORT OF THE No. 16
in a cool cellar or shed, or in a box or frame out of doors where they can be
■covered and protected from severe frosts whilst making roots as before mentioned.
Cannas. As soon as the tirst frosts have touched the foliage of cannas the
-stocks should be cut oft about six or eight inches above the ground. The roots
should then be dug up entire with a little earth adhering to them and placed in
a dry shed or barn for a week or two where frost cannot reach them. Before
severe frosts they should be placed in a fairly dry, warm cellar, or laid under the
benches in a greenhouse, where there is very little moisture to drip on them. A
temperature of about 40^ or 45^ suits them very well when dormant in winter.
Dahlias These should be treated much in the same way as recommended
for cannas, with the exception that the dahlia roots will keep well in a slightly
lower temperature. Packing the roots in dry sand in a cool, dry cellar is prob-
ably the best method of wintering dahlia roots. The sand will prevent the
tubers from becoming too dry, as this latter condition is almost as dangerous to
dahlia roots in winter as an excess of heat and moisture. Dry the dahlia roots
fairly well before stowing them aw^ay finally for the winter.
November.
Flotver Garden.
If the weather is sufficiently open and no hard frosts prevail, this will be
found the most suitable time for making new walks, flower beds or borders, as
the winter rains and snow will assist greatly in settling the soil down before
spripg operations commence. Some planting of the hardier varieties of border
■plants can also be done to advantage. German Iris, Pseonies, Hemerocallis or
Lemon lily, Dielytras or Bleeding Heart, as well as Lily of the Valley, are var-
ieties that succeed well if planted late in the autumn. If left until spring, they
-are often overlooked and forgotten until it is too late for them to take root and
give flowering results the same season. It may be advisable, however, to give
these late planted varieties a mulching of leaves or long strawy manure later on,
'before very severe weather sets in. The Iris would probably be better without
being covered up or mulched, as mulching is liable to damage and smother the
growth. Fibrous rooted varieties of hardy border plants, such as Gaillardias,
Phlox paniculata, Coreopsis, Rudbeckias, etc., succeed better transplanted in
•€arly spring.
Bulbs. — Most varieties of spring flowering bulbs, such as Tulips, Crocuses,
Snowdrops, Scillas, Chionodoxas, as well as the Daflfodil Narcissus, require very
little,, if any, covering during winter, excepting in very cold localities, or when
'the bulbs were planted very late in the season. A light mulching of long strawy
manure four or five inches deep spread over the ground where the bulbs are
planted, or three or four inches of leaves with a light covering of long grass or
manure, or even pine boughs or brush to keep the leaves in place, make a
splendid protection for bulbs in winter.
fcri^Roses. — Budded plants of even the hardier varieties of out-door roses are
better if given some extra covering during winter. Banking the soil up in a
conical form about a foot in height around the plant will afibrd great protection
•to out-door roses in winter. A mulching of strawy manure or leaves in addition
to this would also be beneficial. In localities where the temperature is often for
a long period below zero, some extra [)rotection even to this would be advisable.
Long straw, an inch or twain thickness, bound around the tops, would be a
benetit where extreme cold prevaijls, and where, perhaps, the snow fall is light or
uncertain. The rush matting used for covering tea chests, wrapped several
■times around the plant, makes a splendid winter covering for roses or any tender
plants, as it, to a great extent, excludes moisture and still allow^s a circulation of
190)3 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 157
air to the plant sufficient to prevent rot and mildew, — the latter often occurring:
when plants are covered up too closely so as to a(hnit no air at all to the plant.
Roses on their own roots are liar Jier than budded or grafted plants. Even-
these would benefit by some protection around about the base of the stem and
over the roots, even if the growth was not altogether covered. It is best in all
cases, however, to leave the mulching or covering of plants until late in the
season, when severe wcatber is likely to set in, so as to allow the growth of the-
plant to harden off' in a natural way fully exposed to the air.
A very essential point in protecting plants in the manner described is to so>
arrange the covering, whatever it is, so that it excludes as much moisture from
the growth as possible. An old flour or sugar barrel minus the lid, turned
bottom up over a tender rose or shrub,, is a good protection. Holes should be
bored around the sides to admit air, but the top of the barrel, when turned up,
should be water tight and intact. Some straw or leaves placed or tied around
the plant before it is covered with the barrel would be beneficial.
Window Plants. — The advent of colder weather means increased fire heat,
the latter also meaning an increased aridity or dryness of the atmosphere. The
latter condition will probably induce a visit from insect pests, unless precautions-
are taken to prevent their appearance. Green fly and red spider are most to
be feared, especially the latter, as their appearance is not as easily detected as
that of the aphis or green fly. Copious sprinkling and syringing with cold water
is the best preventive for the attacks of the so-called red spider, Salvias, Fuch-
sias, Roses and Carnations are first favorites with this little pest. When first
attacked, the leaves ot these plants present a whitish, dusty-looking appearance^
especially on the underneath side, and the leaves will soon commence dropping
unless the plants are regularly and thoroughly sprinkled or syringed once or
twice every day. Tobacco water, as recommended m the September number is
the best remedy for green fly, although tobacco leaf or stems, or even a cigar
thoroughly dried and rubbed into a fine powder and sprinkled on the plants
infested with green fly will generally rid the plant of them. The latter applica-
tion is best made after the plants have been recently sprinkled or syringed, as-
the tobacco dust adheres better when the foliage of the plant is moist.
Freesias. Pots of these that are well started should have the full benefit of
the sun and sufficient water to keep the soil moist, but not soddened. Freesias-
do not like liquid manure, and do not require it if the soil they are in is only of
a fair average fertility as generally used for pot plants.
Rex Begonias. Plants of these that have, perhaps, been resplendent with
their beautifully marked foliage, will generally show rapid signs of decay towards>
winter. This is quite natural in these plants at this season of the year and is
indicative that the plants require a period of partial rest, and it is best to allow
them this period of partial rest when the leaves present the appearance men-
tioned. It is useless to deluge the plants with water at the roots, as is often done
when the plants show signs of decay. By withholding water gradually from
the roots and barely keeping the soil moist, the fleshy rhizomes and stems, and
perhaps som.e of the leaves, may be kept in fair condition until spring or early
summer, when the plants can be re- potted, or, if that is not necessary, the plants
will show signs of new grow^th as the warm summer weather approaches without
re-potting. Rex Begonias, and in fact all summer flowering and foliage Begonias,
require to be kept in a temperature not lower than 45° or 50° when resting in
winter. A slightly lower temperature than the plants have been accustomed to^
and only sufficient water to barely keep the soil in the pots moist, are the con-
ditions that induce this partial resting period so essential to almost all perennial
plant life at some season of the year. Rex Begonias should never have their
leaves sprinkled with water in winter, as it tends to spot and rot the foliage.
158
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 16
Gloxinias, Tuberous Begonias, Fancy Caladiums and Achimenes. All of
these should now b? resting and the soil left quite dry until time to start them
in the spring. I have found that leaving these in the pots undisturbed all the
winter is better than taking the bulbs or tubers out of the soil and packing them
in sand or charcoal. Where large quantities are grown, it might be necessary to
knock them out of the pots to economize space, but where only a few are grown,
it is very easy to stand the pots back in a dry place on a shelf, where no drop of
water can reach them. A temperature of 55° will suit all but the Tuberous
Begonias when dormant ; these latter I have found to keep better in a tempera-
ture of about 40° to 45^
..:^: .
Summer Flo vers for Florists.
The commendable and increasing demand on the part of the flower -loving
public during the last few years, foi' a greater display of taste in the more nat-
ural arrangement of flowers, ne-
cessitating their more lavish use
in the make-up of designs and
floral decorative work in general,
makes it imperative on the part
of florists, to consider well how
they can best supply the wants of
their customers in this respect.
The grouping of palms and
foliage plants, as well as the very
general use of large quantities of
fern fronds, asparagus, etc., for
room decorative purposes, often
requires the use of large quantities
of floweriog plants and cut flowers,
to brighten up the density of these
masses of green. Bright colored
foliage plants, such as crotons,
pandanus veitchii, etc., are admir-
able for this work, but they are
not always available, and cannot
be used in many positions, even
when they are to be had.
Roses and carnations can of
course usually be obtained, but
these cannot always be had at
prices that will warrant their use
except for the finer points of
florist's work. Out of door flowers can usually be had in summer, but with the
failure or partial failure of the sweet pea and aster crop, even these during the
hottest weather in summer are often very limited both in quality and quantity,
and many kinds of out-door flowers are too common almost to allow of their be-
ing used satisfactorily.
It seems to me that the empty benches so commonly seen in many florists'
establishments could be more profitably used than they are, to supply this
demand for a better class of flowers than is often obtainable out of doors during
the summer months.
Japan lilies, more especially Lilinmi speciosum album, Lilium ruhrum and
Lilium auratitm, as well as other varieties of this class can be,and are grown in
Begonia Weltoniensis (Pink Flowering).
1903 FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 150
large quantities, but these sometimes, like our, at one time, reliable and beautiful
Easter lilies, have of* recent years become more fickle and uncertain in their
character, and are at the best too costly, except for the very best class of work.
Although it is impossible to attempt even to fill the place of the gorgeous
beauty of roses and carnations, as grown at the pre^.ent day by our florists, or
the more chaste and delicate beauty of the lily, there are some plants that I have
found most useful as accessories and auxiliaries to these indispensable florists'
flowers mentioned. I have reference more particularly to begonias.
For many years past I have grown Begonia IVcltoniensis and Begonia Mac-
Bethii and Begonia Weltoniensis alba in as large quantities as desired, and al-
though these varieties have been known to most of us for over a quarter of a cent-
ury, or at least two of them, they cannot, in my oplnioa, be surpassed by any of
our newly introduced varieties, taking ease of culture, handling and keej^ing quali-
ties, as well as profuseness in flowering habit into consideration. By wintering
over a few old plants and starting them in April or May, and propagating as
soon as the cuttings are ready, a fine batch of plants can be had early in A ugust,
that will furnish a good supply of bloom or pot plants, at a time when fiowers
and flowering pot plants are scarce. By drying the plants ofi' gradually when
they are through flowering, and putting them on a front shelf under the green-
house benches where the drip does not bother them, or on a back shelf in the
greenhouse, or even in a warm potting shed, these begonias will keep splendidly,
and occupy no valuable winter space. I have found two-year-old plants profit-
able, as they can be grown on into '» inch or 7 inch pots, but after the second
season I have not found the keeping qualities of the plants hs reliable as younger
stock. The Begonia Weltoniensis is a splendid bedder, and succeeds well in
almost any position in light soil. Fairly light soil should be used for pot plants
of this begonia. Other newer varieties, such as Begonia Vernon, Brvantii,
Erfordii, Tngramii and other summer flowering types of Begonia semperflorens,
will not compare favorably, in my opinion, with the two varieties just mentioned,
■excepting perhaps that these latter can be easier raised from seed than the Wel-
toniensis begonias. The seed, however, should be sown early in the spring,
about February, to secure early flowering plants the same season.
The new hybrid type of Gloire de Lorraine Begonia, although beautiful and
floriferous at almost all seasons, can scarcely be considered as a summer begonia.
Although several new types and varieties of Begonia semperflorens have recently
been introduced, at present there is still room for an ideal summer flowering
begonia for florists ; a want that may possibly be filled, as begonias are ver}^ sus-
ceptible to cross-fertilization, a fact that many of our principal fiorists are tak-
ing advantage of, as is shown by the introduction of so many types and vari-
eties of this beautiful and useful class of plants. But the ideal fiorist's begonia
has yet to be raised, and like all other classes of beautiful plants to be found in
the floral world, we shall never know when the highest possible point has been
reached, so great and mysterious are the workings of nature, when assisted by
art, as well as by the assistance of bees and other insects in hybridizing and
crossing different varieties of flowers.
I have been pleased to learn during the last few days that the three vari-
ties of begonias mentioned, viz.; Begonia Weltoniensis, Begonia Weltoniensis
alha, and Begonia McBethii are again coming into popular favor, and, in my
opinion, no florist should be without them on his greenhouse benches in summer,
as their many good qualities for decorative purposes in general still entitle them
to a place in the front ranks of this numerous and useiul class of plants. Many
florists, who have dropped them from their lists, are again taking them up, ample
evidence that they are still of service, and that there is nothing yet to surpass
them for general usefulness amongst summer flowering begonias.
160
THE REPORT OF THE
JS"o. 16
Malope GrandiHora Rosea.
And now a word on outdoor flowering plants in summer, 1st— Annuals,
the prettiest, most varied and unfortunately, I must add, in many cases the
most fickle and uncertain class of plants grown.
It is gratifying to know, how-
ever, that there has been, during
the last few years, more especially
on the part of seedsmen and seed
growers, a greater effort made, not
only to introduce new species, but
to improve generally the various
strains and types of these useful
adjuncts to a florists' establish-
I ment.
I Time will not permit me to
/ but barely touch on the subject
/ of annuals, as it is unnecessary
/ for me to even mention the staple
/ varieties of manv of them, such as
Asters, Sweet Peas, Mignonette,
Nasturtiums, Stocks, Phlox Drum-
mondi, Cosmos, as well as An-
tirrhinums, Petunias and Verbenas
— the " last three being now gen-
erally acknowledged for all prac-
tical purposes as annuals — as all of these are well known to all classes of flower
lovers, as evidenced by the beautiful display now on exhibition in connection with
this convention.
But there are a comparatively few new varieties and types that may, per-
haps, not be as generally known and cultivated as those I have mentioned.
Take first of all the annual chrysanthemum. The beautiful colors and markings,
as well as ease of culture, good keeping qualities, etc , well entitle these to the
notice of all florists. For table and room decorative work, more especially, these
annual chrysanthemums will be found to be invaluable. By sowing the seed
early in the season, their decided and pretty flowers can be had early in August
and September in abundance.
Another species of plants that . ^._^
will furnish material for the flor-
ists' use are the Malopes and Lava-
teras. These improved types of
the Mallow class of plants will De
found of great service for decorat-
ive purposes and for loose cut
flowers, Malope grandiflora alba
and Malope grandiflora rosea being
the two varieties most useful to
florists. Lavatera rosea splendens,
Lavatera alba splendens and Lava-
tera trimestrie are good varieties,
their large, showy, mallow-like
flowers being often several inches
in diameter; and for a convolvulus-
shaped flower their keeping qualities are very good, as I have, by experimenting
with them in this respect, kept their flowers and foliage quite fresh for three
days under treatment similar to what, they would receive as cut flowers for
decorative work.
Annual Chi\ santliemuni
I90:s
FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION.
161
. «
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p' t
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Anotlier class of annuals cominf? into favor are the annual rudbeckias, the
l>eautiful brown and dark crimson markings of the base of the petals of these
flowers makes them more acceptable
than they otherwise would be, taking
into consideration the almost objection-
able and overdone appearance of many
flower gardens, by the too general use
of masses and rows of yellow flowers,
such as Rudbechia laciniata (Golden
Glow) and the deep-colored, heavy-
looking sun- flowers. Several very much
lighter shades of these annual Helian-
thuf? or Sunflower have recently been
introduced, their soft lemon yellow and
almost white flowers making them less
oppressive and objectionable as florists*
flowers than the deeper orange shades
of the older varieties of sunflowers.
There is one more annual I would
like to mention, viz., Arqemone Grandi-
flora Alba, or Mexican Poppy. Al-
c osmns though the growth is coarse (3 ft.) the
abundance of its pure white, petalled
flowers will especially commend it to florists, as it gives an abundance of blossom
during August if sown in the open border in April. This plant has a habit of
•closing its flowers when on the plant at night, and during dull weather, but
when cut, it remains open constantly. Although the stamens in the centre of
the flower are yellow, it is of such a soft shade and texture that this feature is
not as objectionable as it is for florists' flowers. For short time work it ought to
be of value to florists, as large white
flowers are so scarce oftentimes
before the Asters make their ap-
pearance.
Perennials.
I should like to have said a
few words on perennials, but the
time is so short and space will not
permit except to say that the im-
provement in this class of plants
are equally as noticeable as in that
of annuals, and no general florist's
establishment is complete without
a collection of these useful and
inexpensive class of plants. I have
a few specimens of several of the
varieties of plants that I have men-
tioned, amongst which will be found
several varieties, such as Helian-
thuft cummerifolia, Helianthus de-
eajndatus nanus, that from their form and soft lemon yellow colors well recom-
mend them to the notice of florists as useful summer flowering varieties.
In conclusion I would mention another class of plants that could be made of
more service to florists in summer than they are at the present time, I have
11 F.G.
Argemoiie Grandifiora Alba (Mexican Poppy).
162
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 16
reference to the Hardy Climbers, more particularly the Clematis. The beautiful
colors and shades of those that are now offered, from the pure white of the Duch-
ess of Edinburgh variety, C. paniculata and (J. Henryi, to the deep lavender
color of Standishii or to the intense purple of the more common Jackmanni, will
allow of no excuse for florists planting around and about their establishments —
as we often see done — the common varieties of Ampelopsis and Clematis, when
other kinds such as those I have mentioned might occupy to advantage and pro-
fit the places of the commoner kinds, and give results that would benefit their
owners as well beautify their surroundings where planted.
Fox•" "if-ci
Mr. G. C. Gaston's Duchess apple trees, 15 years planted, propped to support their loads.
28 THE REPORT OF THE . No. XT
The cherries this year had not done so well as last, and Mr. Caston is
having a hard fight to keep them free from the black knot, which comes in
from neighboring trees. Many of the trees were badly defoliated by a« blight,,
which might have been prevented by spraying with the Bordeaux mixture^
but thorough spraying was almost impossible this year because of the ex-
cessive rains.
Plums were a light crop at this station. Several apricot trees were well
loaded, but the curculios, which were unusually a^bundant, had destroyed most
of the fruit.
One of the finest sights at Mr. Gaston's this year was the great crop of
Duchess apples. Every tree was so loaded that propping was necessary, an(f
the fruit was of the finest quality. This is certainly one of the most valuable-
va^rieties for northern sections, where it ranks as an autumn rather than
a summer variety.
On the winter varieties of apples there had been a good show of fruit
early in the season, but, on account of the cold, wet weather, it had been
falling steadily all through Jure and July, until but a light crop was left.
This station is situated too far inla.nd to be influenced by the waters of
Lake Simcoe or the Georgian Bav; hence, whatever proves hardy here would
likely be so over a large part of the Province. The reports of tests here
during the past nine years have given valuable information regarding the
hardiest and best varieties of apples, pears, plums, cherries and small fruits
for this and similarlv situated sections.
Among the Cuthbert raspberries at G. C. Gaston's, Craighurst.
The Southwestern Station. Experimenter, W. W. Hilborn, Leamington.
Visited August 28th. All of this southwestern peninsula suffered ter-
ribly by the '^ freeze '' of February, 1899. Thousands of peach and other tender
fruit trees, in orchards ranging from 10 to 100 acres in extent, were at that
time destroyed. Peach-growing then received a blow from which it has aot
yet fully recovered. Quite naturally, some growers became discouraged, and
190IS
FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
29
did not roplant, but most of them, however, have been replanting steadily
ever since, and some of the early planted of these are now coming into bearing.
In orchards where a few trees survived the freezing, the spaces were filled
in with young trees ; but this has made the orchards very uneven in ap-
pearance, especially as the old trees here and there have been dying out since,
necessitating replanting. This has been the case in Mr. Hilborn's experi-
TTiental orchard, which, naturally, has been very discouraging to him, after
liaving had such a fine orchard and la.rge collection of varieties in bearing
to report upon.
View of Mr. Hilborn's peach orchard. Trees 16 mouths from date of planting.
On another farm near the lake shore, his brother, Mr. J. L. Hilborn, has
twenty acres of young peach trees planted since the freezing, which are
just coming into bearing, and make one of the finest orchards to be seen in
the section.
Many of the young pea^ch trees planted in this section during the last
few years have made very unsatisfactory growth, and whole orchards have
proved to be an entire failure. It was at first supposed that the trees were
being injured by the fumigation to which they were subjected before they
left the nursery, but it has since been found out that the trouble was dae^
to root aphids, which, evidently, were not destroyed by the fumiga.tion. Mr.
Mr. J. L. Hilborn's 20 acre peach orchard. Two year old trees.
Hilborn has found that the best way to rid the roots of these insects is to
dip the roots of the young trees, before they are planted, in strong toba«cco
water. The tobacco water is made by steeping tobacco stems in water
in the proportion of 3-4 of a pound of stems to one gallon of water. Trees
treated with this decoction have made excellent growth, while untreated trees
adjoining them have proved an entire failure.
30
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 17
The peach crop in the Essex peninsula this year wa.s excellent, and Mr>
Hilborn had fruiting quite a number of varieties upon which he will be able-
to report.
Plums were a light crop, probably on account of the heaivy crop last
year. The Japan varieties are proving of great value here as well as else-
where, and they a-ppear to be much less susceptible to the shot-hole fungus,
than the European varieties.
The Burlington Station. Experimenter, A. W. Peart, Burlington.
Visited August 28th. The Burlington district ha.s long been known
as an important fruit section, and in no other section that I know have the-
growers worked together so unitedly for their common interests. This co-
operation, among the growers, has helped to win for this section high awards-
at all the recent large expositions, such as were held at Chicago, Paris, Glas-
gow, and Buffalo, as well as the first prize for ten years in succession at the
Toronto Industrial, for district exhibition.
The growers of this sectiojn were also the pioneers in the use of the
bushel and half-bushel box instead of the barrel for the shipment of apples
and pears to the Old Country, and by the continued use of these boxes for
the shipment of good fruit they have succeeded in establishing a good demand
for their fruit in the British market.
Mr. Peart, our experimenter, has not confined his attention to any special
line of fruits, but he has an extensive collection of both the large and small
fruits.
Worsens in the vineyard of A. W. Peart, Burlinffton.
At the time of my visit he was busy picking and packing his Blenheim
and Ribston apples for the Montreal and European markets, all of the fruit
being pa^'^^^i'^X^^^^'^ ''-■ ,
L-iC
[■■.
^&^ ^
C;^^^ ^V> ^^-A %L V \
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-^^
wamms^
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. •^~, Maitland.
Visited October 4th. This is the first year I have had the opportunity of
visiting this section of the country late enough in the season to see the
Fameuse and Scarlet Pippins in their full color. These beautiful apple?
seem to reach perfecti )n in Mr. Jones' orchard. One of his bearing orchards
of about five acres is made up mostly of these two varieties, and the regularity
of the crop in this orchard is something remarkable. The crop this year was
as usual about 700 baa-rels. The regularity of crop may be accounted for to
some extent, I'owever. by the careful attention given in the way of cultiva-
tion, ])iuning and spraying.
In the young experimental orchard, most of the trees have made good
growth, but the varieties too tender for this section are plainly beginning to
show themselves.
One of tlie new promising apples in this young orcha4'd is the Milwaukee.
The trees are thrifty and begin bearing early, and the fruit is of good size
and fair quality.
AmoHig the pears under test, there are a few which have made good
growth and have begun bearing, but the majority of them appear to be too
tender for this section. The same might be said of many of the European
p'ums, but those of native origin stand out prominently for their extreuje
hardiness and vigor. Several varieties of them bore heavily this year, and
will be noted in Mr. Jones' report.
Within the past two yea«r.s, Mr. Jones has planted out several acres more
of apple trees, mostly of the McMahon White, which he considers one of the
hardiest and healthiest for a stock upon which to graft the more saleable
kinds.
8 F. e. s.
34 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
The Bay of (c^uinte Station. Experimenter, W. H. Dempsey, Trenton.
Visited October 7th. This station is in the centre of one of the finest
apple-growing sections in the Province. For the last two years, it has been
my good fortune to arrive here just in time to attend the Wooler Township
Fair, and I think I can safely say that I have never seen finer samples of
apples shown anywhere than are at that little Township Fair.
Mr. Dempsey's orchard is a remarka«ble. one in several particulars, — first
because of its size; second, because of the great number of varieties it con-
tains; and iliird, because of the regularity of the crop. Last year, when
apples were a failure in most parts of the country, Mr. Dempsey had a^bout
1,800 barrels. This yea.r his crop will probably be about 2,500 barrels. There
are about 300 varieties of apples in bearing, many of these being grown simply
as top grafts for testing. The varieties making up the greater part of the
erop, however, are : Ontario, Northern Spy, Ben Davis, King, and Fatmeuse.
The fruit is put in barrels as picked, and is hauled at once to the fruit
house, where it is repacked, and shipped during the fall and winter, when
it cjin be sold to the best advantage. Mr. Dempsey's skill, not only in growing,
but in handling and marketing his crop, has made him one of the most suc-
cessful apple growers in the country .
The ti ees in the young experimental orchard have made good growth,
and most of them are just coming into bearing. Among them are an inter-
'cstinc lot of new varieties. These w^ill be described and reported upon in
,Mr. Dempsey's report.
Mr. Dempsey has very kindly furnished me for the past two seasons with
s^'mples of nearly a hundred vaiieties of apples for study and class use at
the College, foi- which I am greatly indebted. Careful descriptive notes have
been taken of all of these, which will be useful in verifying varieties.
Stations not Visited.
On account of the difficulty of getting away from the College during
tlie month of June, when we; have excursions visiting us every day, and also
because of extra work in looking after our own small-fruit tests at thnt time,
I was unable to get to see Mr. Stevenson's strawberry plantation at Jordan,
but I had the pleasure of comparing notes with him in our plantations a«t
Ouelph.
The "Pioneei- Farm" at Dryden also was not visited this year, but as most
of the new sock was sent there onlv a couple of years ago, it could not have
got more than nicely started by this time.
KEPORT OF VISITS OF INSPECTION MADE BY MR. A. M. SINIITH OF
ST. CATHARINES.
In accordance with your wish, I visited in the first week of August th<^
stations at St. Joseph's Island and Craighurst; and also the station started
by myself on the farm of W. F. Clark, Powa.ssan. and would report as follows:
Algoma Station. •
The station at St. Joseph's Island I found in a very satisfactory condition,
and reaily all the varieties of fruit planted growing fairly well, with the
exception of a few killed by mice during the past winter. a.nd two or three
19055 FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 35
oherry tiees which had failed to loaf out for some unaccounta^ble peasoii,
Though others of same variety near them were doing well. Several varieties
of ]>luiiis, to my siirpris(^ were well loaded with fruit, among them Lombard
.ind F»uibank; also several cherry trees. Gra.pes came nearest to failure of
any fruit tried here. Mr. Young is a thorough and painstaking cultiva.tor and
will doubtless give you a full report of this station.
SiMCOE Station.
At this station, which is in charge of Mr. G. C. Gaston, of Craighurst, I
met Prof. Hutt, who had gone over the grounds before I arrived, a.nd who
will doubtless leport on them. I found the trees well cared for here and
evei-ything arranged in a systematic manner. The many varieties — especially
^'f pears — were in fruiting, which I did not expect to find so far north. The
most seiious trouble I saw was some kind of a fungus which had destroyed
ihe leaves on several va.rieties of cherries, leaving the fruit hanging on the
tree, immature and worthless.
I also visited the grounds of Mr. Stephens, our Director at Orillia, and
saw several varieties of se.edlinti- gooseberries which were very fine, and I
think would be well worthy of cultivation. He has sent specimens to our
^^ Xew Fruits " Committee.
PowAssAN Station.
In I egard to the station at Powa«»san I suppose it will be well to give
you a little history of it. While visiting there in 1898, I learned that repeated
attempts had been made to grow fruit there without success, as nearly every
thing planted was killed by the severe winters, and the people had become
discouraged and seemed to think that fruit could not be grown. I told my
friend, W. F. Clark, with whom I wa.s stopping, and who owns a large farm
there, that I believed I could send him varieties that would succeed, and as
I was then engaged in the nursery business I thought it might prove a good
advertis< ment if a success. I told him I would furnish him a lot of trees if
lie would plant and test them, and report his success wirli them, wliich he
consented to do. Accordingly in spring of 1899 I sent him a lot, and again in
1900; there were about 100 trees in all, consisting of from two to five of the
following varieties :
Apples. Duchess, Princess Louise, Wolf River, Scott's Winter, Mann,
Gulden Russet, Yellow Transparent, Longfield, Gideon, Wealthy, and several
varieties crab.
Pears. Bessemianka, Clapp's Favorite, Idaho, Goodale.
Cherries. Reine Hortense, Riga No. 18, Ostheim, Baba, Ea.rly Rich-
mond, Montmorency.
Plums. Wolf, de Soto, Stoddard, Hawkeye, Moore's Artie, Willard,
besides gooseberries and currants, etc.
I found the trees had been fairly well cared for, being planted in a gar-
den plot, but only about one-third of them were living and not all of these
gave promise of success. None of them had yet borne fruit, except a few of
the crab apples. Most of the cherries were thrifty and healthy. The follow-
ing is " list of the surviving trees :
App'es. 4 Crab apples, Whitney No. 20 and Hyslop, 4 Duchess, ^> Yellow
Transparert, 3 Scott's Winter. 1 Gideon, 2 Mann.
Cherries. 4 Riga No. 18, 2 Ostheim, 2 Richmond, .'^» ^fontmorenci, 2 Reine
Hortense.
Plums. 12 Mooie's Artie, 1 Willard, 2 Wolf, 1 de Soto.
Pears. 1 Bessemianka, 1 Goodale.
THE REPORT OF THE N,. 17
In view of tho partial suet ess of tliis experiment. 1 think it would be well
for the (Jovernment o^- Board t ) take it up, and continue it, as there is a« large
district here subject to the same climatic influences in which there is little or
no fruit at present grown.
Mr. Clark says tliat if the ]>{>ard will see fit to furnish the trees, he will
rei)lant t' ose that have died out of this plot next sprinff, and if they want to
enlarjjje he Avill prepare a new field which he is cloarinj^j next summer in what
I consider a very fa«voiable locality, and plant there under your direction. I
w^ill rclincpiish all the claim I have for the jj^ood of the country, believinjj^ it
would be a« great boon to that section of the country to test and find some
fruits that w'ould grow there. All of which is rpsy)ectfully submitted.
REPORT ON TENDER FRUITS.
By L. Woolverton, Grimsby.
In the pursuance of an extended study of the ada})tation of our fruits
to various sections of Ontario, we are surprised to find how m^ny fruits,
hitherto cons dered too tender, may be successfully grown in certain favored
8' ctions; and this (jHscovery may help to advance the interests of our fruit
growers. On the other hand we aie disappointed when' we find that some
most desirable fruits cannot be cultivated with a.ny certainty, and hence must
be fina'ly disca ded. The publication of this information should ])revent the
useless wa^ste of money in the farther ])lanling of such varieties. The fol-
lowing fruits are presented in order of ri])ening.
Apricots. Among the un])rotitabl(^ fi-uits in Ontai-io we are inclined to
place the apricot, which is so successfully grown in England a.nd also in Cali-
fornia.
About twelve years ago I planted one dozen Russian apricots, upon the
commendation of the nurserymen. During all these years I have sought vainly
for ripe fruit, but have been disappointed. The bloom opened so early in
spring that it was sure to be touched with frost and drop either in bloom, or
while the fruit was still small and green.
In 1805 I planted (^leven named varieties, viz: — Harris, Rhense. Nicholas,
Gibb, Red Masculine, Kaisha, Alexander, Skobeloff, Montga.met. Early Golden,
and Peach. I took the best of <-are of them, and tw^o years ago had two or
thre^ samples of Early Golden, but otherwise the trees have yielded no fruit,
a-^d m-'ny of them are now^ in a dying condition. Another special weakness
of the apricot is its lia.bility to the curculio, which causes- the young fruit to
drop befoio maturity.
Nuts.
Cobnuts. About ten years ago, T procured a quart of Kentish Cobnuts
from Pelee Island, hoping we might grow them pi'ofitably in the Niagara^ Dis-
trict. The trees have grown most vigorously, but most persistently fail ir>
produce any nuts, with this exception that two yeai's ago I had a single speci-
men. From my exi)erience with them so fa.r, I am inclined to condemn them
as unprofitable.
English Walnuts. For many yeai's there grew not far from my house,
n large seedling troo of this nut. but though the tree lived to quite an age,
it sehfom bore a crop of fruit, and seemed to be almost as tender as a peach.
Bu^ a ^nend n^ar by ha«s a tree which se^^ms to have exceptional hardiness,
and desen'es careful study. At the age of eight years it bore its first ci-oj) of
nuts, and has increased in productiveness ever since, until now at the age of
IHO'a FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
fifteen years a crop has just been harvested of al)oiit six bushels, and sold for
about rifteen do'lars. We ha-ve: i)hn'ted six j^onnds of nuts, and hoiK- for
some {^ood resu'ts.
Peaches.
It is now about forty years since the first (y)inoicrt, and still holds its place among the best commercial varie-
ties. It is yellow ir flesh, and about the last peach to ripen, being usually
ready for market during the first week in October. It is not very juicy, a«ud
therefore an excellent shipper, and highly esteemed for drying.
Other Kinds. There are quite a number of other varieties that were
thoroughly tested in this old orchard, which are now little grown, such as
^^Mimp the ^A'o^"ld, The Sweetwater, Royal George, Early York, Morris
White, Barnard, Crawford's late, Jacques' Rareripe, Old ^lixon Cling, etc.,
whic 1 have not i)roved of sutficient value for general planting.
Newkr Varietiks.
F'o- some years it has been the tendency to seek for very early ripening
V- reti' s, and among V. em we have tested a good many which are not worth
recommending, as for example, Amsden's June, Early Louise, Early Canadas
Hyne's Surp ise, etc. Amor;g those w^hich have so far given good promise,
we "port upon the foPowins: :
Screed. .^ varie<"v oi igiriiting in Tennessee, from seed of Chinese Cling.
I s great value 's its ea^Miress. the first ripe being picked on the 20th of July
in 1M)'*. Like most of th<^ early peaches, it is a pMngstone. pnd only of faiir
luplity, but in my opinion it is a little better than Alexander. The flesh is
w]>ite, and the size of the fruit medium, averaging about two inches in dia-
meter.
r' ensboro. In niy opinion the (ireensboro is the best vci'y early peach
:rrown in Crnada, for the tabic. It is larger and finer looking than the old
Early Purple, of which its white tender juicy flesh and sweet flavor reminds
me. The size averages about 2 1-4 inches. It does net seem to be subject to
rot, and the tree is very productive. Last summer my trees were breakiTig
:\S THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
down with tlieir load of fruit. The chief fault is its tender flesh whick
makes it difficult to handle., as in the case of the Early Rivers. It begins to
ripen about August 1st.
Triumph. Though a prolific bearer, yellowish in flesh and freer from
rot tha^n its parent, the Alexander, the Triumph does not equal the claims
of its introducers. The tree is subject to blight which spreads rapidly and
affects the fruit itself just previous to maturity, and its thick furry skin i=
not attractive to buyers. If not thinned, the fruit is inclined to be small ir.
size. It^ season is early in August,
Alexander. Perhaps no early peach has been more widely planted thaia
the Alexander, a^nd the last year or two has proved that this is a great mis
take; for our markets have been glutted with the fruit until it has become
almost unsalable. One serious fault is its great susceptibility to rot, ao. 17
Olaiule, Green and Imperial Gage, Washington and General Hand; (2) the
prunes, oval plums, blue purple in color a.rid rather firm, greenish yellow
flesh, including the German Prunes and Prune d'Agen; (r^) the blue plums,
with bn'^e oval f uit, dark blue in color, with firm yellow flesh, includinir
•finch varieties as Kingston, Quackenbos, Shipper and Arctic; and (4) the Red
plums, of which the fruit is obovate, purplish, with thin skin and soft, juicy
iSesh as B-a'^shnw, Victoria, Pond, Duane, and Lomba-rd.
Of* course the above distinctions are more or less arbitrary, for, ini these
'"odium. «»re. aiish white, ^'ondevere P ppin had one specimen, sniall,
2 1-4-inch, reddish. Some of the grafts a«re three and four feet long. The seven
^-^r-eties of Southern ap] le trees are living, save a- few of the Collins' Red.
They have made very strong growth.
Pears were a fair crop. The Duchess spotted considerably, but the other
varieties, bar ing the Flemish Beauty, were u]) to the mark. The Anjou, and
Louise Bonne were exceptionally fine. As usual, we exported our pears in
t)nxes to Glasgow, Mt^.nchester, and Liverpool, successfully sending Clapp's
Pavorite in cold storage to Liverpool. Up to date the varieties exported are :
Bartlett, Clapp's Favorite, Anjou, Duchess, and Kietfei". These are also the
leading commercial varieties in this district.
Pb^ms weie a light crop ; 1,000 trees gave only about 400 (12-quart)
illskets this year, as aga-inist 1,600 in 1001. There was considerable rot in th«
Lombard, Yellow Egg, and Reine Claude. The Bradshaw, Niagara, Quack-
^nbos, and Satsuma (Japnn) were of fire form and quality.
Peaches were a very heavy crop of fine quality. The lea-ding varieties
hT ' the Chanipi n, Cr sb , E'berta. Early an'd Late Crawfords. Smock, a«nd
T> hurst.
Cherries were a fair crop of excellent quality. Early Richmond, Mont-
Moren( y, English Morello, May Duke, and Windsor are the leading varieties
j.;;rown.
Cua.pes were a fir^e crop of good quality. All varieties ripened well ex-
t-ept those that lost their leaves prematurely— the Wilder and Agawam. Del-
awares were exceptionally heavy. There was practically no mildew, not
10 ' pounds of a crcp of 10 tons being rejected on that account. Pocklington,
Eldorado, and Lady suffered somewhat from rot. I think that the Worden
and D-lawart ai-e the most profitable grapes grown here.
Currants and Blackberries were a good cro]) of fine quality. (See notes.)
IHaspberries gave a satisfactory yield. Ma.rlboro and Wilder lead for
«a Iv rerls, with C ithbert and Loudon for later. Smith's Giant, Kansas, and
Older rank first in the blacks, Columbia in the purple, and Golden Queen in
yellow. Th" following raspberries may, I think, be eliminated from commercial
}>lantations: All Summe', fruits from July to October (too long); it may be of
int ' est 10 the a.mat'>ur, but ui^eless to the commercial grower ; Japan Wine-
lier y being s a- let-red, Fmal), and acid ; bush tender and unproductive ; a
novelty in its foli^.ge, oriental and all that, but of no use here; Progress, black
7)ot p'-'odnctive enough ; Redfield, ])nrple, not a good cropper ; Thompson, red,
i o shv a beaer. Rf f-eived ard planned last year a few Harris ra^^pberries,
lire dwai'f Alexander ap])lcs, two dwiuf Mcintosh apples, and three stand-
ard Bs'rarck apple trees. All are growing well.
\
42 THE REPORT OF THE iNo. 17
I used the insecticide soap for the cherr^^ aphis, but saw no benefit-iji
results.
For the past three years we have exported a few boxes each year to the
Old Country of the " Honor Hiight " tomato. They are a medium-sized
handsome, solid, late tomato, ripenino- in distinctively pronounced stages.
I cut them off (leaving about one-half inch of stem adhering) w^hen in thf
wiiitish yellow stage. As a rule they reach Glasgow in good condition, ne?",
ting her • froiji 40 t ) 50 cents per box, which, although a fair price, is scarcely
enoug for t e extr i iroubl^. I do not know of any more promising export
tomato. A. W. Peakt.
Maplehurst Fruit Station.
l*robably the 1 irgest general collection of yarieties of fruits to be seeo.
anywhere in Canada, outside the Dominion Experimental Farms, is to bo
found on the grounds of the Secreta-ry, Mr. L. Woolverton. There are now
over eight hunired varieties planted, covering 5 1-4 acres, the object beinc^
to give him an op!)ortunity to study the habits of grow^th and the bearinj;
qualities of each tree, together with the characteristics and fruiting sea
son of each fruit. While the cherry is a specialty at Maplehurst, there is *
complete collection of peaches, pears, plum^, grapes, apples, apricots, and
small fruits ; thus there are afforded endless opportunities of taking- note^
for use in preparing the matter for the work called the "Fruits of Ontario,**
in which are to be included all the principal varieties w^orthy of cultiva«tion
in this Province.
The Cherry Harvest.
The cherry harvest is now becoming important in some sections of thf*
Province. Ini that portion bordering on the south shore of Lake Ontario, a«n4
the north shore of Lake Erie, and, indeed, nearly all the east shore of Lake
Huron, t .e more tender va^rieties of the sweet cherry class seem worthy ct*
a place in a commercial way, but, even in these sections, a frost at the end of
May or beginning of June is often fa^tal to the crop.
The earliest cherry of this class grown at Maplehurst is the Early Puc;
pie, which occasionally gives a full crop at highest prices, though a cherry
of only medium size and ordinary quality. Some old trees have made a goo(f
record for productiveness, and made the owner a fine return, but a.s a ruict
the birds take a good share of the crop, and, if gathered before ripe enoug^^i
to please the appetite of the birds, they are but " skin and bones," and n')t
colored enough to deserve the name Purple. In England it is customary ta
protect valuable 'cherry trees from the birds by means of large nets, which ar(*.
spread over the trees ; a good suggestion for us if we want to succeed witU
certain varieties of Oxhearts.
This netting is sold very reasonably, as we note in a recent issue of tli(*
Journal of Holticulture several advertisements, such as the following :
Garden Netting. Small mesh, keeps out the sma-llest birds, oiled anci
dressed ; will not rot if left out in all weathers ; 105 yards by one yard wid?<
72 cents ; by two yards wide. |1.44 ; by three yards wide, |2.1G, and so on t:\
any wid^^h. C. H., Netting works, Rye.
Edge of Maryland says :
"For p'^otecting cherries from the birds, T bousrht a lot of damasei
mosquito netting, and sewed it into pieces six yard? square. This I put over
a«n Earlv Richmond tree and drew it tosfether at the bottom. The sun shinef*
thr^usrh, but the birds are kept out. It stavs on only a few da.ys while the*
cherries are ripening, and is then taken off and laid away for another year."
190;e FRUIT EXPERI>|;ENT- STATIONS. 43
In our commercial orchards, however, we find it best to plant those which
are not subject to the attack of birds, as, for example, the Biggarreau
cl ss, which ha.ve a flesh too firm for their beaks. Without attempting to make
re^'cren r to tho other va.riet (\s^ of sweet cherries, we commend two of our latest
market kinds, the Elkhorn and Windsor. This latter has been introduced with
a grea: flourish, and since it is of Caiiadia.n origin, we hope it mux {jrove the
best of its class. We have planted a few hundred trees, being so well pleased
with the first samples born(^ in our ex])crimontal plot ; but a few years' ex
perjence may be needed to determino whether it or the Elkhorn is the more
va uable for the main cro]). The latter ha.s been grown for forty years at
Maplehur.-^t, and often bears a i)rodigious crop of fine dark fruit. Both ripen
i>bout the middle of July, when other varieties are out of the market, and
c nsequently bring a good price. Both are subject to rot in wet seasons, but
possibly we can control this by trea.tment with copper sulphate.
The English Morello is the best latest sour cherry. It is a famous crop-
per, Jark in color, and will hang long after it is ripe. In the Western States
it has been sold under the name of Wragg, and no doubt some nurserymen
have been making mone}^ out of fruit-growers by selling this old variety
under a new name. ^Ve have them both side by side in our experimental
plot, and can see no difl'erence whatever.
Of cooking cherries none can compare with Dukes, a class of semi-sour,
red cherries, that cannot be excelled for sauce and pies. The May Duke is a
fa niliar example of this class, which is frequently ready for use the latter
part of June. Among the others of the class we have the Olivet, a sparse
hearer, and most excellent in quality, and the Late Duke, which considerably
]irolongs the season, though otherwise very similar to the well-known May
Duke/
The Board of Control of our fruit stations met at Maplehurst on the 5th
of July. The new varieties of Duke cherries were of especial interest to
the chaiKman, Dr. James Mills. There were five varieties noted down as suit-
able to keep up a succession for the market, and carrying immense loads of
fruit for their age, viz., in order of ripening : May Duke, Royal Duke, Cali-
fuinla Advance, Late Duke and Louis Philippe, the first of w^hich is over long
b fore the latter begins ripening. These Dukes are a class of cherries which
are a mean between the sweet and the sour cherries, and most desirable for all
household uses. The peculiar upright habit and the close and continuous
c ustering of the fruit upon the underside of the long upright branches, at
once d'Stinguish the trees from those of other classes. One special variety
of this class, the Reine Hortense, was especially admired because of its
immense size and excellent flavor, but it is not as productive as the others.
The Cherry Aphis.
This insect has been most troublesome in our cherry orchard, and dur-
ing the past season we determined to try a very fine sprav of crude petro-
leum. We secured the finest possible nozzle, and on the 1st May, just before
the buds opened, we applied the crude petroleum in the form of a fine mist.
On the 2nd May we followed this with an application of Bordeaux, but we
found this would not stick on the trees, owing to the oil.
On the 1st of June we examined the trees, and could find no aphis, ex
cept upon an occasional young leaf, a.nd we could detect no injury from the
application of crude petroleum.
On, the 10th of .June a few aphidae appeared on the end of the twigs, but
not in sufficient numbers to damage the crop.
44 TBE REPORT OF THE o. I7
Thinning Fruit
Kxperiments in thiniiinii fruit, conducted at Maplehurst for some years,
g to prove that with pcaclies especially the time and labor is a« well-spent
invi'8 ment. We have found the size of our Alexander peaches upon over-
li> ded trees so much increased that the total number of baskets harvested
fr )m a tree which had been thinned to nearly one-half was quite equal to
tlia.t fro'11 its mate, left unthinned. Besides this, the color was better on
t' e thinned fruit. Tho^ e was less inclination to rot, and the quality wa-s con-
side ably improved. As a consequence, the cash value of the crop was large-
ly ince'isod.
Our own experience in this matter was quite well supported by that of our
n ig! bor, Mr. John Urf'nnan. AYalking through his Alexander orchard on
the 28th of June, we found the ground literally covered with young fruit.
*' People," said Mr. Krcnnar, " are calling me a fool to waste my fruit like
this, but I have learno 1 by experience that thinning pays."
'MA'hat ])ortion do you take off ?"
" ^\e\], from those overloaded Alexanders, fully one-half. Here is a
tree from which 1 took 1,700 peaches on the 26th of June. The tree could
never carry tlat quantity to perfection. Why, 100 peaches, well grown,
would till a twelve-quart basket, and that tree wa«s carrying enough peaches
t(» till over 30 twelve-quart baskets, while eight or ten baskets is all it coul,d
possibly mature to any size."
Effect on Plums. Experiments made at the Wisconsin Experiment Sta-
tion seem to prove th- t equally good results may be had from thinning plums,
as we ha' e had with peaches. About four-fifths of the fruit was removed
from a portion of a tree of dale Seedling plums, leaving the fruit about two
inches anart on the branches, while the other branches are left untouched.
Effec^ on Apples. While th'^ results in the case of apples may not be so
clear as with peaches and plums, still the effect on the tree is no unimport-
,'>rt f '^'or, for when our orchard trees overbear, as they did in ISDO. it takes
Ibree or four years for them to fully recover their vitality. Indeed, if one may
judge from evidences, it is only this year of 1902, six years after tha^t enormous
exhausting crop, that our a])ple trees have recovered their wonted vigor.
The Massachusetts Station has reported on results of thinning apples as
follows :
A tree each of Gravenstein and Tetofsky apples was thinned on July 1st,
and a similar tree of each variety left unthinned a-s a check. In case of
the (h'avenstein, the yield on the thinned and unthinned trees respectively
was : first quality fruit, 0 bushels and 2 1-2 bushels ; second quality fruit, 1
biJshel and 2 1 2 bushels ; windfalls, 91-2 bushels and 10 1-2 bushels. In
the case of Tetofskv, the thinned trees gave 1 bushel of windfalls, and the
unthinned trees 3 bushels ; of second quality fruit, the yield was one-ha«lf
bushel from ^ach tree, and of first ouality fruit the thinned tree yielded
2 bushels • and the unthinned tree none at all. Allowing 60 cents per
bushel for firsts and 25 cents per bushel for seconds, the market value
of th ti iime i (Iraven t(in ap])les was over twice as much as that of the un-
thinned and of t e ti>iT^7^o<^i Tetofsky apples eleven times as much a.s that of
the unthinned. It cost 48 cents to thin the Gravenstein and 25 cents to thin
the Teto'pky. T! e net gain due to thinning was 85 cents for the Tetofsky
and |1.85 f-r t'^ Oraveri^tein. Jt is thou?-ht that the results would i^ave been
m re pronounf ed if t^^e thinning had been done two weeks earlier. Th<^ large
percentage of windfalls in case of the Tetofsky was believed to be largely
»J^«J« FRUIT EXPEKIMENT STATIONS.
45
due to the fa( t that the a.pples have very short stems, and are borne in clus
ters of from three to eight fruits each, so that as they grow they become very
much crowded. With trees having this characteristic, tlierefore, thinning in
especially valuable. JL,. Wooi'.VE cK-n.
East Central Station.
Our fruit crop wa.s not all that we could have wished for as to ({uality, ye:
the quantity in some measure made up. We began spraying on> March 2Sth,'as I
lirmly believe in early spraying. We used whale oil soap and Hoideaux
mixture, dissolving soa]) with warm water and then adding the Bordeaux,
making a fine emulsion. This was the only satisfactory spiaying we did a-ll
through, for although we sprayed four or five times afterwards, the rains
invariably came on and washed a large percentage ott' before it had time lo
do its work, a.nd, in consequence, a large percentage of our fruit was spotted
more than ever before.
About one hundred of our young pears and plums were imported, and,
fearing the var ous kinds of scales and insects, 1 coiM-luded to ti'v the crude
oil treatment. I am not sure whether that was the cause of the injury, but
S' me twelve of our finest plum trees, that ha.ve been fruiting for several years,
never howed a leaf this spring. The winter of 1901 and 1902 was the mildest
we have had for the ])ast twenty-five years, the thermometer not going below
12 1-2 below zero ; we frequently have it 20 degrees and more without inlurv
to the trees.
In my report I have confined myself to those varieties sent nie by the
Biard of Control, several of which are worthless here for market, which
I haVi' ma ked for the inspector, and which I think ought to be top-graft.-d
next spring. Our cultivation consisted first, in pruning in March; second in
sprayin/g frequently, and, third, in working the land till the fruit interfeVed
by bendjng the branches. All the trees are in fine condition of growth, as
you will see by the report. The quantity of fruit gathered has also been
taken down at the time of gathering, so as to get at the exact data of the
different vji-rieties. Tlie varieties not reported on did not fruit, but all made
satisfactory growth. The two hundred trees planted on our farm were grown
in c'ovor sod, which was plowed and made to enrich the land, the clover
being dragged under with a cliain. The trees have done i-emarkably well.
The varieties tha«t were most affected with scab were : Fameuse, about 70
per cent.: Chenango, about 90 per cent.; Spy, 25 per cent.; Baldwin, 15 per
cent.; Canada^ Red, 40 per cent.; while King, :\rinkler, and Haas we're from
10 to 20 per cent, affected. Boston Star, Gideon, Wealthy, Ribston, and West-
ern Beauty were clean and large.
J^artletts were not as good either in quantity or quality as formerly,
while Duchess, Anjou, and Lawrence were better than usual.' The currants
sent me were magniticert, viz., London Market, Prince Albert, and Victoria
Black ; some of onr Empress were badly mildewed on account of w^et weather,
and did not ri])en wel,l. Strawberries were a«n immense crop, and lasted late in
the season. This is the first time we have had a good crop of peaches ; thev
were fine and large, the varieties being Fitzgerald and Lonirhurst.
Berries of all kinds were good in quality and quantity.^
In the beginning of the season the price of apples ran from |1.50 down
to 90 cents, but at present the latter figure is about the top, as buyers are
over-strcked and apple barrels have gone up to |.S5 per hundred. Anotlier
season we will box all our best fruit for the English market.
I would snfge.sf thnt those vai-ieties w^hich have proved almost worthless
as commercial fruit should be re-grafted with some valuable kinds of winter
^rnit. R. L. Huggard.
46 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
Georgian Bay Fruit Station.
This has been a season of most peculiar extremes, alternate cold and
wet predominating, which in some ways retarded vegetation, and in other
ways encouraged a luxuriij.nt growth. But it has not been without its ob-
ject lessons ; for instance, in the development of fungous diseases, and as
regards cultivation. This season I have noticed, and so have many others,
tha«t fruit on apple trees growing in grain or grass has been cleaner and
better colored than the fruit in the well-cultivated orchard, which clearly
shows that in a year like this it is quite possible to conserve too much mois-
ture. It would, therefore, seem better in a spring of much cold and wet to
oommence cultivation somewhat later tha.n usual, especially in apple orchards.
There are now in test at this station 170 varieties of plums. Many of
them are now in bearing, which enabled us to place on exhiMtion at Toronto
120 different kinds. Among this large list there are, to be sure, many vari-
eties which are very indifferent in quality ard productiveness, but it is of
equal importance to know the poor ones as the good. The best of the old,
well-tried Europeans are as yet the most profitable.
We have just gathered the finest crop of plums we ever grew. The or-
chard received thorough and clean cultivation during the early summer, and
was carefully sprayed with Bordeaux and Paris green, three ounces to the
oO-gallon barrel. Although this has been one of the worst seasons for shot-
hole fungus, a.nd while most trees in the neighboring orchards have lost
their leaves weeks ago, some of them as bare as winter, our trees are still
healthy and green, only a very few^ showing the slightest bareness, and that
only on the tips of the young wood. The orchards are now green with a
beautiful covering of red and crimson clover, w^hich will be plowed under
nexr spring, and the cultivation will agadn go on as above.
The Japan Plums. The Japan plums are mostly vei-y strong growers and
good bearers, but their quality is rather against them, as compared wdth our
best EuroTtean \arieties, and I cannot advise plauiting them very extensively.
Many of them ha^ve a pronounced acrid or almond flavor, becoming almost
bitter in such varieties as Willard, Offon, Berckman's Hatankio, etc.
The American or native plums are all too small in size, indifferent in
quality, and unattractive in appearance to be of any va«lue in the commercial
orchards of Ontario. They are usually, however, very strong growlers, and
make good stocks to work better varieties on. Some of our best plums are
grown as top grafts on these varieties.
What to Plant. I am often asked to recommend varieties for planting.
Climatic conditions and locations are so varied that this is difficult only in
a general way. Some like dark plums ; others want light ones. The ten-
dency of the market now seems to favor the light-colored varieties, believ-
ing them to be sweeter. For my own planting I would use the following, to
cover the whole season in the order named : Red June (a Japa.n), Washing-
ton, B?ad«haw. Burba«nk, Quackenbos or Glass, Prune d'Agen. Arch
Duke. Diamond, Yellow Egg, Pond's Seedling, Coe's Golden Drop, and Reine
Claude. This list is sufficiently large, and pretty well covers the whole
season ; besides, fewer varieties give least trouble.
Penches. This has been a.nother good year for peaches here. It is only
a few years since peaches were tried here to any extent, but we now feel con
fident that with careful selection they can be grown in sufficient quantity to
at lea«st n^eet the local demand. Such varieties as Red Canada, Triumph,
Fitzgerald. Tyehurst, Bowslaugh's Late. Crosby, Champion, Wonderful, etc.,
bav<^ been bearing well, some trees bendiPiS and breaking with their loads of
frnit. "^ j"* ""^IT^I*
i^«*5 FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
47
Pears. Pea is have only been about a good half crop, but of excellent
fitialit.v. Tlie fol owinu var eties are succeeding remarkably well: Beurre
d'Anjoii, Baillett, Beurre Glairgoau, Belle Lucrative, Flemish Beauty,
Iiuch( ss. (;iai)p\s Favorite, Howell, Kieffer, etc. Quite a number of our young
trees are beginning to fruit, but not in sufficient quantity to make anv particiT-
iar mention of tliem. I believe it will be only a few years when we shall be able
;.o prove that pears can be grown here nearly as well a.s apples. I can well
Temembc r when it was thought useless to plant anything but Flemish Beauty,
Imt, thanks first to the Fruit Growers' Association, and later to the experi-
T^aeiit stations, that is all chji-iiged.
T have seen it churned several times during the pa.st vear that it was no
1( nger possible to grow clean Flemish Beauty pears. We sprayed our trees with
Bordeaux, first, when buds were swelling ; second, when blossoms began to
-burst ; third, when fruit had set and petals had fallen. The fruit is as clean
and handsome as could be desired.
Owing to the old and wet spring grapes bloomed rather late, and unless
^e have a warm fall some of them may not ripen well. Champion, Moore's
Diamond. Green Mountain, Niaga.ra, and Brighton are maturing very well.
John Mitchell.
Lake Hukon Station.
The season just passed has been a very trving one to the fruit ^rower
c^wmg to the extremely wet, cold weather. The winter of 1901 and 1902 was
? very mild one, the lowest degree of frost was onlv 10 degrees below zero
1 he spring opened up very early with summer-like weather, but cold weather
set in the early part of May a.nd continued so throughout the season On
M-Y I'tli anri iirh we had twelve degrees of frost, but no damage was done
except to some of the young growth of the raspberries, and on Ma«v 27th we had
a cold rain, with some snow, still it did not seem to injure the bloom any.
\ ery little planting was done at this station in the experimental plots
Two varieties of apples, one variety of raspberry, nnd three varieties of plums
were r-dded to the large list now growing at this station.
One thing very disappointing to the experimenter after caring for a tree or
plant IS thnt when it commences to bear fruit he often finds it is some old and
i^-orthless variety. This has happened at this station. I thiak the nurserv-
man who sends out trees incorrectly na.med ought to be prosecuted
All clas^e, of fungus were very prevalent, especially the black spot, and
twig and fire blight. '
Insects were not so troublesome as some years. There was a small
i:reen wo-m that bored in the apple from the outside in the later part of the
season, which has never been noticed before.
New Fruits. Amono- the newer fruits that commenced to bear this
i*«ason are three of the French pears planted two vears ago :
\u ustT ^^ ^'^''"^^^' ^^"'* ^^^^'''' ^"^^" ^ quality not very good, tart ; ripe
T)r. .Tules-Guyot, this one bloomed in July ; fruit medium size, not tested
Y'"t for onnlitv.
Dr. Jougre, fruit large; resembles Clairgeau; not ready at time of writincr
Ihe apple crop this season was anything but satisfactory. Thev were
T^ry small and spotted, not more than one-third fit for market, especi^^llv the
The pear crop was very good. Fruit large and clean, and all sold at fair
prices.
48 THE REPORT OF THE N.. 17
The plum crop was not so la.rge as last i^eason but was of better quality
The plum orchard at this station is continuing to grow vigorously, and is
becoming a very profitable part of the farm.
Tie cher y ci* p was very light, not over one-third. The Bhick Knot is
still prevalent, but the Lake Huron Fruit Growers' Association petitioned the
Brant Township Council to appoint an inspector and it ha.s been done. The
cherry trees at this station continue to make a good growth and are doing
well. But I cannot give any report as to the yield, as the birds took the
entire crop with the exception of a few baskets. I have never seen the wax-
wing and the robin so numerous as the pa«st season.
A. E. Sherrington.
SiMcoE Fruit Station.
This has been a peculiar season, such as may occur perhaps only once in
a lifetime. Never, in the history of this country, have we had such an excess
of moisture, or such a cool summer; and this ha^s had a peculiar effect on the
fruit crop. The winter of 1901-2 was the mildest in point of temperatur-e
for thirty years; the lowest temperature recorded here being scarcely ten
below zero. As a result of this all kinds of fruit buds came through the win
ter in line condition, and there was an abundance of bloom. But cool weather,
with alternate frosts and rain, spoiled the early blooming fruits such as plums
and cherries; and frequent rains during the time of the apple bloom spoilt
the prospects in most of the orchards in this district; more particularly in the
winter apples. Early apples, such as Duchess and Astrachan, however, were
a full crop. Some va.rieties of fall apples were a fair crop, while others were
very poor. The peculiar thing about the winter apples was that there was no
uniformity about the crop. They were what might be termed patchy, that
is, some orchards have a full average crop and some above average; while
others, in the sa.me section, were almost barren.
In m}' own orchard the Duchess have a heavy crop, the fall apples were
below average and the wnntei* apples set a large crop; but continued to drop
until ^ ast ^' id-^ummer, when there w^ s little 1 ft. The Spys, however, were
a little better than the others. I attribute this to imperfect fertiliza-
tion of the blo^s uns, the Spys blooming later during better wea«ther prob-
ably making a difference in their favor. The orchards giving the best crops
were almost invariably on high rolling land, and, no doubt, atmospheric
drainage had a good deal to do with it. Small fruits, such as strawberries,
raspberries, and blackberries were a record crop. The abundant moisture
seemed to suit them, and we gathered berries continuously from June until
well into September.
I have tested a great ma.ny varieties of strawberries, and my main crop
consists of Crescent and Williams. The Crescent is the most profitable straw-
berry among upwards of a hundred varieties tested. I have tested many of
(fche uMich Inuded, f'ne lo'^king varieties, and mnny of them certainly produced
fine berries, of good quality, but when you picked them over about three times
thev were dono. I want a berr^- that will give you fairly good pickings for
two weeks, or more, and the Crescent will do this better than any other variety
I have^ tested. It will pay better at 5 or 6 cents a box, than many of the others
would do at 25.
I hnve been testins: several varieties of Russian Apricots, viz. — Gibb, Nich-
olas, Alexander, and Purple Apricot. I might sum up my experience with
them in this advice to intending planters : DonH plant them ; to do so would be
only time and money wasted.
1»0» FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
49
Insect pests were in evidence but no worse than in other years There
were sca.rcely any of the tent caterpillars, and I think this pest will not be
troublesome for some time again.
Curculio was very bad; I presume on account of the small crop of plums
they were able to concentrate their efforts. Codling moths were plentiful
I believe the bandagino: of trees with burlap, if properly attended to
throughout the season, would almost exterminate the moth.
Nothing in the experimental plots has failed since my last report With
the exception of the blight on the foliage of the cherries noted in this vewrt
doi7 welf ^^^*^°"^le to dispose ff the surplus to
advantage, a large qua^ntity has been left on the hand» of the grower
Most vaneties are unusually free from scab especially in orchards that
were sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. ^ ^ ^"^ ^"ai
W.W. HiLBORN.
Strawberry Station.
anT+wT/* ^^^''''' ^T "^""^^ exceptional, in many respects different from
Si' condition:'"'"''' '' '^'^ '^'^ " ''^' ''^ ^^^^^*-^ -^- '^'^ -t their
davs^Sut?n t^.Th'nW^^' ^^''^'' very cold and wet, some few quite warm
Affpr ?i,i r *^^. l^^''^^ ^' ^^"^*^°^ ^^^ ^^^* "^^y be ea,lled cold.
Atter the earlier varieties had begun to blossom, we had three or four
Dratforr''Tr''%'^! *^/' ''''' ''' ^'^ '' ^^ '^'^ ^^ P-il standfng on pumj
£ ma^; nnn^'' frosts destroyed not only a large part of the first blossoms
but many unopened buds, so severely that manv of the stra.wberrv growers
SlleYbTthTfror'' '^'^^^^i' 'I'' *^^ ^°^- -^P '' strawberries w'asTonel!
fcilled by the frosts. Happily their surmises were not at all correct • for it was
found that enough buds had been, untouched to make one of the t^st cro^ w^^
onln ?S mTddTo^f ^:^^^^ -^^*^^^ prolonged tl'Tas::
ofW« -vr I T^t ^ "J"^- ^"""^^ ^'°^^ ^^^e ^ery much more injured than
others Nick Ohmer, Sampson. Wm. Belt, Marshall. Seaford, and Margaret
Ke'mo'iwrtL"'''.*^ were others, such a. Klondik 'saundeSun:
fcampje, Woolverton, and Empress injured only verv slightlv or not at all
.oal^dTJ/r thf^V^^ r i"i"",^' ^^ ^"^'^^*^^ .rounVwa's thoro^h Iv
lust wh«f +^ w ?J^ '* ^""'^^ ^" ^^y ^^^ P^^ ^f the 30th. This wa^
Ce anil L^J^^ ^'^^' ^^^ days were warm the nigMs
2^d there^^^^^^^ i "^'f ^^' for producing the best strawberries. On Julv
f^^lfn- ^^'"''^ P'''^'°^ ""^ Bra^ndywine, Joe, Klondike. Hunn Hast pick
SeLtr Cnlan^w^^^^ of Dew Gandy, Emperor', Miller, Wm. Belt SamS
l^lZ S^'^^P' ^^^^^ opinions differ in many places on manv of the varieties
4 F.E.S.
50 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
ieties. T never saw them do nearly as well. There was a very la.rge crop
and good pricts all through the season. Again I wish to repeat that the
iiiLiTovv system has come out ahead, and the ** wide row" must go, although,
perhaps, three-fourths of all the strawberries grown are grown on this plan.
But progressive fruit growers are finding out that it is not the most pr*ofirable
way. I will give you just one instance : A grower, a progressive one, pre
pared one acre of ground, well manured it with stable manure, well work
ed in, and got good plants set in rows three feet a«part. The varieties were
Williams and Clyde. Kept rows of plants narrow, about 18 inches, leaving a
good patij tor tne pickers. In fall gave a dressing of unleached hardwood
ftshe.s, and a slight covering of long, strawy ma«nure. In the sprinir this was
raked into the paths, which acted as a mulch, and kept the berries clean. The
ground had been kept well cultivated, and clear of all weeds. The result ;
First season there, were 600 crates picked from that one a«cre, or 14,600 boxes,
and the grower lost fully 50 crates during the hot spell, when he could not
get help to pick them, and that many were wasted. There were over 500
crates picked from that acre the past season, which was the second year of
nuiting for that piece of ground. Tha.t acre of ground produced as much
as the ordinary grower gets from three or four acres grown in the ordinary
way. As I have said, the past was a good strawberry season, lasting from
about June 10th, when the first berries began to be picked, such as Monitor,
Honest Charlie, and the well-known Michel. Van Deman, Johnson,
August Luther, and Bederwood, until the middle of July, when the last
of Nettie, Hunn, Klondike, and Ganidy were picked. It was a season of
very fine berries ; some of the finest I ever saw were grown this past season..
Some boxes I picked of Hunn. Sample, Glen ^fary, Brandywine, Saunders,
Miller. New York, Uncle Jim, Corsican, Klondike. Bismarck. Bubach, Haver-
Jand. Monitor, Pa.rson's Beauty, I never saw surpassed for size and beauty.
Notes on Season of Picking.
Season of Different Varieties. The season of some of the different varie-
ties was as follows :
June 20th. A good picking of Carrie, Overholt^s Special, Manwell, also
of Kansas, a good cropper. (First picking of Hero.) Good picking of Beder
wood, and third picking of August Luther, a* good cropper ; first pickinsr of
Uncle Jim, large and fine, also first picking of Glen Mary, very large ber-
ries ; also first of Emperor, Empress and Parson's Beauty, fine berry ; first
of Mario and Gertrude.
Junp 23rd. Good picking Splendid. Leader. Glen Mary, Jucunda (im-
ported), Irene, Annie Laurie, and Monitor, a splendid variety ; good of Mc-
Kinley, Klondike, Parson's Beauty, Clyde, August Luther, Michel. First
picking of Joe, Senator Dunlap, Willia«ms, Wm. Belt and Jersey Queen ;
good picking of Aroma, Manwell, Woolverton, Sample. Kansas, Saun
d^rs. Corsican, New York, and Uncle Jim. First picking of Triumph de
Gand, and Star ; good picking of Greenville, Cobden, Queen, Fountain, Beder
wood, and Hero ; Crescent, small and poor ; good of Lovett, Tennessee Prolific,
Pr'de of Cumberland, Ma^rie and Gertrude ; Saunders was better than Lovett
or Williams. These last three resemble each other very much in the berry,
but not in the plant. We are now in the thick of the season ; all varieties
are bearing except the very late ones, such as Nettie, 11.59 p.m., a«nd Robbie.
No berries yet ripe on these varieties ; not ripe before July 1st.
T was particularly pleased with the showing Monitor made the past
season, its first fruiting here. The berry is large, roundish, bright and at-
tractive ; the plant is thrifty and very productive. It comes amongst the
early ones, and, I think, will prove profitable.
1002 FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 51
New ones placed in our trial plot for first time are as follows : Auto,
Ariustpong, Bu5>li Cluster, Beujamin, (Jliellie, Dewev, Drought King, Echo,
Epicure, Family Favorite, Granville, Great Ruby, Hawaii, Lady Garrison,
Lester Lovett, Luxury, Lyon. Palmer's E., Success, Su[)ei'ior, Sutherland, Shep-
hard. Saint Antoine de Padoue, Mark Hannti., Mrs. Mark Hanna. Nichol's No.
6, New Globe, Repeater, Texas, Thompson's Nos. 500, 203, and 202, Uncle
Sam, Vandevere, V'irous, and Ryekman, and 13 of J. H. Black's pedigreed
Heedlings sent me by Mr. Black for trial, viz.: Joe, Reba, Nettie, Robbie,
Stella, Almon, Carrie Silvers, Howard, Prof. Fisher, Mrs. Fisher, Hazel.
Leon, and Ham. With one or two exceptions these have made a very good
growth, aad we will be able to report on them after fruiting next season.
Early and Extra* Early Varieties. August Luther, Michel, Monitor,
Van Deman, Johnson's Early, Excelsior, Smith's Lord Sheffield, Clyde, Staples,
Bcderwood, Marshall.
Mid Season to Late. Haverland, Splendid, Tennessee, Prolific, Honest
Charlie, Ka.nsas, Hero, Marie, Bismarck, Ruby, Glen Mary, Saunders, Wil-
liams, Lovett, Brandy wine, Sample, Ruby, Bubach, Miller, Senator Dunlap,
Nick Ohmer, Empress.
Late. Aroma, Uncle Jim, Klondike, Hunn, Gandy, Emperor Joe, Nettie,
Robbie, Timbrell 18, Dew, Empress, 11.59 p.m. or Midnight, Rough Rider,
etc. There is quite a difference of opinion on some of the above varieties,
depending on the difference of the soil in which they are grown and the way
they are treated.
E. B. Stevenson.
St. Lawrence Experiment Station.
The winter of 1901-02 was all that could be desired from a fruit grower's
point of view. On November 12th we had a light fall of snow, followed about
a week later by a second, which, remaining until well into March, kept the
ground from freezing all winter. The winter temperatures were normal, with
no very sudden changes from high to low. The only severe test the trees
bad was on the 10th of May. The trees were then almost in bloom, when
the thermometer dropped a few degrees below freezing, with a high wind,
which injured the centre blossom in many clusters on the apple, and did seri-
ous injury to all early blooming plums and cherries.
Field mice were very destructive in unprotected orchards during the
winter. In some orchards of young trees more than half were completely
ruined. My young orchards were successfully protected by wrapping with
ordinary building paper for about 10 to 12 inches from the ground. Out of
700 trees wrapped only one was injured, and that was done above the paper.
I cannot recommend tar paper, and wish to warn people against using it,
for I have seen injury to the bark in many cases.
Fungi caused serious damage here, as elsewhere in the Province, but
I found that from four to five sprayings gave me a crop with from 85 per
cent, to 90 per cent, clean fruit. Most of the spra^yings were made between
showers, as it rained almost continually during the past summer, but by
being careful to spray when' the foliage was dry I obtained good results,
even though it rained a short time after the spraying was done.
Insects were apparently few in number, but by close observation one
found the smaller insects (really the one» that do the most damage) out in their
usual numbers, but were later in hatching or moving from winter quarters.
Bud moth gave me the most trouble, and I had also to fight an attack of Tus-
sock moth. These insects appeared in large numbers, and began eating the
young apples when about the size of cherries, and injured a lot of my fruit
before I got them under control.
52 THE REPORT OF THE No.. 17
The black soap from France for treating the aphis 1 applied to a r-ow
of cherry and plum trees with markedly good results. The foliage on the
tieaud trees retained a bright, glossy green, and the apliis was almost all
destroyed. I find strong tobacco waiter and soap also a satisfactory treat-
ment for aphis, and not injurious, like kerosene, emulsion.
My plums and pears were kept under a treatment of clean cultivation
until July 9th, when cultivation ceased, and I allowed a cover crop to grow.
The ground was fertilized with a cover crop plowed under in the spring,
and a light dressing of manure and muriate of potash applied.
A good many people from the surrounding n^ome varieties fruited \h\> roar for the first time.
Shackleford. Planted in 1S05 ; tree healthy, vigorous, spreading in habit
of growth ; fruit medium to large ; skim da.rk green, splashed and streaked
with dark red ; calvx partly closed ; stem short, set in a deep, narrow cavity ;
flesh coarse, acid, with no projionnced flavor ; probably a fair cooker, Rnd
would keep until well on in winter.
Hamilton. Planted in 1897, bore for the first time a few specimens this
year ; tree a thrifty grower, spreading ; fruit above medium size, roundish
oblate; calyx large, partly closed, in a wide, uneven basin; stem short, set
'iTt '> deep nnT'^'ow caHty : skin yeM"»w, waxy in appeara«nce ; flesh whitish,
watery ; water core, fairly good flavor ; I doubt if it will be of value, though
a clean, handsome-looking apple.
She.rw^ood's Favorite. This is an old variety, known as Chenango Straw-
berry, and sometimes called Sheep's Nose. I fruited it years ago from scions,
whioh were sent me under the name of Stump. It is so well known that it
is not necessary to describe it. Some esteem it highly as a dessert variety,
and it certainly has considerable merit in that line. I would not advise any-
one to plant it extensively. One tree in an orchard would be enough.
Banks. An apple grown from scions sent me under the name of Banks
Hed Gra.venstein, which has fruited this year. It is a handsome apple, above-
medium size, elongated and ribbed. Calyx closed in a shallow basin ; stem
very short, in a deep cavity ; skin dark green, overspread with bright red ;
fiesh white, with a slightly sweet, agreeable flavor. In my opinion when fully
hpe this would scale up pretty high as a dessert apple. It is a clean, hanJ
s >me, attractive-looking apple, and I think it will likely be well worthy of
cultivntio-^. It -vill evidently keep until midwinter at least.
Peerless. This is an apple described in former reports, but I am in
cMned to think it is one of tho best varieties yet tested for ins season. It came
f^'.m Minne-ota in 18!>5, where it originated. Ii is s*h(\ to be a <:cedlint^ of
56 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
Duchess of OldeDberg. It was introduced as a winter apple, but it cannot be
classed as other than a late fall apple, though it would keep until Christmas,
I think, fairly well. The tree is not a fast grower, but it is very heaJthy and
hardy, and is inclined to an upward habit of growth. It began to bear the
second year, and has borne every year since. At first the fruit was scarcely
above medium size, arid did not attract attention particularly ; but, as the
tree grows older, the fruit improves in size and beauty, until now there is no
variety on the whole list that I know of that is its equal in appearance. It is
very uniform in size, averaging three inches in diameter ; in sbKf>e it resem-
bles the King ; it is perfectly clean and free from scab. Tlio skin is red.
varying from bright scarlet to dark red ; flesh white, crisp, juicy, with a brisk,
epicy flavor. As a cooking apple this variety excels ; indeed. I think I am
pafe in saying: that it has no equal as a cooker, and I believe this variety
would rank very high in the British market, if transported in good eondi
tion. We are growing too many fa.ll apples now in this country, and. not
enough of the standard commercial winter varieties, and I thinlv we should
be very careful about extending the list, unless they are possessed of special
merit. But. unless I am greatly mistaken, we have a valuable new apple in
the Peerless. I believe there is money in it.
Several varieties of Russians fruited this year were of such poor
quality that they are not worth describing. It would be a waste of time.
The best that can be said of these Russian, or most of them a least, is that,
being hardy, they may succeed in cold sections of the country where better
varieties fail, and would be better than no apple a«t all.
Gano. This variety, called by some Black Ben Davis, I still believe to
be a decided improvement on the Ben Davis. It bears just as car-.
These trees were planted in 1896. Trees planted in 1807 and bearing are :
Magog, Red Streak, Arabka, Excelsior, Boiken, Roman Stem, Shackleford.
Fannie, Peach of Montreal, and Mon,treal Beauty.
Longfield. This much advertised variety will prove a disappointment t .
those planting it for profit. It is an early and hea«vy bearer, inclined to ove '
bear, but it maturos a crop of apples too small to be of any commercial valuf .
Its truit/ is thin-skinned, of a light color and shows bruises and finger mark-,
lis season is September and October, instead of being a winter apple as it :^
claimed to be.
Milwaukee is the most promising variety yet tested, from a commerciai.
standpoint. This is a seedling of the Duchess by Jeffreys. The tree takes the
character of the parent. It is an early and heavy bearer. Fruit large in
size, 3x2 1-2 inches; color^ yellowish green, blnsbed and streaked on th^
sunny side; calyx, closed, in wide shallow basin; stem, slender, one-half inch
in a narrow deep basin; flesh, rather coarse; brisk acid; no aroma; season from
November to March. This variety is more suitable for cooking than for .
table apple.
Peter. This apple is similar in every respect to the Wealthy and should
hardly be classed as a distinct variety.
Salome has fruited with me for the second time, and although the tre-
js a hardy, vigorous grower, the fruit has proved very unsatisfactory, being oz
small size, less than two inches in diameter, poorly colored and liable to dro;.
before maturity.
In the St. Lawrenc? Valley we have yet to find an apple that will be a>
profitable to the grower, tree for tree, or acre for acre, as the Fameuse, an.5
apples belonging to that group, such a^s the Mcintosh, Scarlet Pippin, et^:
These apples grow to perfection, and when kept free of spot, command tli^
very highest prices, and are sought for in all the markets, both at home an-i
abroad.
Notes by Charles Young (Algoma Fruit Si atio.n).
I have now at this station over forty varieties of apples under test, soni^
are doing remarkably well, and a few have proved too tender. It is rather to )
early yet to say which should be discarded as some reputed tender varietie;.^
sj far have proved quite hardy; while some others, Transparent for instance
supposed to be iron cla«d, have shown a tendency to sun scald. Of the apple*
planted in 1899 the following have fruited this year : Duchess, Yellow Trans
parent. Wealthy, Wolf River, Scott's Winter and Longfield, the latter yield
ing a heavy crop. I would ijot alter the list of desirable apples for Northern.
Ontario. A few new varieties are coming well to the front, but want a fur
ther trial before recommending them to plant, except for testing. Some,
which have been extensively planted, Ben Davis for instance, are so far no:
diesirable : the tree is healthy and vigorous, but the fruit is small, poorly col-
ored and apparently out of its climate. Sweet Bough is too tender; Wall
bridge is our best long keeper ; the appearance is good, quality second clasu
to eat, good for cooking.
19013
FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
59
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60 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
iSOTES BY W. W. HiLHORN (SOUTH WESTERN FrUIT STATION ).
The past season has not been favorable to the fruit grower. The spring
was cold and backward. May, June and July were unusually wet and cold
and proved disastrous to many of our fruits.
Apples suffered least, they were a large crop, much above the average
both in quantity and quality. The buyers however are not all living up to
their agreement, and considerable loss will result from this cause. On account
of the orchards yielding: more good fruit than the buyers expected, and not
being able to dispose of the surplus to advantage, a large quantity has been
left in the hands of the grower. Most varieties are unusually free from scab,
especially in orchards that were sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.
BLACKBERRIES.
Notes by A. W Peart (Burlington Station).
Blackberripss were a fine crop. Few, if any, dried up, the frequent rains
leadinig to a continuously moist condition of the soil. Owing to the summer
less nature of the summer, both blooming^ and ripening were considerably later
(than the average, the former about a week and the latter probably ten days.
In weedinsr o"t nnriesirable varieties of blackberries* the following are
iBlassified as too tender for this district : Early Cluster, Early Harvest, Min-
newarly King. Cane upright, spreading, medium vigor, somewhat tender,
but quite productive. Berry small to medium, 3-4 x 5-8, roundish oblong,
qualitv good. Season early to medium, July 18 — Aug, 10.
Eldorado. Cane upright, spreading, vigorous, hardy, but not verv pro-
ductive; berry medium to largp, 7-8 x 3-4, oblong, conical, sprightly flavor.
Season medium. July 25 — Aug. 20.
190:e FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 61
Erie. Cane upright, spreading, vigorous, hardy, and productive; berry
medium, 7-S x :5-4, roundish, conical. Season medium, July 25 — Aug. 20.
Gainer. Cane upright, vigorous, hardy and productive. Berry very
lari^e 1 1-4 x 7-8 inch, roundish oblong, fine in quality. Season, medium, July
25 — Aug. 20. Promises well.
Kittatinny. Cane upright, very strong and vigorous, hardy and produc-
tive; berry la'rge to very large, 1 1-8 x 3-4, ovate, oblong, rich and juicy.
Season late, July 30 — Aug. 30. One of the best commercial varieties.
Lovett's Best. Ca.ne upright, stiff, hardy and productive. Berry oblong,
round, small, 3-4 x 5-8; quality fair. Season late, July 30— Aug. 30.
Maxwell. Cane being weak and light spreading a«nd unproductive ;
berry roundish, oblonig, large to very large, 1 x 3-4 inch of excellent quality,
season medium, July 25 — ^Aug. 20.
Minnewaski. Cane upright, spreading, vigorous, but tender and unpro-
dnctive; berry medium to large, 7-8 x 3-4, roundish, oblong, of good quality.
Season early to medium, July 20 — Aug. 15.
Ohmer. Ca«ne upright, spreading, vigorous, productive, and hardy ; berry
very large, 1 1-4 x 3-4, oblong, oval; quality good. Season medium, July
26-August 20.
Snyder. Cane upright, moderately vigorous, hardy, and very productive;
berry medium size, 7-8 x 3-4; oblong, oval; of good quality. Season early to
medium, July 20 — August 15. Requires a rich soil. One of the best varieties
for ujaiket.
Stone^s Hardy. Cane upright, spreading, hardy, vigorous, and productive;
be ry oblong, oval, medium, 3-4 x 5-8, quality good. Season medium, July
25 — August 20. A very promising variety.
Taylor. Cane upright, vigorous, hardy, and productive; berry medium
size, 7-8 X 3-4, oblong-oval, quality good. Season medium, July 25 — August
20. A valuable commercial berry.
Wachusetts. Cane almost thornless, upright, vigorous, hardy, but not
p oductive. Berry of fine quality ; medium size, 3-4 x 5-8 ; roundish-oblong.
Season medium to late, July 25-— August 25.
Western Triumph. Cane upright, strong, and vigorous ; hardy and very
p oductive. Berry medium, 7-8 x 3-4 ; roundish-oblong ; of good quality.
Season medium , July 25 — August 20. A good market berry, but requires a
damp, rich soil.
Wilson^g Early. Cane upright, medium ; vigorous, haady, and fairly pro-
dnctivo. Berry large, 1x3-4; oblong-round. Quality good. Season medium,
July 25— August 20.
Wilson's Junior. Cane vinous in habit, trailing, spreading, hardy, but
a poor cropper; berry medium, 7-8 x 3-4, oval, oblong, sweet. Season me-
dium, July 25 — August 20. Propagates by both tips and suckers.
Blackberries appear to thrive best on soils having a quicksand bottom:
very hewy croppers a- the Snyder and Western Triumph, should be pruned
soverely. T WW
Notes by A. E. Sherrington (Lake Huron Fruit Station).
Agawam. 'A strong vigorous grower, healthy and hardy; fruit, large;
quality good; ripe Aug. 16th; yield 403 oz.
Ancient Briton. Plant fairly vigorous, hardy; fruit, medium; quality
poor; ripe May 16th; yield 108 oz.
Eldora«dn. A strong vigorous grower, healthy and hardy; fruit, large;
quality best; ripe Aug. 8th: yield 555 oz.
Early Cluster. Plant a strong grower; rather tender; fruit very large:
quality good; ripe Aug. 19th; yield 199 oz.
62 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
Gainor. Plant a« s rong grower, hardy; fruit very large; quality, good;
ripe, August 13th; yield 185 oz.
Ohmer. Plant strong, vigorous and hardy; fruit large; quality good; ripe
Aug. 16th; yield 59 oz.
Stone's Early. Plant vigorous, hardy and productive; fruit large, quality
good; ripe Aug. 13th; yield 65 oz.
Snyder. Plant strong, healthy and hardy: fruit medium; quality fair;
ripe Aug. 19th; yield 511 oz.
Taylor. Plant strong, vigorous and hardy; fruit, large; quality very
good; pipe Aug. 13th; yield 184 oz.
Wilson's Junior. Plant a weak grower; tender fruit; very large; quality
gH]od; ripe Aug. 13th; yield 165 oz.
Wachusetts. Th^'s is a thornless variety; plant not as vigorous as it
ought to be; tender; fruit medium; quality good; ripe Aug. 8th; yield 200 oz.
The most profitable blackberries are the Eldorado, Agawam and Synder,
in order named.
Notes by G. C. Caston (Simcoe Fruit Station).
In blackberries I have tested about 15 va
Late Duke.
Schmidt's Bigarreau. Tree six years planted in sandy loam made magiii-
ficent growth, but bore very few cherries; fruit very large, black, sweet and
rich; in season July 10th to 20th.
Scha«tten Amarelle. Probably same as Brusseler Braune.
Suda. Hardy; much like English Morello.
Windsor. Tree too vigorous in sandy loam, to be productive; on clay
loam one of the most productive kinds, subject to rot on send, but not on cla vy
iin season July 15th to 25th.
Wragg. Same as English Morello.
Yellow Spanish. Tree more productive than usual, but fruit thinned by
blighting; and not so large as usual. Harvested July 2nd.
Season of Ripening.
Variety. 1899. 1900.
Belle de Choisy .. June 22-July 2-4 June 27-July 12.
Black Tartarian June 25-July 10 June 2S-July 12.
Black Eagle July 4 July 4-July 13.
Belle Magnifique July 16 July 12-August i.
Cleveland June 17-July 3 June 15-July lO-
Early Purple June lo-june 27
Empress Eugenie .... June i6-July 5 June i6-July 7.
Elton June 21-July 2-10 June 20-July 5.
Governor Wood June 20-July 6-10 .... June 17-July 5.
Late Duke June 27-July 6-10 June 28-July 12.
Ida July 10 July 6.
English Morello July 10 July 9.
May Duke June 15-July 6 June 16- July 11.
Montmorency June 30.
Olivet June 24-July 5-10 . . . June 28-July 13.
Ohio Beauty June i6-July 4 June 20-July 18.
Orel June 19.
King's Amarelle July 7.
Mercer June 25-July i.
Dyehouse June 21.
Knight Early June 25.
Schatten Amarelle .... July 5.
Strauss Weichlel Tuly 5.
Spate Amarelle Tuly TO-19.
Rockport Bigarreau July 8.
Ostheim July 10.
California Advance July 13.
Suda Hardy July 13.
Plymouth July 8-14.
Purity Tune 28.
Royal Duke June 30 Tune 26- July t8.
Reine Hortense Tune 28-July 28.
Wragg July 10 Tuly 9.
Downer's Late July «;.
Schmitz's Bigarreau No change.
Windsor Tuly 7-
Centennial Tune 4.
Rockport Tune 10.
Napoleon Tune 28-Tuly 13.
Yellow Spanish Tune 25-July 13.
Early Maurie Tune 15.
Early Richmond June 21,
Notes by W. W. Hilborn (Southwestern Station).
Cberries promised a large yield early in the season, but the latter un-
favorable weather destroyed a large portion of them. Sweet varieties were
nearly all destroyed by rot (Monilia). Rain occurred nearly every day for a
lOOlS FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 65
week just before they began to ripen, and most of the fruit was destroyed
while yet unripe. Sour varieties did not suffer much from this cause, but a
hail storm in thi» locality injured about one-half of the crop to such an extent
that they were not fit for mairket. A mysterious ^disease has appeared amonjr
the sour cherries, that is causing considerable uneasiness. I first noticed
jt last aeason on some Montmorency trees. The leaves turn yellow and drop
oflP when the fruit is about half grown. The fruit of course did not fully
mature on the trees most affected. Those injured most last season died this
season. They came out ini leaf and set a crop of fruit which grew to a«boiit
half it» normal size, when the foliage again turned yellow and dropped off
and the trees died. This season the disease has affected nearly all the trees
an this locality, especially those grown on sa«ndy loam, to a greater op less
extentt. All sour varieties appear to be susceptible to the disease.
Notes by G. C. Oaston (Simcoe Fruit Station).
Cherries were almost a total failure this year; the unfavorable weather
during bloom and the cool, wet summer was against them. Then a» peculiar
blight attacked the foliage, a kind of sporadic fungus, causing the leaves to
become spotted, then turn yellow, and then fall off, leaving some of the trees
almost bare. Whether this is the advent of a new disease or the effects of the
the time came for
successive sprayings, it was raining three days in the week, and we gave it up.
1 believe that cherries like corn, revel in hot weather. In the summer of '91 I
had a fine crop of cherries, and the hotter the weather the better they seemed
to be. I have frequently watered plum trees, in hot dry weather, to stop
them from dropping their fruit when heavily loaded, and have been successful,
but cherries seem to enjcyy hot dry weather. W^et cool weather in summer
seems to be decidedly against them. All my tree fruits get clean cultivation.
Several varieties bore a few specimens, but they never seemed to^ mature
properly, and lacked flavor. The trees affected most by the foliage blight,
were English Morello, Wragg, BessaTabian and Shatten Amarelle. I think
probably that next year, with normal weather conditions an.d thorough and
persistent spraying, there will not be any further trouble from this disease.
No varieties fruited this year that have not been described in former
reports.
CURRANTS.
Notes by A. W. Peart (Burlington Fruit Station).
Currants were a good crop. Many of the red and white varieties, such as
the Red Dutch Versailles, Belle de St. Giles, White Grape, White Imperial,
North Star, Brayley, and Fay's Prolific, lost their entire foliage prematurely,
thus materially injuring the crap. Pomona, Red Cross, Wilder and Cherry,
suffered somewhat, while the New Victoria, Raby Castle, and Old Victoria
were entirely exempt from the fungus.
The currant worm was destroyed by spraying with Paris green, 1 lb. to
250 gallons of water, using a double spramotor nozzle. The black varieties
were exempt from disease of any kind.
The leading commercial varieties tested so far are: Red: Wilder, Cherry,
Pomona, Fay's Prolific, Red Victoria and North Star. Black; Saunders,
Naples. Black Victoria, and Collin's Prolific. The last kind appears to be an
uncertain cropper — one year very heavy and the next very light. The White
5 F.E.S.
6t3 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
Grape still leads the Imperial in point of productiveness. Like tte blackber-
ries they were later in blooming and ripening than the normal.
Belle de St. Giles. Bush spreading, medium vigor, healthy and hardy,
but rather a shy bearer; bunch long and compact; berry red, large 1-2 inch in
fliameter; sub-acid of fine quality; season, medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th. A
large showy, but unproductive currant, yield per bush 3 lbs.
Black Victoria. Bush a light grower, spreading, healthy, hardy and pro-
ductive; berry large, 1-2 inch, firm, sweet, of excellent quality; season medium,
July 15th to Aug. 10th. Yield 5 lbs. A good commercia«l variety.
Brayley's Seedling. Bush moderately vigorous, upright, healthy, ha«rdy
and fairly productive; bunch, long, straggling, loose; berry red, medium size
3-4 inch, very acid; season, medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th. Yield 4 lbs.
Champion. (Origin England.) Bush, upright, vigorous, healthy, hardy
and moderately productive; berry veiy large 5-8 inch, black, somewhat acid;
33ason, late, July 25th to Aug. 15th. Yield 4 lbs.; like Collin's Prolific, It is a
very variable cropper fiom year to year.
Cherry. (Origin Europe.) Bush upright, vigorous, hardy, healthy, and
Tery productive; bunch, short and compact; berry, dark red, firm, large 12
incii, acid; season, medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th; yield 6 lbs. per bush. A
standard commercial currant of the older types.
Collin's Prolific. Bush an upright, spreading, rampant grower, hardy
and variable in yield from year to year; berry large 1-2 to 5-8, firm, acid; sea
son, medium to 'late, July 20th to Aug. 10th; yield 1902, 3 lbs.
Cr-^ndall. Bush somewhat spreading, very strong and vigorous grower,
Taaidy, healthy and pioductive; berry, var'able in size, 3-8 to 3-4 inch, uneven
in ripening, bluish-black, sub-acid; season, July 20th to Sept. 1st; yield 5 lbs.
Fay's Prolific. (Origin New York.) Probably a cross between Cherry and
Victoria. Bush, spreading, moderate grower, hardy, healthy and fairly pro-
ductive; bunch, verv long, somewhat loose; berry, large to very large, 1-2 to
5 8 inch, red firm, sub-acid; season, medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th; yield 4 lbs.
Lee's Prolific. (Origin England.) Bush spreading, modera^tely vigorous,
healthy, hardy, fairly productive; berry, black, very large, 1-2 to 5-8 inch, sub-
acid; season, medium, July 15th to Aug. 10th; yield, 1902, 3 1-2 lbs. per bush.
This currant as well as Fay's Prolific requires careful cultivation for the best
results.
Naples. (Origin Europe.) Bush spreading, vigorous, hardy, healthy and
very productive; berry, la-rge 1-2 inch, black, sub-acid; season, medium, July
15th to Aug. 10th ; yield, 4 lbs. One of the old reliable kinds.
New Victoria. Bush spreading, vigorous, hardy and productive; bunch
long and loose; berry red, small to medium, 3-8 inch, acid, but agreeable
flavor; season, medium, Julv 10th to Aug. 5th; yield 6 lbs.
North Star. (Origin Minnesota.) Bush medium vigor, upright, hardy,
healthy and productive; bunch, medium length, compact; berry, red, medium
to large, 3-8 to 1-2 inch, acid, sprightly; sea.son, medium to late, July loth to
Aug. 10th; yield, 1902, 6 lbs. A desirable late currant.
Pomona. Bush spreading, moderate grower, healthy, hardy and pro-
ductive; bunch, long, compact; berry, red, large, 1-2 inch, sub-acid, excellent
quality; season, medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th; yield 6 lbs. A very promis-
ing currant.
Prince Albert. Bush moderate grower, spreading, healthy, ha»rdy and
productive; leaves, large, deeply cut; bunch, short to medium; berry, small
to medium, 3-8 inch, red, verv acid; season, late. Julv 15th to Aug. 10th: vield
5 lbs. I-
Raby Oastle. (Origin Canada.) Bush upright, very vigorous, 'ia.rdy,
healthy, and very productive; bunch, short and campact: berry red, small to
190;^ FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 67
med.um, 0-8 inch, tirm, a^'id; season, medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th; yield
tj 1-2 lbs. Very productive, but too small for good price.
Red Cross. (Origin New York.) Probably a cross between Cherry and
White Crape; bush, spreading, vigorous, hardy, healthy, and productive;
bunch, short and compact; berry, small to medium, 3-8 inch, red, firm, spright-
ly, sub-acid; season, medium, July 15th to Aug. 10th; yield, 5 lbs. Rather
small for commercial purposes.
Red Dutch. (Origin Europe.) Bush upright, vigorous, healthy, hardy,
and very productive; bunch, medium length, loose; berry, red, smaJl, 1-3 to
3-8, sub-aeid, of fine flavor; season early to medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th;
yield 8 lbs. Rather too small for profit.
Red Victoria. Bush upright, vigorous, hardy, and very productive;
foliage dark g^eu, deeply cut; bunch, long and loose; berry, large, 1-2 inch,
bright red, tenacious, firm, acid; season, medium, July 10th to Aug. 5th;
yield 8 lbs. A leading commercial variety.
Saun ers. (Origin Ontario.) Bush upright-spreading, vigorous, hardy,
healthy and productive; berry, black, large, 1-2 inch, of a good sub-acid flavor;
sta.son, medium, July 15th to Aug. 10th; yield 4 lbs. A very promising cur-
rant.
Versailles. (Origin France.) Bush spreading; moderately vigorous,
healthy, hardy, and fairly productive ; bunch medium length, rather com-
pact ; berry red, medium size, 3-8-inch ; not so acid as the cherry. Season
early to medium, July 10-August 5. Yield 4 pounds.
White Grape. (Origin Europe.) Bush spreading; moderately vigorous,
productive ; bunch long and loose ; berry white, large, 1-2-inch ; sub-acid ;
pleasa.nt flavor. Season medium to late, July 15-August 10. Yield 6 pounds.
White Imperial. Bush fairly vigorous, spreading, hardy, healthy ; mod-
erately productive ; bunch long and loose ; berry white, medium to large, 3 8
to 12 inch ; fine quaJity. Season medium, July 10-August 5. Yield 4 pounds.
Wilder. (Origin New York.) Bush vigorous, hardy, healthy and very
productive ; bunch medium length, compact ; berry red, large, 1-2-inch ;
snb-acid ; of excellent quality. Season medium, July lOAugust 5. Yield 6
pounds. One of the best all-a.round currants tested.
From past experience here, the following may be omitted from a com-
me'cial list : Belle de St. Giles, Raby Castle, Red Cross, Red Dutch, Ver-
sailles, and Champion.
NoTE^ r.Y A. E. Sherrington (Lake Huron Fruit Station).
The ciH)p of the past season has been quite satisfactory, although Pomona
and ^^ersailles were somewhat affected with blight, so much so that the
foliage all dropped, but not before the fruit was matured.
Black Victoria. Bush strong and vigorous, hardy ; fruit large ; quality
good ; yield 7 ounces ; 3 years old.
Cherry. Bush slow grower, not as vigorous as the Fay's; fruit very
large ; quality good ; color red ; yield 62 ounces.
Champion. Bush a. strong, vigorous grower ; fruit large, black ; quality
good ; yield 87 ounces.
Fay. A strong, vigorous grower; healthy and hardy; fruit very
large ; color red ; quality good ; yield 62 ounces. One of the best.
Naples. A strong, vigorous grower, healthy, and hardy ; very produc-
tive ; fruit very lar2:e ; quality good ; color black ; yield 87 ounces.
North Sta?'. Bush partly vigorous, of spreading habit ; canes small ;
fi'uit s.ma«ll, red ; quality poor.
Pomona. Bush a strong, compact grower ; hardy, but fruit and foliage
destroyed bv blight.
68 THE REPORT OF THE :No. 17
Prince Albert. A strong, upright grower ; healthy and hardy ; fruir
medium; color red; quality fair; yield 89 ounces.
Saunders. Bush vigorous ; strong, hardy ; fruit medium ; color black :
quality very good ; yield 7 ounces.
Versailles. Bush partly vigorous, hardy ; was attac-ked with blight :
fruit large ; color red ; quality good ; yield 41 ounces.
GOOSEBERRIES.
Notes by Stanley Spillett (Nantyr, Simcoe County).
Pearl and Downing gave a large crop (six quarts to the bush) of fiue
fruit, which sold readily at five cents per quart.
Twenty-five per cent, of the whole crop of Downing, Pearl, and Red
Jacket fell off prematurelj. The fruit commenced to fall just as the seed
colored to ripen. I was in hopes last season that this falling was largely
due to overloading, that the drain on the bush, just at the ripening period,
was too great, but I am afraid, after this year's experience, that it is due to
an insect.
Cha.mpion was fit to use green again fully two weeks earlier than Down-
ing. This variety gave seven quarts to the bush ; it runs small on old wood.
Red Jacket gave four quarts to the bush, of splendid fruit, which sold
readily when ripe at six cents per quart. Though not so large as Whitesmith,
it is, when ripe, or nearly ripe, the most beautiful gooseberry in mv collec-
tion. I ha^ve to explain that I pruned Red Jacket and Downing very severe-
ly, both last faJl and this spring, to prevent the fruit falling, which it did
not do, as there was not wood enough left for a big crop of fruit. In my
opinion this berry has no peer, where the gooseberry is used when ripe, or
just when the berry commences to color. At this stage the berry is a pinkish
transparent color, very beautiful. After ten years' experience with this var-
iety, I have to say I am digging out everything else, except for experimental
purposes, and putting in Red Jacket for market. Downing, Pearl, Oha.mpion,
and Red Jacket had not a speck of mildew this season, upon either fruit or
foliage.
The fruit of the foreign varieties, and their seedlings, was not affected
by mildew, but the foliage was so badly mildewed that it all fell off. The
mildew made its aippearance on the 16th of June, and in two weeks the
stems were bare of leaves, so the fruit never ripened properly, and was not
fit for use.
Autocrat gave the largest crop of fruit, of the foreign varieties. The
berry is very large, but of poor quality.
Large Golden Prolific, Columbia, Whitesmith, Chautauqua, Queen, and
Dominion, bore a large crop of fruit, and a^re very much alike in fruit and
bush. All mildewed, as I have described.
Crown Bob, and Keepsake were well loaded with very large berries ; so
was Crosby's Seedling, and Lancashire Lad. Crosby's Seedling gave the
largest berries this season.
Green Chisel was loaded, but the fruit is poor in quality. All the other
pure English va«rieties, sent 1;o the station in 1896, have gradually died out,
till now ; out of six each of 50 vr pieties, I have, besides Green Chisel, only
a dozen small, stunted bushes.
Success is i'^entical with Downing, and Oregon Jumbo with Red Jacket.
Golden Prolific and Keen's Seedling are worthless.
IU02 FlI^^IT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 69
Ontario is a beautiful, large berry, and the bush is very vigorous for
a foreign seedling. Yellow Scotch is not up to Whitesmith. Taken all
around, I find Whitesmith the best foreign variety. The bush is a« good
grower.
In conclusion, I desire to give reasons why I consider Pearl and Red
Jacket superior to ary of the foi'eign varieties or their seedlings for general
planting in this country :
(1) They are more vigorous, and grow lots of wood for renewing, and to
ptand the winter. (2) They are not affected by the mildew fungus. (3) They
an* great cropners. (4) They are thin-skinned, and caiU, therefore, be allowed
to get lipe, and the skin is n'^t disagreeable when cooked. (5) They are large
enough for all prartioal purposes, and of the very best quality. The Pearl,
for those who prefer a sweet fruit. The Red Jacket is quite tart when ripe,
and larger, and looks better in the baskets than the green berry.
To those who have soil and cMmate favorable to the growth of the foreign
varieties, I say, do not send to Britain for plants, but use those already ac-
climatized, such as Whitesmith. I have found the Old Country plants utter-
ly lackicig in vigor. A eentloman three miles south of my pla«ce has grown
Industry for years, and hns vet to see the first speck of mildew, while In-
dustry with me never fails to rot with mildew, so there are places in Ontario
favorable for their growth.
Green Chisel has suc<"eeded the best of anv variety received here from
The Old Land, and vet, after ten years, the bushes are no larger tha«n Pearl
at three years from sucker. .
Notes by Charlks Young (Algoma Fruit Station)
Gooseberries have all done well ; Pearl is, perhaps, the best ; the berries
ar^ larger than the Downing, but both are good, and, although the English
go-^«eberry is free from mildew here, the former are to be recommended as
best for this district. Nine varieties are under test.
GRAPES.
NoTFs BY M. Pettit (Wentworth Station).
Another season's experience with the grapes planted at this station is
still more convincing thait not one of the 140 varieties that have been fairly test-
ed here can be as profitably grown as the ordinary kinds that are generally
pla^Hei for market purposes, such as Champion, Worden, Moore's Diamond,
Lindley, Delaware, Niagara, Concord, Wilder (Rogers' No. 4), Requa (Rogers'
No. 28), Barry (Rogers' No. 43), Herbert (Rogers' No. 44), Agawam (Rogers'
No. 15), and Catawba. This list covers the entire season with very good,
hardy, productive va-rieties, and, I think, there is little, if any, profit in add
ing more kinds that are not as hardy or productive, and very little, if any,
better in) flavor or appearance. Campbell's Early might be added ; its chief
value, like the Champior^ is its earliness, a^nd Vergennes because it is a
^^ood, la.te-keeping winter grape.
To grow grapes of fine sample, and good quality, the first and most im-
portant thing is short pruning, to prevent overloading. The next is to ap-
ply suh^hur about the last week of June or first of July, to prevent mil-
lew, and the next is to allow them to fully rioen before they are picked.
If all grape growers would comply with these conditions, the market
f^r grapes would require one-half more than it does a.t present, and at
"li'her prices.
70 THE REPORT OF TBE No 17
Notes by CHAHi.h> You>g(Al(;oma Fruit Station).
Grapes are only to be planted here for amusement ; there is no profit, anii
but little pleasure, in trying to grow them.
PEACHES.
Notes by W. VV. Hilbjrn (Southwestern Fruit Station).
Peaches have been above an average crop, but, on account of the cold, wet
summer, the quality was not up to the usual standard. Mouilia was very
prevalent, and destroyed a larger percentage than in former years. Evem
Smock was badly affected, a sort that is not often injured by this disease.
All varieties suffered more or less, depending largely on the condition of the
Aveather just previous to and during the ripening period. " Curl leaf " did
considerable injury to most varieties tha»t were not sprayed. We had con-
clusive evidence that early spraying with Bordeaux mixture will, if properly
done, prevent "curl leaf." Perhaps no other sort is more susceptible to this
disease than Elberta ; a number of trees of this sort were treated, the last
week in March, with one thorough spraying, and the foliage wa,s perfect. A
few rods awa«y a few trees were left without spraying, and they were badly
a.ffected with the disease. The latter consisted of several varieties that usual-
ly do not suffer so much as Elberta. One thorough spraying, if done in
March, or before the buds swell, is sufficient. Every portion of the tree
must be covered with the mixture. The regular formula was used, 4-1-40.
In practice, we find it difficult to spray a tree perfectly at one opera-
tioni The wind is usually blowing when the work should be done. To over-
come this difficulty, we spray on the windward side ; when the wind change?,
spray the other side ; by this method every portion of the tree can be covered
perfectly in two operations.
The tr e^ planted since the " freeze-out " have not come into bearing-
sufficiently to report on varieties. It is becomins: more and more evident
every season that only the finest varieties should be planted, for, when-
ever there is a glut in the market, it is found that it affects the sma«ll and
inferior sorts most. In fact, when such fruit is not wanted at any price, strict-
ly first-class grades will sell at a profit. Good cultivation, systematic prun-
ins:, and thinning of the fruit must be followed, if best results are to be ob-
tained. In s^l'^cting varieties for the market purposes, the following kinds
are among the most valuable, named in their order of ripening: St. John.
Bridgen or Garfif^ld, Early Crawford, Fitzgerald, Yellow Rareripe, Engle-
M^mmoth, New Prolific, Elberta, Late Crawford, and Smock. For localities
outride the " pea^h belt,*' where hardiness of blossom buds are of prime im-
portance, it would be more safe to plant Crosby, Longhurst, Golden Drop,
nnd L^mon Free.
Notfs by W. H. Dkmpsey (Ray of Quinte Fruit Station).
I had this year a nice crop of peaches on a few varieties. Bokhara wa^
heavily loaded. Yellow St. John had a few very large samples, and so ha4
Fitzgerald. Triumph yielded about a basket to the tree.
PEARS.
Notes by A. W. Peart (Burlington Station).
There was very little pear blight this season, but the scab developed ti
an unusual extent in a few varieties, notably the Duchess. The Flemish
Beauty is sea reel v ever free from it. There was also a considerable amount
0^ knotty, gnarled fruit, due, probably, to the bite of the curculio.
IttOa FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 71
In a oeneral wa.y, over-eiiltivation and very severe pruning seem to
increase the bli\?ht, by inducing: a soft, rank growth of young wood. Of
varieties, the Bartlett, Clapp's Favorite, Duchess, and Idaho, appear to be
most subject to this trouble. Trees have made a good growth, and are in.
a healthy condition.
Anjoii. Plj>ntcd in 18S0. Tree a spreading, strong grower ; vigorous,,
hardy, productive, stocky, and handsome. Fruit large, blunt pyriform ; velf-
^owish-green when rip- ; tine texture, juicy and melting. Season, Novem-
ber. When picked too green, the fruit shrivels instead of ripening, to a greater
degree than most pears. It is also lacking in tenacity. One of the very best
export pears, and a profitable orchard variety.
Ba.rtlett. Planted 1880. Tree an upright, moderate grower ; hardy, and
very productive ; somewhat subject to blight ; fruit large, obtuse pyriform,
buttery, rich. Season, early September. With efficient cold storage, a very
profitable export pear, as well as an old standard orchard variety. "^
Bartlett-Seckel. Planted 1898. Tree a spreading, moderate 'grower Xo
fruit yet.
Beurre Bosc. Planted 1890. Tree an upright, vigorous gi'ower ; hardy
nnd productive with age ; fruit long pyriform, melting, and rich. Season'
«^arly October.
Beurre Oifford. Planted 189C. Tree very spreading, vigorons. hardy n-nd
productive; fruit medium, pyriform, red blush on sunnv side; iuicy meltincr
of fine quality. Season, early August. " ''
Buffum. Planted 1897. \l strong, upright groT^er ; fruit small to me-
dium, oblong obovate, sliahtly russet; sweet, pleasant flavor. Season Sei>-
tember. . ^
Claircreau. Planted 1896. Tree an upright, moderate grower ; fruit
large, pyriform, dotted with russet ; juicy, sweet and perfumed. Season No-
vember. ' ^
Clapp's Favorite. Planted 1889. Tree an upright, very vigorous *^rower •
productive, with a tendency to blight ; fruit large to very large ; obovate'
fine m the gram, juicy and melting. Season, last of August. One of the best
«irly comme cial pears.
Dempsey. Planted 1898. Tree an upright, modera^te grower. Not fruited.
Dovenne Boussock. Planted 1896. Tree a spreading, moderate grower •
fruit large, roundish pyriform, mantled with russet. Season, earlv September.
Duchess. Planted 1889. Grown here chiefly as a dwarf. Tree upright
only a moderate grower ; fruit large to very large, oblong obovate, coarse'
thick-skmned, but juicy a.nd excellent. Season, October. One of the be^*
export pears. Should be well cared for when grown as a dwarf.
Easter Beurre. Planted 1897. Tree spreading, very vigorous* and sturdy,
branch-s somewhat straggling; fruit large, roundish ovate, russet dots
very solid and heavy, fine grained, rich, and juicy. Season, winter.
Flemish Beauty. Pla.nted 1880. Tree spreading, vigorous, hardy and
Tery productive ; fruit large, roundish, pyriform, mottled with russet ; juicv
sweet, rich, but very subjpct to the scab, and hence almost useless. Season'
early September. '
Howell Planted 1896. Tree uprinrht, vigorous, and productive • fruit
medium to large, roundish pyriform, juicy and melting ; smooth-skinned an come into bearing; fruit, small 2 1-8x2 3-8; color, russet; quality, good;
ripe October 15th. This is probably a desirable variety.
Winter Pear. (Russian.) Tree, a hardy, vigorous, upright grower; fruit,
medium sized and worthless, decaying on the trees before ripening.
Notes bv W. W. Hilborn (South Wkstern Fruit Station.)
Pears have been a large crop, but so low in price that there was no profit
left for the grower. Kieffer produced wonderfully, but the demand was not
iqual to the supply. They have been sold in some cases at 10 cents to 15 cents
ler 12-quart basket. We find them very good for canning purposes when
^nell grown and properly ripened. When their Va.lue is known for this pur-
pose by the general publio, no doubt the demand for them wiW increase to a
considerable extent.
Note by Chaules Young (Algoma Fruit Station).
Pears planted in 1899 so far have not proved very satisfactory, although
10 losses occurred last yea«r, except that two trees were girdled by mice, which
74
THE REPORT OF THE
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e; quality good. Season about August 1st.
Orient, a very handsome symmetrical grower, and fairly vigorous. Fruit
about as large as Burbank, and resembles that variety very much. September.
Ohabot. a very stronsr grower, forming a most beautiful and symmetrical
top; bears the third year; fruit about the same size and shape as Red June, but
76 THE REPORT OF THE No. 17
no' quite as conical. Skin amber, and well covered with splashes and mark-
ings of red; quite attractive; quality about the best of the Japans. A regular
and abundant bearer. Trees six years old a«verage this season 11 twelve-quart
baskets each of marketable fruit.
Hales' Japan, a handsome upright tree; fruit, larger than medium; color,
cream yellow, well splashed with red and covered with a« very beautiful
light bloom, making it most attractive; flesh, light yellow, very juicy and
a^greeable in flavor. A good desert plum. Early September.
Satsuma or Blood, a most remarkable plum. Tree a very strong spread-
ins: grower, like Burbank, but not so spra.wling; also a great bearer; fruit, if
n t too heavily loaded, will be large; color a dark maroon red, covered with a
1 ght b^oom; flesh, blood red, resemb^ins: wounded and bleeding flesh; quality
very gr-^od when fully ripe. Season, middle of September.
Blov)d No. 4, the same as Satsuma, except that the fruit is unifoTmly
smaller in s^ze.
WiHxSon. Tree, a slender and very close a^nd upright grower; appears to
he rather delicate in foliage; fruit of the largest size, 2 3-8 in. long, 2 in. wide;
conical, slioht^y heavy on one side; suture, distinct; stem stout, 5-8 in. long,
«et in a narrow, deep cavity; flesh, yellow, slightly coarse, juicy, with a sweet
and pleasant flavor; stone almost free, sometimes quite free; quality, almost
best; good for de sert or cooking. This is, I believe, without doubt the best
quality of all the Japans. Should it prove hardy it will be a great a.cquisi-
ilioD. Season, middle of September.
Hybrid Plums.
Gold. This is one of Mr. Lather Burbank's hybrids, a cross between the
wild red and a Japan plum, and it is certainly a most striking combination
of the two fa^milies. The trunk is gnarled with hollows and bulges, as though
the more vigorous Ja«pan nature were trying to overcome the slower growing
native. It is moderately vigorous, the leaves and branches showing strongly
+ he characteristics of both parents. It is provins: a good bearer of the most
handsome, even-sized fruit; to use Mr. Burbauk's own words: "Nothing on
earth so beautiful or good." It certainly was the most beantiful, both on the
tree and in the basket of anything on the grounds this season, and that
includes 120 bearing varieties. Fruit, above medium, nearly round; size
1 3-4 in. by 1 3-4 in., often larger; color, a rich golden yellow, lightly but
beautifully shaded with red; flesh, yellow, not coarse, juicy, good; stem, slen-
der, 5-8 in. loner, set in a w^de but not deep cavity; suture, only a line; stone,
small, semi-cling. This is a most remarkable new plum. Its record will be
noted agaan.
Notes by A. E. SHERRrNGTON (Lake Huron Fruit Station).
Abundnaee. Tree, vigorous and hardy; fruit, large; color, reddish pur-
ple; quality, good; yield per tree, two baskets, last year ten baskets; date of
bloominsr, May 16th; ripe August 25th; seven years old.
Burbank. Tree, sprawling, vigorous and hardy; fruit, large, one a^nd a
haK in. by one and three-quarters; color, red, resembles Abundance; quality
good; did rot fruit this season; yield, last vear nine baskets.
Bradshaw, Tree, uprie, September 10th; yield, five and two-
thirds baskets; yield last year two baskets; one of the best of the light colored
varieities.
Lombard. This is an old and valuable plum, but is being displaced by
newer and better sorts, owing to its liability to being attacked by the black
knot a«rd plum rot. Tree, vigorous and hardy, inclined to overbear itself,
reeds thinning to give best results; fruit, medium, size one and a half by one
nnd a half; color, reddish purple; bloomed. May 18th; ripe, September 22nd;
yield, two and a half baskets; last year, six and a quarter baskets; seven
years old; quality good.
Monarch. Tree, vigorous nnd hardy, early bearer, and productive; fruit,
large, one and three quarter in. by one and three-quarters; color, purple, with
Keavy bloom; bloomed. May 16th; ripe, September 29th; yield, four and one-
third baskets; last year, two and three-quarter baskets; five years old; quality
good.
Moore's Arctic. Tree, is » vigorous grower and hardy, and an early bear-
er; fruit, medium; color, purple, becoming almost black, when fully ripe;
Woomed. May 19th: ripe, September, 4th; yield, six baskets, last year eight
and a half baskets.
McLaughlin. Tree, good grower, early and annual bearer; fruit, yellow
witH reddish drts; quality of the best; medium to large, one a«nd a half by one
and a half; bloomed. May 16th; ripe. September 16th; yield, two baskets; a
rood one.
Pond's Seedling. Tree, nn upright grower, vigorous and hardy; fruit,
very large; color, reddish purple; bloomed. May 19th; yield, one-quarter bas-
Ice't; last year half a basket; Bve yeas the earliest plum we have and the quality is good.
Spaulding. Tree, vigorous and hardy; fruit, medium; one in. by one and
a qua-rter; color, greenish yellow; quality, good; flavor, very sweet; bloomed,
May 16th; ripe. September 6th; yield, five baskets; last year, six baskets.
Shipper'^i Pride. Tree, u])right, strong and vigorous grower; fruit,
la«rge, one aiwi a half in. by one and a half; color, purple; quality very good;
bloomed, May 19th; ripe, September 17th; yield, two baskets; last year, two
baskets; a« gcod shipper.
Satsuma. A strong vigorous grower, hardy; fruit, large, one and three-
eighths in. by one and three-eighths; color, very dark; flesh, the color of a blood
beet but quality first class for canning; bloomed, May 19th; ripe, September
22nd; yield, seven and three-quarters baskets; last year, two baskets; this Is
a va«luable plum of thf^ Japan variety.
Victoria. Tree, vigorous and hardy; fruit, large, two by one and three-
juaters; color, yellowish, turning red or mottled when fully ripe; bloomed,
May 17th; ripe, September 8th; yield, two baskets; last year, six baskets; a
very fine plum.
Washingtoin. Tree, a good grower, hardy; fruit, large, two in. by two
inches; of the best quality; color, yellow; bloomed, May 16th; ripe, September
5th; yield, one basket; last year, 4 baskets.
Wickson. An upright grower, forming a close head, rather tender; fruit
very large, two and a quarter by two; quality, fair; yield, one basket.
Yellow Egg. Tree, a good vigorous growth, hardy; large size, two by
one and a half; ripe, September 29th; yield, three baskets.
Notes by G. C. Gaston (Simcoe Fruit Station).
Plumis were a failure, but few varieties produced any fruit. We have
from 400 to 500 trees grown to bearing age, comprising most of the com-
inercia.1 sorts. Bradshaw took the lead and produced about one-fourth of a
<^rop. Imperial Gage and Monarch were next in productiveness. All other
kinds failed to produce more than a few specimens on a small proportion
of the trees. None of the Japan varieties produced a crop.
My experience with plums goes to show that two or three of the Japan
varieties suit this section better than any. The EuroT)ean varieties are very
inncertain. The most of them are verv short lived. They will produce a few
?rood crops and then fail, while twenty miles northwest of here, around the
«ihores of the Georgian Bav, all kinds of plums flourish, better perhaps than
in any other part of the Province. I have tested here about forty varieties of
European plums, and I wouTd not feel iustified in recoramendino- any of them
as likely to give profitable results in this section. Of the Japan plums that
T have tested I would nnrrow down to three: Abundance. Burbank and Bed
T-ne. These, t^^ongh not up to the European varieties in quality, prodnoe
fruit that seUs well and seems to suit the taste of most customers for canninir
purposes. The trees arp seeminerlv quite hardy, and instead of failing like the
European varieties, rather seem to improve as they grow older.
190!e FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 79
I have a small plum, the scions of which I got from Prof. Craig* at Ottawa
^ciiie years ago, under the name of Early Botan. It is top- worked on native
*?toek, and bears heavy crop. It comes in two or three weeks ahead of any
other pluiii. It falls from the tree before quite ripe, but will ripen perfectly
■hfier. It is rather small, but ha«s a very small pit. It is covered with a pink
bloom; quality first rate with a delightful aroma. It seems to suit this sec-
ton well, the defect being its small size.
NoTKs liY Charles Youno (Algoma Fruit Station).
Plums have all done well and made a« very satisfactory growth, but for
th"' north and on heavy clay I would most emphatically say plant Japans,
they are away al ead of all others. All I have tested, except Wickson, ha«ve
proved quite hardy, and most of them have fruited. The following are es-
pecially to be recommended: Ogon, quality fair; Burbank, quality very
2'ood. but a very stiaggling grower and requires cutting back to keep it in
shape; does not make as handsome a tree as the former, but the fruit is better,
although not quite as fine in appearance; Willard, quality poor, but very
♦^arl'v, habit of growth good, appearance good; Reine Claude, good all round:
Lombard, frnited, but not very satisfactory; Moore's Arctic bore a few plums;
of the Americana class there is not much to say in favor; they lack toughness
of wood which is against them; half the top wil break off with its own weight.
All those planted in 1800 have fruited this year, but none of them of good
quality; wben Japan« can be grown so well they are not to be recommended.
America is the tenderest plum I have grown; it is killed back every year.
Notes bv W. W. Hilborn Southwestern Station).
Plums were a failure; but few varieties produced any fruit. We have
from 400 to 5^0 trees grown to bearing age, comprising mostly of the commer-
cial varieties. Bradsliaw took the lead, and produced about one-fourth of a
crop. Imperial Gage and Monarch were next in productiveness. All other
kinds failed to produce more than a few spf'cimens on a small proi>ortion of
the trees. Nine of the Japan varieties produced a crop.
Notes by Harold Jones (St. Lawrence Fruit Station).
European plums are not at all satisfactory. There wiU be very few. if any,
that will benr nnnua.lly and many varieties are entire failures. Of those
planted in 1806. Grand Duke. Coe's Violet, Emerald, Muir. and Pond's Seed-
ling are dead, and Yellow Egg, Green Gage. Prince of Wales, Lincoln, Hugh's
and Moiutreal are more or les^ injured and likely to die. The most healthy
trees that I have are Lombard, Guii. Saunders, and Glass Seedling. These
so far, are healthy, both in limb and foliage, but bear very little fruit. This
year there are no European plums whatever.
The Japanese plums are doing better with me than the European, and
all varieties planned are healthy and doing well. The blossom buds were
nfvnrly all injured last winter. Some fruit set on the Gold and the Abun-
dance, and I liad one plum on the Wickson, which was planted in 1000. The
foliaore of these trees is freer from funsrus attacks and aphis than any of the
EuTOpean varieties, and the la.ter blooming varieties may prove with us more
valunble than the European.
So far as te^^ted the American plums will be the ones upon which we
shall have to denend as sure croppers. Some of the varieties of this class
are of very good nualify and have ready sa.le at fair prices in some of our
eastern markets, particularly the later varieties, that come in after the main
80 THE REPORT OF THE i No. 17
crop from the western part of the Province. The season extends from early
in August until October.
The following is a list of some of the varieties that fruited this year :
Charles Downing. Planted in 1896. Tree, slow grower with a spread-
ing to drooping head ; foliage very subject to plum pocket a.nd attacks by
aphis; shy, late bloomer; sets fruit poorly. This seems to be an undesirable
variety.
Gol. Wilder (Americana). Pla^nted 1897. Tree moderately vigorous, hardy^
wide-spreading head, moderate bearer ; foliage, light green, healthy, subject
to attacks by aphis; fruit, size, 1 x 1-16; color, dark red; skin thick; flesh,
fibrous and soft; quality, poop to fair; stone, small and cling.
Forest Rose. Planted 1897. Tree, rapid grower, spreading, liable to
split and break down with the wind ; fruit, in size, color and quality, similar to
ihe Hammer; ripe, October 1st to 5th; yield, one-half twelve-quart baskets
per tree.
Hammer (Chickasaw.) Planted 1896. Tree, strong, healthy and vig-
orous, round compact head, hardy; foliage, dull green, free from shothole
fungus, very subject to attacks from aphis ; profuse, early bloomer ; sets
fruit well; fruit, size, 11-8x1 1-8 inches; skin, dull red; covered with whitish
dots ; tough and! thick ; quality, fair to good ; flesh, tough, sweet and juicy ; and
skin liable to crack when ripening ; stone small cling ; ripe October 1st to
6th ; yield, two twelve-quart baskets to the tree.
Milton (Chickasaw). Planted 1896. Tree, vigorous grower, hardy,
compact spreading head; foliage light green and healthy, sometimes attacked
with plum pocket, free from shothole fungus, but subject to attack
from aphis; late bloomer; sets fruit well; fruit, 1 1-16 x 11-8; color, purplish
red, covered with grey specks or dots ; skin, rather tough ; quality poor to
medium; flesh yellow and soft; stone, medium ding; ripe, August 25th; yield,
one and one-half twelve-quart baskets to the tree.
Weaver. Planted 1896. Tree, rapid grower, sprawling uneven head, not
very healthy ; a few limbs dying every year ; early profuse bloomer ; sets
very little, if any, fruit. This variety has so far proved of very little value.
Whitaker (Chickasaw). Planted 1896. Tree, a, rapid grower, hardy, a
wide spreading head; foliage, bright green and glossy; free from shothole and
other fungous diseases; late bloomer; fruit 1 1-8x1 1-4 inches; skin, thin, ten-
der, bright glossy red; quality, good; flesh, light yellow, tender and juicy;
stane, small and semi-cling; ripens rather unevenly from 1st to lOth of Sep-
tember. Yield of two twelve-quart baskets from trees planted in 1897. Of
all the varieties of this class, which have fruited, I consider this the best.
RASPBERRIES.
Notes by A. E. Sherrington (Lake Huron Fruit Station).
Yield from the raspberry plantation will be small this season, owing to
the new plantation being used for experimental purposes ; besides, some of
the varieties did not do well the previous year.
Brandywine. A poor grower ; canes small, has not sufficient vigor to
make a profitable va«riety ; fruit small ; quality very good, soft ; color red ;
ripe July 18th ; last picking August 2nd ; yield 7 ounces.
Conratb. Plant strong, vigorous, healthy, hardy ; fruit large and firm :
quality good ; color black ; ripe July 22nd ; last picking August 2nd ; yield
18 onnces. One of the best.
Outhbert. A very strong, vigorous grower ; not as hafdy as some, but
1902 FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 81
I
1
is seldom destroyed by the fi*(^st ; fruit very largo. ; color red ; quality
best; yield 5>6 ounces. This is the best medium to late variety j,^rown.
Oolumbiaai. Plant strong-, vigorous, healthy ; not hardy ; fruit large ;
color purple ; qu ility very good ; yield 272 ounces ; first picking July 20th^
last picking August 16th.
Hilborn: Plant vigorous; healthy and hardy; fruit large and firm;
quality of the best ; color black : ripe July 13th ; yield 05 ounces. This is
one of the best of the black caps.
Kansas. Partly vigorous, but not as hardy as it ought to be ; fruit large^
black ; qua.lity good ; ripe July 22nd : yield 32 ounces.
Marlboro. Canes strong, but not vigorous enough ; healthy and hardy ;
fruit large and firm ; quality fair ; ripe July 18th ; yield 41 ounces.
Older. Not as vigorous as it might be, and the canes are v^eak and of a
trailing habit ; fruit large ; quality good ; ripe July 22nd ; yield 9 ounces.
Phoenix. Plant fairly vigorous; healthy and hardy; fruit large, red;
quality good; yield 51 ounces; a very good, late variety.
Pioneer. Plant fairly vigorous, half hardy ; fruit medium ; color black ;
quality good ; yield 22 ounces ; ripe July 22nd.
GoMen Queen. Canes strong, vigorous and hardy ; fruit large ; quality
good ; ripe July 18th ; yield 40 ounces. The best light variety.
Reliance. Plant fairly vigorous, healthy and hardy ; fruit small to me-
dium; quality good; ripe July 18th; yield 38 ounces. A good early sort.
Smith's Giant- Plant strong and vigorous, fairly hardy, a«ud healthy ;
fruit very large ; quality good ; ripe July 22nd ; yield 71 ounces. A good one.
S'laffer. Plant a vigorous grower, tender ; fruit large ; color purple ;
quality good for canning ; ripe July 26th ; yield 25 ounces.
Strawberry Raspberry. This variety is a great success here, and quite
a dem-^nd has sT)iung up for it for cannine. but flattened : color li»>-ht ros« od
upper side a^'mo^t white on under side ; it is very late ; does not col^r well :
190a FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 83
the flavor is jio )d, but it must be eaten before it is all colored, o-r it will then
be overripe and soft ; quite productive. I do not think it will ever be in
favor as a market berry.
Emperor and Empress. Very like each other ; both jiood, strong plants ;
free runners, and very healthy ; quite productive^ ; both large berries ; good
quality ; worth trying. Both did well the past season.
Gibson (perfect). Healthy plant, large a^nd strong ; very productive ;
berry large and ver;y dark when ri])e ; does not ripen well — that is, the under
side does not color well ; good in shape, conica«l and regular ; firm and of
good quality ; shape very like Nick Ohmer ; a very da ■* »o
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FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
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THE REPORT OF THE
No. 17
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19013
FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
91
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FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
93
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THE REPORT OF THE
No. 17
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1903
FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
95
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97
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98
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 17
CATALOGUE OF ONTARIO FRUITS.— BLACKBERRIES.
Varieties.
Agawam
Ancient Briton . . .
Child's Tree
Dorchester ....
Early Cluster ... .
Early Harvest. ..
Early King
Eldorado
Erie
Gainor
Kittatinny
Lovett's Best
Maxwell
Minnewaski
Ohmer
Snyder
Stone s Hardy . . .
Taylor .,
Wassachusetts . . .
Western Triumph
Wilson's Early . . .
Wilson's Junior . . .
Tree.
7
5
6
8
10
8
8
6
9
6
6
Fruit.
CQ
M
M
S.M
L
M
S.M
S.M
■vI.L
M
L
L
S
L
M
L
M
M
M
M
M
L
L
7
7
8
9
6
5
7
8
8
9
10
6
8
8
8
9
10
5
9
8
9
9
9
9
7
9
9
9
Season of use.
With dates.
July 23- Aug. 15
" 21 " 10
20
23
25
12
12
23
23
23
25
25
20
20
23
18
23
23
23
23
20
20
Southern
stations.
0
00
00
CATALOGUE OF ONTARIO FRUITS— CURRANTS.
Bush.
Fruit.
Southern
Stations.
Varieties.
i
i
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(D
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1
1
1
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6
1^
2
i
Belle de St. Giles.
7
5
L
R
10
8
July 8— Aug
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19013
FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS.
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102
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 17
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104
THE REPORT 0¥ THE
No. 17
THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF
^
ONTARIO
1902
[PUBLISHED BY THE ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TORONTO.)
PRINTED BY ORDER OF
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO.
TORONTO:
Printed by L. K. Cameron,
Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty,
19 0 3.
WARWICK BRO'S & RUTTER, Printers,
TORONTO.
CONTENTS.
Page.
Letter of Transmission -j
Officers for 1902-1903 2
Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario 3
Pea Weevil Conference 3
The Pea Weevil : W. Lochhead j^3
Report on Injurious Insects in 1902— Division No. 4 : G. E. Fisher 15
Annual Address of the President — Insect Life : T. W. Fyles 23
Some common Butterflies and some noted Butterfly Hunters : W. Lochhead 31
Reports on Insects of the year-Division No. 1 : C. H. Young 37
" " — Division No. 2 : J. D. Evans 38
" *' —Division No. 3 : E. M. Walker 39
" — Division No. 5 : J. A. Balkwill 41
Report of the Council 4^
" " Montreal Branch 45
" " Quebec Branch 47
" '' Toronto Branch ., 43
^" Treasurer and Auditors , 49
" " Librarian and Curator , 49
" " Botanical Section 50
" " Microscopical Section 50
** " Ornithological Section 51
" " Geological Section 52
" " Delegate to the Royal Society 54
Notes on the Season of 1902 : Charles Stevenson 57
" " » " J. Alston Moffat 58
A few notes on Danais Archippus : H. H. Lyman . . /_ gi
The Insects of the Season : W. Lochhead 64
The Paper-making Wasps of the Province of Quebec : T. W. Fyles 69
Some interesting habits of Lepidopterous Larvae : A. Gibson 74
Notes on Semiophora Youngii : A. Gibson 79
Insects injurious to Ontario Crops in 1902 : Jambs Fletcher 80
Entomological Record, 1902 : James Fletcher 87
" " Hymenoptera : W.H.Harrington , 99
" " Diptera : W. H. Harrington 101
A Key to Orchard Insects : W, Lochhead 101
Notes on Insects injurious to Pines : W. H. Harrington 114
A Talk about Entomology : J. Alston Moffat 117
The North- West (Canada) Entomological Society— Annual Report 123
William E. Saunders 126
Edmund Baynes Reed I27
Index 129
[31
K
*#».
l^^^^^^^^i^^'i^' "'
Si
•^
^^^Ei^^' ^K «IM>
William E. Saundp:rs,
Secretary of the Entomological Society of Ontario from 1887.
[1
Edmund Baynes Reed,
An original member of the Entomological Society of Ontario.
[3
THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO
1902.
To the Honorable John Dnjden, Minister of Agrwulture :
Sir,— I have the honor to present herewith the Thirty-Third Annual Report of the
Entomological Society of Ontario.
The Thirty-Ninth Annual Meeting was held in London, on Wednesday and Thursday,
October 29th and 30th, 1902. A full account of the proceedings, with the papers read and
reports submitted, is given in the following pages. An interesting and important feature of
the meeting was a conference on the Pea- Weevil, its injuries to the crop in Ontario and the
best means of reducing its ravages.
The Canadian Entomologist, the monthly organ of the society, has been regularly issued
during the past year, and has now completed its thirty-fourth volume. It continues to-
maintain its reputation as a scientific magazine of high character.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Charles J. S. Bethuxe,
London, Ontario. Editor.
1 EN.
[1]
OFFICERS FOR 1902-1903.
President Professor William Lochhead, B.A., M.S., Ontario Agricultural College,
Guelph.
Vice-President ..J. D, Evans, C.E., Trenton.
■Secretary W. E. Saunders, London.
Treasiirer J. H. Bowman, London.
Directors Division No. 1 — C. H. Young, Hurdman's Bridge.
Division No. 2— C. E. Grant, Orillia.
Division No. 3— E. M. Walker, M.A., Toronto.
Division No. 4 — G. E. Fisher, Freeman.
Division No. 5 — J. A. Balkwill, London.
Directors Ex-ojfficio — (Ex-Presidents of the Society) — Professor Wm. Saunders, LL.D.,
T.R.S.C., F.L.S., Director of the Experimental Farms, Ottawa; Rev. C. J. S. Bethune,
M.A., D.C.L., F.R.S.C., London ; James Fletcher, LL.D., F.R.S.C., F.L.S., Entomologist
und Botanist of the Experimental Farms, Ottawa ; W. H. Harrington, F.R.S.C, Ottawa ;
John Dearness, Normal School, London; Henry H. Lyman, M. A., F.R.G.S., F.E.S., Mon-
treal ; Rev. T. W. Fyles, D.C.L., F.L.S., South Quebec.
Librarian and Curator — J. Alston Moffat, London.
Auditors— Vf . H. Hamilton and S. B. McCready, London.
Editor of the Canadian Entomologist — Rev. Dr. Bethune, London.
Editing Committee — Dr. J. Fletcher, Ottawa ; H. H. Lyman, Montreal ; J. D. Evans,
Trenton ; W. H. Harrington, Ottawa ; Professor Lochhead, Guelph.
Delegate to the Royal Society — Rev. Dr. Bethune, London.
Delegates to the Western Fair— 3. A. Balkwill and W. E. Saunders, London.
Committee on Field Days — The Chairmen of the Sections and Dr. Woolverton, Messrs.
IBalkwill, Bowman, Law, Moffat, Rsnnie and Saunders, London.
Library and Rooms Committee — Messrs Balkwill, Bethune, Bowman, Dearness, Moffat
and Saunders, London.
[2]
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The thirty-ninth annual meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario was held in Lon-
•^04 on Wednesday and Thursday, the 29th and 30th, of October, 1902. The chair was taken
^y the Rev. Dr. Fyles, of South Quebec, President. Among the members present were Mr.
Hei-ry H. Lyman, Montreal ; Dr. James Fletcher and Mr. Arthur Gibson, Central Experi-
'«iehtal Farm, Ottawa ; Mr. Charles H. Young, Hurdman's Bridge, Ont. ; Mr. John D. Evans,
Trenton ; Mr. George E. Fisher, Inspector of Scale Insects, Freeman ; Prof. W. Lochhead,
Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph ; Rev. Dr. Bethune, Dr. Woolverton, Dr. Stevenson,
Messrs. J. A. Balkwill, J. H. Bowman, E. A. Browne, J. Dearness, C. J. Fox, C. W. Horton,
-Jol n Law, J. Alston Moffat, W. E. Saunders, Walter Smith, and other residents of London,
^^e Society was also favoured with the presence of Prof. C. C. James, Deputy Minister of
Agriculture for Ontario ; Mr. W. L. Smith of the Toronto Weekly Sun ; Messrs. Thompson
-and Llack of the Farmers' Advocate ; Mr. Pearce, and other visitors.
Letters expressing regret at their inability to attend were received from Mr. W.
Hague ItTarrrngton, Ottawa and Mr. E. M. Walker, Director, Toronto ; also from Prof, F.
M. Webster, Urbana, Illinois.
Durnig the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 29th, a meeting of the Council was held for the
'transac;tion of the business of the Society and the preparation of their annual report. It was
■decided to hold the next annual meeting of the Society in Ottawa in September, 1903. Sheet
Cork 'and Entomological pins were ordered to be sold to members at cost and to others at
twent y per cent, advance on cost, and arrangements were made for obtaining a supply of black
■enam«3)ied steel pins. A resolution was adopted permitting the Ornithological Section to alter
:its na/me to " The Mcllwraith Ornithological Club (Ornithological Section of the Entomological
Society of Ontario)."
I|n the afternoon the Society met at 2.30 o'clock, the President, Rev. Dr. Fyles, in the
chairj and proceeded to discuss the prevalence of the Pea Weevil in Ontario and the best
mean!? of controlling its ravages.
THE PEA WEEVIL CONFERENCE.
A t the request of the President, Dr. Fletcher, of Ottawa, introduced the subject of the
Pea AVeevil. The following is a condensed summary of his remarks :
• I>r. Fletcher : Mr. President and Gentlemen. Everyone must have noticed for many
T/GATS the great reduction which has been gradually taking place in the area of land devoted to
the cultivation of Peas. This I find has been almost entirely due to the fact .that fartners find
'that pea growing is not a remunerative occupation, owing to the diminution both in out>put and
the value of the grain due to the attacks of the Pea Weevil, In my own Reports, which reach
a considerable number of farmers in the Dominion, I have constantly drawn attention to this
injury and the simple means of controlling the insect which causes it, but the loss at the pre-
■sent time is so serious and the pea crop is one of such enormous importance that I feel some-
-thmg more definite than has been done in the past should be done to bring this subject
prominently before the country, so as if possible to stir up the pea-growers and seed-dealers
throughout the Dominion and in the adjacent United States where peas are grown to join in
^ne great, universal, and co-operative efibrt. The pea crop is of special value to farmers be-
[3]
THE REPORT OF THE No. 1»
cause nothing quite takes the place of peas as feed for pigs. This has a direct bearing, not only
upon the pork and bacon trade of the country both for home use and export, but also upon the-
closely associated industry of dairying. Moreover, it seems to me that the problem now befor
the country is an exceptionally simple one, and Prof. Lochhead and I have been considering:
what can be done to change the existing state of affairs. Naturally, in such an important ma'ter-
we have the keenest sympathy of both the Honourable Sydney Fisher and the Honcura^l^
John Dryden, who are most anxious to find out what can be done to protect this importinb
crop. It is for this reason that the Council of the Entomological Society of Ontario have-
thought it wise to arrange for to-day's conference, so that some steps may be'at once taken to-
arouse interest and also that more energetic measures may be adopted than have been in the
past.
The greatest enemy of the pea crop is the Pea Weevil, Bruchus pisorum, (Fig. 1), m(.>re^
generally known in trade as the Pea Bug. This insect has been established in Canada aP *
pest of the pea for a great many years but during the last ten years it has become such a serii)us:.
enemy that in many of our Ontario distr^cts^
where peas could be grown some years ago
of the very highest quality — of such a high
quality indeed that Canadian peas were con-
sidered the best that could be prof'-uced in
all the markets of the world,— far-, ers have
now given up the cultivation of peas alto-
gether, and in many other districts t^iey are
'^^-^-^ "iD ' ;?^<5^> -^ 0 '""^"'^ now talking of doing the same. Personally,
Fig-. 1.— The Pea Weevil. I do not believe that it is necessary 'to give
up the cultivation of peas nor that it would be a vvise thing to do so. The crop as I have
stated above is one of exceptional value, and I cannot see how this step would be of very much
benefit in controlling the insect. It has been suggested — and I may mention that this seems
to be the favourite remedy proposed by most people who have written to me, — to stop gr owing
peas for one or two years, and to pass some law by which everyone is prevented from sc) wing.
I do not believe that, if any such legislation were passed, it could possibly be enforced ; i or, to
be effective, the cultivation of peas would have to be stopped absolutely in every pea fiel i and
private garden, both in Canada and the United States. I am quite certain that many Avould
not regard this law and would insist on growing a few green peas for table use, and altjhaugh
every wise gardener who knows how to make the best use of his ground pulls up his vi fies as
soon as his crop of green peas is picked and uses his land for something else, the peoples who
would sow peas in opposition to the law, belong to the class of gardeners who leave thei^'i' pea
vines standing in the garden all through the summer, and upon these a sufficient numjei^ of
small pods containing weevils would be left to ripen, to destroy the eftects of the whole expenv
ment. Many people would openly defy this law and claim that it was absurd, nor wov 'A this
be much to be wondered at when we see how little informed most of the dealers and pea
growers are with regard to the Pea Weevil and the extremely simple means by which this pest.
can be reduced. Although it is true that many of the large seed merchants have fumigating
houses for the treatment of infested peas, many of them, I know as an actual fact,do not use them
regularly and one of our large Canadian seed houses even wrote to me that as long as every-
body was not forced to fumigate their peas they did not intend to do so, that it was an extra
expense and caused trouble with tae insurance companies. I believe that instead of legislation
the proper course to adopt at the present time, is to provide accurate information with regard
to the life history of the insect, the best remedies and the best way to apply them ; then, to
distribute this so freely all over the country that everyone interested may at any rate be
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
reminded at the proper time what steps should be taken, and, not only this, but every other
cirizen or Canada, whether he knows that he is interested or not, should be made to wonder
ivhat all the agitation was about.
If all seed merchants would, for their own sakes, give the recognized remedy of fumigating
peas with bisulphide of carl)on a trial, and sell no peas for seed which they were not certain had
.been fumigated, and if all growers of peas would refuse and send back to their seed merch vnts
every sample of peas containing living weevils, I feel sure that evident results would be seen in a
single year. The problem is extremely simple, but it requires perfect co-operation. There are,
of course, difficulties to be met, but I cannot yet find any of these which cannot be overcome.
The amount at stake every year which runs into millions of dollars at any rate, makes it worth
■while for every member of this Society and for everyone connected officially with any agricul-
tural institution, to make a great efiort. The state of public opinion at the present moment
seems to point out that this is an opportune time to make this effort. In many distiicts
farmers have already practically given up growing peas. There are also indications that,
owing probably to the damp cool season of 1902, a larger proportion than usual of the Weevils
are passing this winter inside the seed peas and, consequently, could be easily destroyed by
fumigating. The magnitude of the loss is now generally recognized, and farmers throughout
the country are in a state of nervous anxiety and ready to listen to and act upon any suggestions
which commend themselves to their common sense.
The life-history of the Pea Weevil is briefly as follows : The eggs are laid on the young form-
ing pods by the beetles which have wintered over either in the seed peas or about buildings.
-A s soon as the eggs hatch, the grubs eat their way through theformingpodandattack thepea which
is nearest to them. They penetrate this, and soon by the increase in the size of the pea every trace
of the hole is obliterated. The grub remains inside the pea until full grown, changing to a
pupa in July and attaining the fully developed condition of a beetle before the middle of
A ugust. According to the season, a larger or smaller number of the beetles leave the peas in the
autumn and pass the winter under heaps of rubbish, or secreted about buildings. I think the
normal way for this insect to pass the wdnter is inside the seed peas. The important points to
remember in this discussion and which induced me to say that the problem before us is a
simple one, are the following : The Pea Weevil is not a native insect, and therefore has not an
extensive range of food plants, in which it could live outside the cultivated pea. That plant,
which is ah exotic, is the only known food plant of the Pea Weevil and occurs nowhere in this
country wild or even in a spontaneous manner. All plants which spring up in the field from
accidentally dropped seeds are destroyed by our w^inters, therefore every seed sown for a crop
rf peas has at some time been in the hands of the grower or seed merchant, where it could have
been treated by the well known remedy of fumigating with bisulphide of carbon, which for this
insect is a perfectly practical remedy, and by a practical remedy I mean a remedy which is
effectual, is simple so that it can be applied without any danger of error, and is cheap enough
to ma . .ts application a paying operation. It is claimed by some that the chief difficulty in the
way of trusting to fumigation as a main remedy for controlling the Pea Weevil is that a suffi-
cient number of peas are shelled out in the field at harvest time to leave insects enough to
emerge and infest the following crop, even if all the seeds were treated. To obviate this
difficulty, I have recommended a plan which some have adopted to reap their crop as early as
possible, as much on the green side as can be done with safety. It is a well known fact that seeds
of all kinds reaped on the green side rather than when they are over-ripe, have a higher
germinating power. It is certain that they would shell out in the field less, and, if such seed
were fumigated at once, the weevils would be destroyed inside them before they had made a
very serious diminution in the bulk of the seed. If there should be difficulties in the way of
farmers themselves treating their seed at once, which however they are quite easily able to do.
THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
they should without dela^ sell to the grain buyers, who knowing the advantage of fumigating;
early would soon make arrangements, even if they had not these already, to treat the seed so
as to get the best sample possible. With regard to those peas which shell out in the field, 1.
cannot see any very great difficulty with these. It is the common practice in the pea growing,
districts for farmers to turn in hogs after the crop is harvested. These pick up every seed,
cleanly, and with the assistance of poultry I imagine that few infested peas would be left on.
the field to carry over the infestation. If thought preferable, these peas could be turned dowrt-
below the point where the weevils would be able to reach the surface after emerging, by
ploughing down the land deeply either in autumn, and of course preferably then, or in springs
I have here some samples of peas which have been treated at various dates from the end of
July until the middle of September. These have been kindly supplied by Mr. W. P. Niles,
of "Wellington, Ont., a well known seed merchant who deals largely in peas. By examining
those fumigated on the 31st July, it is evident that the weevil is at that time very small and
that the proportion of the pea which has been destroyed, is much smaller than it is when the
peas have been treated only one week later, the grub being at that time not even half grown ands
only a small amount of the seed being destroyed. From that date on the destruction to the-
seed is rapid and by the middle of the month of August most of the peas contain full grown^
larvas or pupse. I have here samples of peas grown this year and treated on the 28th August,^
which contain the fully developed beetles, and it is probable that by the middle of the month in
an ordinary year perfect beetles may be found. My recommendation therefore is that farmers
should reap early, thresh at once, treat their seed, or sell to others who will, before the middle-
of August, and never sow a single seed which has not first been fumigated. Talk the matter up-
whenever an opportunity arises and guard against pooh-poohing the whole matter and saying i
*' Oh we know all about the Pea Weevil, that's the same as the Pea Bug ;" we have always had
that, and thereby arguing by inference that they always will have it.
Now I don't believe that there is any necessity for such a valuable Canadian crop as peas,
either to be given up or to be infested by the Pea Weevil. I find from the August 1902 Ontario'
Crop Bulletin that the acreage this year under peas has been reduced from the area sown last
year by 70,000 acres, and the yield by 1,274,000 bushels. This is undoubtedly a very serious-
loss, because certain districts of Ontario are particularly well suited for the production
of this cereal. There is evidence to show that many of these districts specially-
suited to the cultivation of the pea crop, and where peas of the highest quality used
to be grown, cannot now produce paying crops of peas owing to the depredations-
of the Pea Weevil. There are,' however, many districts, as for instance the upper
Ottawa country and other northern districts, where paying crops of peas are being or-
could be grown, and the passing of legislation forbidding the cultivation of peas over
the whole province would therefore be a hardship. There is another point which may be re-
ferred to. It is frequently claimed by dealers that peas which have been injured by the pea^
weevil are just as good for seed as perfect seeds. This is manifestly nonsense, but, to be in a.
position to prove this, I have in several seasons experimented by sowing infested seed and
taking careful notes on how many plants grew and what was the vigour of these plants. During,
the past season I planted several rows of early peas which had been bored by Pea Weevils.
The average number of these seeds which grew and produced seed bearing plants was 7. and of
these some were weakly. This is rather a lower average than has been obtained in previous
years, but it was what the season of 1902 showed. It has been found by many experiments-
made by botanists at Washington and at Agricultural Colleges that large seeds of plants, as a.
rule, produce more vigorous plants than small seeds. Much more would this be the case where-
nature had laid up in a seed a certain amount of food to feed the embryo plantlet in that
seed, and subsequently a large proportion even to one-fourth of its bulk was accidentally takem
1908 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
away, as in the case of peas injured by the weevil. In the many cases where the germ is destroyed"
by the weevil, of course no growth takes place at all.
This question of controlling the Pea Weevil in Canada is one which concerns everybody.
It is not with the large seed merchants and big houses with which most danger lies but with
the individual farmer and private individual who grow a few seed peas for their own use and
do nothing to destroy the weevils in them before sowing. As I have stated, there are easy
remedies which are available for all, such as holding over the seed till the second year, or treat-
it with coal oil, using one gallon to 20 bushels ; but the best remedy consists in fumigating^
with bisulphide of carbon, and a farmer who has only five bushels of seed can fumigate this at
the expense of a few cents by putting the five bushels in an ordinary coal oil barrel and then
placing (either in an open dish on the top or by pouring the liquid straight upon the seed) one-
ounce of bisulphide for every hundred pounds of seed. A bushel of peas weighs about 60 lbs>
therefore the five bushels would require three ounces. The barrel must be closed up tightly and
left in an open shed away from other buildings for 48 hours. The bisulphide is a liquid with a.
very objectionable odour which vaporizes quickly at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere.
The vapour is heavy and quickly runs down through the peas, and, as it is exceedingly deadly
to all forms of animal life, every insect in the peas will be killed. The unpleasant odour of
the chemical is very soon dissipated when the peas are exposed to the air, and the value of this
treatment is that not only are the infesting insects destroyed with certainty but this without
injury to the seeds either as to their wholesomeness for food or as to their germinating quality
for seed. If it is thought that there is any danger in using such an inflammable material as
bisulphide of carbon or there is any hesitancy, as is sometimes the case in using a remedy with
which farmers are not familiar, there is always at any rate available the old and well tried
remedy of holding over the seed for two years, by bagging the peas immediately after threshing <>
If this is done with early harvested and threshed peas, not a single weevil can escape, for it has
been proved that these cannot eat their way out from a bag of cotton, or even of paper, and
all weevils which issue in the bags must die. A very rare instance is on record of a weevil
living over in the seed until the second year, but this is such a rare exception that it need not
be considered and does not amount to a proportion of one in many hundreds of millions ; indeed
is so rare that I do not know of a single instance where it has been authoritatively confirmed.
One of the largest seedsmen in Canada tells me that he has to send to Germany to get
his peas grown. And we have competition to-day in the London market. Indian peas shipped
from Calcutta are being sold at a few cents cheaper than we can get them to the London
market, and they are as good as our best peas ; therefore, our trade is in danger, and it is im-
portant that we should wake up at once and save this crop, which I believe can be saved if we
will only go about it in the proper way.
Every letter I have received and every seedsman I have consulted, have agreed that public
attention should be drawn to this matter. I have correspondents in all parts of the country,
and all say it is a most important matter and requires immediate attention. There is no
Society that can draw attention to it better than the Entomological Society. The seedsmen
I have consulted, are of the opinion that, if the suggestions given above were adopted, a
large reduction could be made in a very short time in the increase of this insect.
The acreage of peas is now reduced very low. It will not be increased very much next
year, so that we have an opportunity to start now to draw public attention to this matter.
Professor Lochhead and I have been corresponding about the subject for a year, and there is no-
doubt about it that the Federal and Provincial Governments will do all they can to draw public
attention to the matter and to help in every possible way tx) get rid of this pest.
The Grass Pea, which has been suggested as a substitute for the field pea, has not proved as.
great a success as was hoped. It is not a pea, though it is considered a pea for many purposes^.
THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
but it belongs to the Genus Lathyrus. The pea is a Pisum. Lathyrus is another plant alto-
gether, and that is the reason probably why the Grass Pea is free from the attacks of the Pea
Weevil. It is a very late maturing pea, and I am sorry to say that those who planted it
this year, owing to the late season, were disappointed in its growth, because it is a plant which
comes from India ; for that reason this damp moist season did not mature it, and it was not
a paying crop. Vines which bore ripe peas in September, had as much of the vine covered
with green leaves and flowers, as there was with the ripe peas. In the St. Catharines and
Niagara Districts it has been grown to some extent. Most of the seedsmen are not in favor
of the Grass Pea. I would not say, *' Do not grow it," because, where the Pea Weevil prevents
the growth of the proper peas, the Grass Pea forms a substitute which is comparatively valuable.
There are difficulties in harvesting it, and the seeds are thought to be very hard, therefore,
some farmers do not like it, but that can be overcome by crushing them with machinery.
I shall not take any more time now, but I shall be very much obliged if any one else
would give us their ideas, either on what I have said or upon matters which I have left
uumentioned. I have letters here from some of the leading seedsmen in Canada, saying they
would have liked to be at this meeting, if they could have made arrangments. I am pleased
that Professor James is here with us, and that Mr. Smith is here from Toronto, for the
Weekly Sun, and Mr. Black from the Farmers' Advocate.
Prof. LocHHEAD : Mr. President, The Pea Weevil is one of the greatest enemies of
the farmer of Ontario to day. Before coming here I secured from Professor James the differ-
ence in the amount of seed grown in the year 1891 and 1902. The crop in Ontario in 1891 was
eighteen and one half million bushels ; in 19C2 eleven and one half million bushels. That
shows a decrease of seven million bushels in ten years ; that itself is sufficient to direct serious
attention to the subject.
Dr. Fletcher : What is the average value of a bushel of peas, Mr. Pearce ?
Mr. Pearce : It is now about 60c. for field peas.
Dr. Fletcher : I average it from 70c. to $1.00 taking the common peas and the high
class.
Mr. Pearce • That would be about right for the high class.
Dr. Fletcher : It is a loss, at any rate, of between $5,000,000 and $7,000,000.
Prof. LocHHEAD : The pest is known in the northern counties and all along the shore
of Lake Ontario. This summer I visited North Grey, and I found that the farmers in that
district were seriously disturbed over an enemy that was new to them — so new that they did
not know what it was. This was the Pea Weevil. I was travelling through the County on
Farmers' Institute work and I gave two lectures a day on the Pea Weevil. This summer I had
the pleasure of going up through Manitoulin Island and as far as St. Joseph's Island ; no Pea
Weevil exists there, and we saw beautiful crops. I have no doubt that Manitoulin Island is
well adapted for pea growing, and I told the people up there that they had a great opportun-
ity of making their island as famous for seed peas as the Jersey people had made theirs for
Jersey cattle. If they would keep the Pea Weevil out, they might make it a reserve for grow-
ing pea seed. On St. Joseph's Island I found a good illustration of the fact that the Pea
Weevil does not exist there. I spent one morning going through pea fields. One farmer told
me he had imported some seeds and when they came the bag was literally alive with the Pea
W^cevil ; however, he sowed the peas but took the precaution to sow about five times the
normal amount per acre, and he had a good field of peas, I could not find a single weevil in
the whole morning's examination of the growing crop. It showed conclusively that this year,
at any rate, the pea weevil does not thrive in St. Joseph's Island.
With regard to the point which Dr. Fletcher emphasized very strongly, that the pea-
weevil does not reach its full size when the pea is harvested. I was unable to make an exam-
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
ination to any great extent, but I asked several farmers who were interested in the Pea Weevil
to make an examination. Probably some of you know Mr. Lick of Oshawa, an up-to-date
farmer. I asked him what in his opinion was the best time to treat peas and he said that in
order to answer this question it is necessary to ascertain at what stage the crop was harvested ;
he found that not more than one-half the damage was done until after the crop was harvested,
and in many cases not more than a third of the damage was done before the pea reached
maturity ; this was true of both the early and late varieties. He found a large percentage of
the early crop was " buggy," and these were his conclusions : " Don't sow ' buggy ' peas without
treating the weevil. Harvest the crops as soon as ripe and thresh at once ; for seed peas
fumigate at once ; if for feed, grind the peas up and so kill the weevil."
With regard to the number of weevils that germinate, Dr. Fletcher has given you his
results, and you will also find them in his Reports. Mr. Ztivitz, of the Ontario Agricultural
College, also made experiments some years ago, and found in the case of the large variety of
pea such as the Marrowfat, that three-fifths of the peas that had been entered by the weevil did
not germinate. In the case of the small variety of peas such as the Golden Vine, he found
only 13 per cent germinated.
I do not see any other way of treating the Pea Weevil except the method Dr. Fletcher has
described ; I should like, however, to suggest another way by which we may reach the people.
There is nothing like an object lesson. While we may do our best through the agricultural
papers and reports of all kinds experience has shown that a great many people will not act ;
they simply say they will not be bothered, and will grow enough peas for themselves, and not
care whether they sell any or not. These are the kind of people we want to influence, as well
as the larger growers. We do not know just exactly how far the Pea Weevil will fly ; I do not
think they will fly much farther than from one farm to another. Mr. Pearce tells me that
down in Elgin, in two sections that were separated by a woods, the Pea Weevils were in one
section for many years but did not appear in the other section until they got in through the
sowing of weevily seed ; I am of the opinion that the chief way in which the insect is dissem
inated is by sowing weevily peas. I would suggest that help be obtained from the Govern-
ment for a series of experiments. First secure a good man to act as foreman or manager of
the whole experiment and let him appoint a corps of assistants. These men he could train
himself, and they should be able to fumigate properly, and then I should choose a section of
country of two or three townships, and have these sections scattered in different parts of the
Province so as to form as many object lessons as possible, a concession or two concessions
might be allotted to each man. Every farmer should be interested in the matter and got to
provide a pen, or coal-oil barrel, or box, in which to fumigate, the government might provide
the material. I v/ould have these men go systematically down the concession at harvest time
and see that the peas are threshed immediately, and then fumigate them for the farmers. It
might probably be necessary to fumigate twice. The men would not need to stay very long in
one place. If the farmer had already prepared the pens, he could fumigate in an hour, and
then go on to the next farm, and return and ventilate them after forty -eight hours. I think
one man could in that way arrange for the fumigation of three or four concessions, and a
couple of men could do a township.
A great many people do not believe in the entire efliciency of this remedy, and if Ave can
get to their farms, and kill all the weevils, we shall soon convince them of its efficiency. This
is a simple suggestion and I should like the members to discuss the matter.
Mr. Fisher : We live in Burlington and we formerly grew peas but of late yeara we have
abandoned them altogether. I have always held that the appearance and the disappearance
of the Pea Weevil coincided with the change of temperature. If we had a very low temperature
during the winter the Pea Weevils were destroyed.
10 THE REPORT OF THE No. 1»
Dr. Fletcher : What is your idea about the Grass Pea taking the place of the peas ?
Mr. Fisher : We grow the Grass Pea somewhat extensively. It is not infested with
the bug, and we can grow it without the weevil ; I do not know any reason why it should not
be grown. I would very much rather have the ordinary pea because the Grass Pea is a very
difficult thing to cut. The vine is hard and wiry and dulls the tools that you use in cutting
it, very quickly.
Dr. Fletcher : How does it ripen ?
Mr. Fisher : I do not think there is very much trouble about their ripening. We sow
them about the time we sow the ether peas. My experience in growing peas has been that
the early-sown peas are altogether the best. I sowed a large field once in a snow storm and
had a very superior crop. What is your opinion as to a cold winter killing the Pea Weevil ?
Dr. Fletcher : It is supposed that it does to a large extent affect them and that is the
reason that the area of destruction has been so limited in Canada. I do not think it will kill
them sufficiently to consider it a remedy.
Prof. Lochhead : I tried an experiment some years ago. I exposed some of the weevily
peas to a temperature of 20 below zero, and in every case the weevil was killed.
Dr. Fletcher : It was not so with us, at 15 degrees below zero we exposed them in a.
glass bottle, and thought they were all dead, but in half an hour afterwards they became
lively again.
Mr. Fisher : At what time do they mature ?
Dr. Fletcher : If the peas are left in the field too long, there are enough shelled out to
carry the weevil over. The weevil matures about the middle of August. Peas fumigated
by Mr. Niles of Wellington on the 5th of August had the weevil about half grown. In verj^
early seasons the Pea Weevil has been found during the first half of August. That is a very
rare thing. On the 5th of August this year the weevil was only half grown ; on the 15th of
August it was more than half grown, and by the end of August the weevil was in a perfect
state. Peas left in the field are certaintly a great source of danger ; they should receive
special attention either by feeding them off or ploughing them down deeply.
Dr. Fyles : Do you suppose that the weevil leaves the pea on approach of winter ?
Dr. Fletcher : They may do so. A considerable number of them leave the peas in the
autumn, and they hibernate around the barn or in the rubbish heaps, and a great many of
them are killed during the winter.
Mr. Fisher : It is the practice of some fruit growers to work their orchards up to the
middle of July, and then sow peas, and they usually get a crop. Where I live the peas will
ripen if sown in the middle of July ; the peas will also gather nitrogen and increase the
fertility of the soil to a considerable extent. We also keep hogs there and if we turn a^
hundred hogs on twenty acres of peas in the middle of July, we find that the hogs do very
well in cleaning up the pea crop and the apples that fall. They serve the double purpose of
freeing the orchard from pests that infest the fruit, and of making pork.
Dr. Fletcher : That is an excellent practice. There is no doubt that these peas would
be practically free from weevil attack when sown so late, but the crop would be reduced hy
mildew. I should like to ask Mr. Pearce if it is not a general practice here to sow as early a&
possible ; because if sown late they will be affected with mildew.
Mr. Pearce : Yes, that is the experience with farmers in this section ; late sown peas are
subject to mildew, but they are freer from the weevil. A good many of the farmers here sow
them on the 24th of May, but the earlier they are sown the better, — the better the sample you
get, and the better the yield.
Prof. James, being asked to say a few words on the subject, said : I certainly cannot add
anything to what Prof. Lochhead and Dr. Fletcher have told us as to the nature of the trouble j.
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 11
but I can emphasize what they have said regarding its extent. I think the evil of the Pea
Weevil is co-extensive with the crop. I do not mean that it is co-extensive with the possibili-
ties of the crop, yet there are very few sections where the pea is grown where you do not find
the weevil. There are sections where the pea can be grown where you probably will not find
the weevil for some time. We have been told about Manitoulin and St. Joseph Islands.
Their contributions of peas to our general crops are very small, and I think at least ninety per
cent, of the peas that are grown to-day are grown in weevil-aflfected sections. When you get
to the remote sections, where peas play an unimportant part, you do not find any weevil, and
I may say the finest peas I have seen in this Province came from the Temiskaming section.
They were beautiful, perfectly grown peas, and there is no doubt we have, away in the east
and up the Ottawa valley, sections where peas can be grown extensively for a time. Th&
trouble is that where the great bulk of our peas are grown we have the weevil to an enormous
extent, and if we give up growing peas because the weevil is here, it would mean that we have
been beaten. We have never yet been brought to that position, and if we give up the fight of
the weevil, we might as well retire practically from Agriculture in this Province. The weevil
can be kept in check, and the whole question now is, how are we going to convince the farmers
that they ought to help us in checking this evil. This is the problem that is before us, not
only in connection with the Pea Weevil, but in connection with very many other ihings ; to try
and prove to the farmers, and a great many others in the Province, that they ought to do
certain things in their own interest. On the face of it, it appears to be a very easy matter to
say to the farmer, here is a way you can get good seed peas, and then to expect them all to-
drop into line and do it at once. But that is the greatest difliculty we have to contend with.
There is very little use passing a law, that they must do so and so, because you cannot enforce
a law unless you have public opinion at the back of it. Something must be done, and some-
thing is going to be done, and I hope we shall get here to-day some practical suggestions that
will help us to solve this problem. It is certain that both the departments at Ottawa and
Toronto will spend what money is necessary to fight this evil, if we can only see some possi-
bility of success ahead.
The pea crop is a unique crop in the Province of Ontario. It is one that we cannot dis-
pense with. It cannot be measured by the number of bushels we produce, because along with
it is another great industry, that is the pork and bacon business, which to a great extent
depends upon the pea crop ; for to the pea crop and to the dairy industry of this Province we-
owe to a large extent our success in the pork and bacon industry.
Dr. Fletcher said that there are large districts still in Ontario where there is no danger
from the weevil. Peas have been sown from Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, and
occasionally these peas have, to a very small degree, been infested, but not to any extent. I
think that in the case of the San Jose scale it will spread from its centre. The San Jose scale-
started in California, was then introduced in the Eastern States, gradually spreading from its
centre, and if it had not been for the active measures adopted by the Ontario Government it
would have spread throughout the Province more than it has, and the people of the Dominion
ought to recognize what has been done by the Province to save them. They grow magnificent
peas in Quebec, and they stopped because the crop fell off. They had been in the habit of
specially treating their land to put back what they had taken from it. They stopped this and
then their pea crop fell off. Some people connected with the trade find it necessary now to
send to Europe to have their seed grown, and we shall lose our trade unless we wake up.
The Chairman : I think the way to reach the people would be for the Government to
issue bulletins.
Prof. James : They have had the information a dozen times through bulletins ; they get it
year after year.
12 THE REPORT OF TEE No 19
Dr Fletcher : Mr. Carruthers has written me as follows : — " One of our largest buyers
writes us that they are getting shipments from Calcutta and the quality is very fine, being free
from bugs, and better than any we are shipping him from Canada. They also say they are
buying them at one shilling per quarter, which is equal to 3c. per bushel, less than we are ask-
ing for our No. 2 grade of the present crop."
Dr. Fletcher then moved the following resolution, seconded by Prof. Lochhead : —
Resolved, That the Entomological Society of Ontario r^ quest that the Superintendent of
Farmers' Institutes have the matter of the Pea Weevil brought prominently before all meetings
of Farmers' Institutes during the winter ; that from the discussion held this afternoon, the
cessation in the cultivation of peas for two years is not the best remedy for preventing injury
by the Pea Weevil, but rather the making known as widely as possible the nature of the pest»
the extent of its injuries and the best remedies, and that if object lessons could be given
throughout the country showing the way to fumigate peas and the advantage of doing so, it
would materially help to reduce the injury by the weevil. — Carried unanimously.
Dr. Bethune : I should like to ask if it would be practicable to have some Legislative
enactment to compel seedsmen to fumigate their peas. I do not think there would be the
slightest use to pass an Act of the Legislature with regard to the general public, but we might
get at a large proportion of the seed peas by rendering it compulsory on the part of the seedsmen
1 o fumigate them. I know that not many years ago, in the neighborhood of Port Hope and
Cobourg, and all through Prince Edward County, where all kinds of fancy peas were grown by
the acre, that every seedsman had his " bug house" and fumigated all the seed, but it seems
that some have discontinued that laudable practice. I was intending, before this resolution
was read, to suggest that the Ontario Department of Agriculture might issue a mandate ta
those who attend Farmers' Institutes to make this a point of their proceedings during the
-coming winter, and if that were done, then if not only the Agricultural press, but the press
generally, would take up this subject, and bring home to the whole country the seriousness of
it, and the ease with which it really might be dealt, and if in addition to that some experiment
were made upon the line Professor Lochhead has mentioned of object lessons, I believe it would
have good results.
I remember when not many years ago it was impossible to get good butter in this
country in the winter time. When we got butter made from our own cows in the summer
time it was all right, but you could not buy butter fit to eat in the winter. That has all
he n remedied by this object lesson system, the travelling dairies showing the farmers' wives
how to make good butter. It has been a great success, and now we can always get good
"butter, and if that experiment succeeded so well, I thmk it would be quite worth while to
adopt a similar system to teach the farmers how to deal with this terribly destructive pest.
The other day I happened to notice in the market reports from the port of Montreal
that the shipment of peas from Montreal up to the first of October last year amounted to
458,000 bushels. This year up to the same date it amounted to 269,000 bushels showing a
decrease in one single year in that port, up to the first of October, of 189,000 bushels.
I'his shows what the weevil has done in reducing our exports from one port alone.
I wish to ask Dr. Fletcher if there is any connection between the mildewing of peas
and the Pea-Weevil. I mean in this way ; is it the case that if the pea plant is not healthy
and strong and vigorous, it is far more subject to mildew than it would be if the nourish-
ment of the plant had not been taken by the Pea- Weevil ? Would it be more subject to
mildew than one grown from perfect seed ?
Dr. Fletcher : I do not know from actual observation that that is the case but I can
quite understand that the weakened plant would be more likely to be affected. Weevily
^eeds grow a weak plant which matures later and that would make it more liable to mildew.
li>02 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 13
Some of the seed merchants fumigate 2,000 bushels at a time by having a properly con-
structed building and by putting 20 pounds of bi-sulphide of carbon at the top and allowing
it to vaporise, which is easily done. The peas can be left in the sack. A farmer with an
ordinary coal oil barrel can put 5 bushels of peas in it and fumigate them by using three ounces
of bi-sulphide of carbon, which would probably cost 15 cents.
At the present time there are very few seed peas imported into Canada ; because our peaa
are freer from the weevil than they are to the south of us, but directly we put any sort of
pressure on our seedsmen, then the peas will be brought in from the other side.
First of all we want to make it known as widely as we can that it is a serious injury, and
then that there is a simple practical remedy, if they will apply it.
Prof. LocHHEAD : If you compel the seedsmen to fumigate their seeds it will not cover the
point, because there is a large amount of seed exchanged among the farmers themselves. The
Minister of Agriculture is thoroughly in earnest in this matter. I received a letter from him
early in the season, and he wished me to go about it in some way and do something, and of
course he will provide the funds. The Minister of Agriculture is a thorough believer in fumi-
gation himself, and he fumigates all his own peas, yet they have weevily peas in his district
because the other farmers do not fumigate.
Mr. Smith : I think Prof. Lochhead has got the correct idea with regard to this particular
matter. Some years ago there was established in Guelph what is known as the winter fair.
They established a " block test," that is, they show the animal on the hoof first, and then the
animal is slaughtered, and they make another test ; that is one of the best object lessons we
have in the country, and as a result of that object lesson the Wm. Davies Company of Toronto
say, that in one year the quality of the bacon of this country improved 50 per cent. That
was wholly the result of that object lesson, and the work done by Farmers' Institutes, if
you can get the Institute men to take up the weevil, I am satisfied, you will influence pub-
he opinion in this country, and you can then enforce any measure with regard to the weevil.
I have gone over the province pretty generally and I find that the evil is steadily extending
north. At one time it did not go further than Lake Simcoe ; but last summer and the
summer before, I found it up on the shores of the Georgian Bay and it was becoming quite
as prevalent as in the frontier counties.
THE PEA WEEYIL.
By W. Lochhead, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph.
Although the Pea Weevil (see Fig. 1, p. 4) has been known as an enemy of the cultivated
pea for over 150 years in America, it is not a native. It probably came from the East, whence
came so many of our cultivated plants, and their insect enemies as well. Peter Kalm, the
eminent Naturalist of the last century, states that in 1748 pea-growing had been abandoned in
parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, on account of the pea weevil.
It is apparent that the pea-growing industry in Ontario is doomed unless radical measures
are adopted (by the farmers themselves) for the control of the weevil. The pest has made its
appearance in nearly every county in the western half of the Province, and in the Lake Ontario
counties as far east as Frontenac. The more eastern counties and those further north are not
much troubled with the " bug." Durham, Northumberland and Prince Edward used to be the
favorite section for growing peas for French and American seedsmen, but the depredations in
NofK.— Tke above paper by Pruf. Lochhead was uot read in conntc.ion with this discu«siuu,,but, is
placed here as a matter of conveuience.
14 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
these counties have been so great that the growing of peas has been largely reduced during the
past two or three years. Amherst Island, which was formerly a great pea-growing district,
lias scarcely a farmer this year who is growing peas. Throughout Wentworth, Wellington,
Waterloo and Oxford the growing of the common cultivated pea has been abandoned, and the
grass pea has been substituted to some extent. This latter variety does not suffer from the
weevil, but it Avas attacked this past summer in the counties of Halton and Wentworth by a
green louse, the exact nature of which I have not yet determined.
This summer I had the pleasure of visiting the Manitoulins and St. Joseph Island.
"There the pea-bug or weevil is unknown. Further west, around Fort William and Port
Arthur, it is also unknown, and it is the duty of the farmers of these districts to initiate strict
measures to prevent the importation of the weevil.
To give an idea of the diminution in the growing of peas during the last 10 years, it may
be stated that in 1891 the yield of peas in Ontario was about 18|^ million bushels. In 1902 the
jield was nearly 11^ million — a decrease of over 7 million bushels in 11 years. The decrease
would have been still greater if it had not been for the introduction of the grass pea variety.
The question of treatment is a very important one, and is not a difficult one to put into
practice. Unlike many other pests, the pea weevil confines its attention to the cultivated and
garden pea almost entirely. It attacks no wild varieties, hence there is no danger from re-
infestation through those sources. The usual method of treatment is that of fumigation with
carbon bisulphide. For several years the pea-growers of Prince Edward and other Lake
Ontario counties practiced this method, but there was no wide-spread co-operation in this line
of treatment among the farmers. The result was that the weevil thrived in spite of the efforts
•of many of the largest pea-growers.
The weevil is capable of flight, and it is possible that it may fly comparatively long dis-
tances. The first essential in a plan of campaign against the pea weevil is co-operation in the
treatment of infested seed, and, without this, the campaign would be useless.
The method of treatment which has been recommended is to fumigate the seed peas in air-
tight barrels or bins immediately after threshing. It is usual to use a pound or a pound and a
half of carbon bisulphide for every 100 bushels of peas. For smaller amounts, the quantity is
proportionately slightly increased. The peas are subjected to this treatment for 48 hours.
The question naturally arises : What is the best time for the treatment of the peas ? To
answer this question, a study of the development of the grub is necessary to ascertain at what
stage the grub ceases eating the pea. Mr. Elmer Lick, of Oshawa, who is a careful, accurate
observer, found that in every infested pod he examined that not more than one-half the dam-
age to the pea was done until after the crop was ready to harvest. In many cases he found
•not more than one-third the damage which the weevil would do before reaching maturity.
This was true of both late and early varieties, which were growing side by side. He found,
however, that a larger percentage of the early crop were " buggy." Mr. Lick naturally comes
to the conclusion that it is highly advisable to treat the peas immediately after harvest, and not
to wait until the grub has become full grown.
Mr. Lick's conclusions regarding the treatment of peas are as follows : —
1. Do not sow buggy peas without treating the weevil.
2. Harvest the crop as soon as ripe, and thresh at once.
3. For seed peas, treat at once ; but if for feed close up the concave of the machine tight ;
use full speed, and thus crack the peas and kill every weevil ; or, if it is not desired to cut up
the straw, run the peas, after threshing, through a crusher. (Mr. Lick would not care to risk
grinding fine, for fear of heating).
*'You must quit growing peas, unless there is co-operation in someway."
1903 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 15
Mr. Lick thinks a great deal of coal-oil* as a treatment. He uses about one gallon
to 10 or 15 bushels of peas. The oil is applied in such a way that the peas are thoroughly
covered.
In 1897, Prof. Zavitz, of the Experimental Department of the Ontario Agricultural Col-
lege, made some interesting experiments to find the value of peas for seed which had been in-
jured by the weevil. He found that in the case of a large variety of pea, like the Marrowfat,
about three-fifths of the peas which had been injured by the weevil did not germinate. In the
case of a small variety of pea, such as the Golden Vine, he found that only thirteen per cent of
"khe peas which contained the weevil grew. Thus he says, — " If a person were sowing weevilly
seed of the golden vine variety, it would be necessary to sow 15 acres of peas in order to get
as many plants as would be produced from sowing 2 acres of sound seed."
There is one interesting fact which I observed while in St. Joseph Island, which was
that, although weevilly peas are sown, the weevils never make their appearance on the new
crop. Whether this peculiarity will hold out many years, it is impossible to say, but such is
the case at present.
The life-history of the pea-weevil is as follows : The weevils deposit their eggs singly on
the outside of the newly formed pods, and when the peas are in blossom. The grub, as soon
as it is hatched, bores through the wall of the pod and enters the pea. Within it, it eats and
grows. When full grown, it is about one-fourth of an inch long, and about one-eighth of an
^nch in thickness. It has three pairs of minute legs, but otherwise it is decidedly maggot-like.
Its body is wrinkled, and is beset with a few long hairs. In its pupal state, it rests for a few
weeks in a round burrow, which is closed externally by the unbroken membrane of the pea.
The winter is passed in the adult state, either within or without the pea, but usually within.
I venture to outline a plan of an experimental campaign against the weevil, and I would
like the members present to discuss it as to its feasibility and probable value. The plan i
based on the idea that if the entire pea-crop of a section is threshed and treated with carbon
bisulphide immediately after it is harvested, the weevils in that section will be practically ex
terminated. I suggest, therefore, that a corps of men be appointed to treat the peas that are
grown on every farm m a group of two or three townships. The pea-growers should be asked
to assist in the work by providing the necessary barrels or tight bins for proper fumigation.
To each member of the corps, there could be allotted all the farms on one or two concessions.
Every farm would then be visited, and the peas fumigated properly. It might be necessary in
some instances to fumigate the peas twice if there was any doubt as to the thoroughness of the
first trea tment.
The same plan could be followed out the second season. If the weevils are still abundant
-the third season, the treatment would be considered a failure, providing no weevilly peas had
been introduced during the period of experimentation.
REPORT ON INJURIOUS INSECTS IN 1902.
Division No. 4. — NiaCxAra District. — By Geo. E. Fisher.
Not being schooled in the science of entomology you will readily understand that I
naturally shrink from accepting office in this society and reporting from the standpoint of an
entomologist. My indebtedness to entomologists for assistance in prosecuting the San Jose
scale investigation, a desire to reciprocate, and being assured by Prof. Webster and particularly
by Dr. Fletcher that they themselves are only students and that I am abundantly qualified to act
in this capacity, are my apology for attempting to do so.
16 , THE REPORT OF THE No. \9r
The opinion seems to- prevail that in continually moving about the country in my official
capacity I enjoy exceptional opportunities for observation and should know a great deal. While
it may not seem altogether unfair to expect considerable of me in this way, the particular work
in which I am engaged has so continually demanded my full time that the opportunity for
thorough and careful investigation outside of matters jjertaining to the San Jose scale is not
nearly so satisfactory as when at home I went leisurely about my own orchards and, with
necessary appliances always at hand, worked out such questions.
My practice has been not to accept any statement I could not verify in the field and in ii y
judgment he who demonstrates beyond question one subject in a whole season has" accom-
plished much more than another who has given but superficial attention to a greater number.
Notwithstanding the almost entire absence of such weather as makes ideal conditions for
insects, in many instances they were present in usual quantity. The cabbage worm, striped
cucumber beetle and squash bug, asparagus and potato beetles are spoken of by gardeners as
having been troublesome. The potato beetle made a record, for when the vines succumbed to
blight, in their efibrts for self preservation the beetles attacked almost everything else, tomatoes
and particularly egg plants were procectea with the greatest difficulty. There were instances
of tomato plants being eaten off in large quantity, by potato bugs which attacked them below
the surface of the ground, before the potatoes were up in the spring. The asparagus beetle is
spread over the whole of the, Niagara District, and where left to itself seriously injures the
crop. There are several methods of controlling it, and those which are perhaps the most
successful and most generally adopted are very simple. The insect prefers the more spindling
shoots which are allowed to stand and are destroyed as soon as they become considerably
infested. Little chicks catch and eat the beetles, and if moved about in portable coops a single
brood will protect an area of quite large extent, when cutting is discontinued the plantations
are sprayed with paris green or arsenic. A gentleman at Queenston suggests a solution of
saltpetre, one pound in ten gallons of water,'for the suppression of cucumber and squash beetles.
Others are using whale oil soap one pound in four gallons and find that it is safe for very tender
plants and besides relieving the vines of insect pests so invigorates their growth that its use is
economical for this purpose alone.
Canker-Worm.
Canker-worm (Fig. 2) was not so generally plentiful this season as last, ])ut was still
numerous in certain sections, where orchards were stripped as usual. Little rain fell during the
larval period, which afforded a much better opportunity for
spraying this year than last, when the almost continuous
rain washed ofi the poison as fast as it was put on. In 1901^
so unsatisfactory were the results from trying to kill Canker-
worm by spraying, that in the fall a few growers resorted to
the sticky bandage process. Even with the weather condi-
tions favorable, spraying a large number of trees is a heavy
undertaking, but those of 1901 showed that Canker-worm
cannot always be controlled by spraying, though the pumps
elgs J^n^wJwa^s aXf^^^^^^ be kept going and the best of material used. In my own
;yili^"'!S^4S"tc^rpma" orchards, we had not been successful in the spring, and in
the fall made an experiment of sufficient extent to fully test
this method. Beginning Nov. 1st, 2,000 apple and 6,000 plum and cherry, all bearing and
mostly full-grown trees, were treated. Pear and peach were not attacked, though a few years
ago a neighbor had serious trouble from Canker-worm in his pear orchard. At the above date,
the weather being rather cold, pure castor oil and a good qualitj^ of resin were used in the pro-
1903 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 17
portion of equal parts by weight ; in warmer weather five parts of resin to three of oil would be
required. A space of six inches or more at a convenient height was scraped on rough-barked
apples and the surface made as smooth as possible. The mixture while warm was applied to
the bark with a brush, a strip around the tree two inches wide, which spread to four. The
heavy bark of the apples soon absorbed this first application, which was promptly renewed. In
the course of the season it was found necessary to treat the apples three times and the
plums twice. A few moths were moving when the treating was commenced, and some of these
no doubt had already reached the branches. As the season advanced and thousands upon
thousands of the sluggish egg-laden moths became entangled in the wax, the situation was
extremely interesting. On one small plum one hundred and fifty moths were counted, and on
some of the larger apples the number of moths captured, both male and female, was too many
to count. (Fig. 3.) During the spring a very close
watch was kept, and as there was no movement, I
have concluded that the infestation was wholly of
the fall variety. As the males were made prisoners
if their wings but touched the wax, there was little
and probably no copulation, and Dr. Fletcher has
explained that the eggs are likely to be fertilized ^i- 3- ^^^^ ^^^Z'^J^Zth!"' '''''^' """"^^ '
only in passing the ovary. However this may be,
so far as we could observe no eggs hatched, but remained in the body of the parent still held
fast by the wax. Sorpe who used this method collected and burned the dead females, .but in
our case there seemed no necessity. My interest in this matter intensified as the season for
spraying came and went with this innumerable host of closely-held captives on the trunks of the
trees and no larvae in the top to spray. The men say there were not as many worms in the
entire orch?rd this year as were on some individual trees last year. This way of treating
Canker-worm is not new, but is certainly not generally understood. Mr. O. T. Springer, of
Burlington, who has practised this method successfully for years, assisted me with valuable
suggestions.
Pear Psylla.
Ea^^ly in September my attention was called to an attack of Pear Psylla in an orchard
belonging to Mr. Joseph Tweddle, of Fruitland. A block ot 125 eight or ten-year-old pear
trees was involved. The varieties affected are those in common cultivation, the Bartletts
suffering most. Nearly the whole of the block was swarming with wasps, attracted by honey-
dew that was dripping from the foliage. The wood was covered with a black fungus which
had developed in honey-dew exuded by nymphs attacking the wood.
At the time of my first visit the foliage was largely deserted and the nymphs were con-
centrated on the wood, particularly the young growth, and the energy of the trees was appar-
ently so reduced as to seriously affect next season's crop, no matter what treatment is given.
Some years ago Mr. Freeman, of Freeman, lost an orchard of nearly four hundred large dwarf
Duchess from Psylla. Hq tried to destroy the insects with kerosene emulsion, but used it of
too little strength , which had no effect whatever. At home we always have some Psylla, but
it is never there in sufficient quantity to necessitate treatment.
In the worst affected portions of Mr. Tweddle's orchard the foliage was so reduced as to
make treatment easy, and I advised an application of crude petroleum emulsion, 1 in 10,
which would kill nearly all of the nymphs and stop the drain on the trees. We subsequently
treated a couple of the trees with the emulsion ourselves, and the effect was even better than
I anticipated. This, followed by a thorough treatment with lime and sulphur in winter, will
subdue the pest. As the eggs are deposited very early in spring, the winter treatment should
not be delayed too long.
2 EX.
18
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
White Rose-scale.
This insect has taken to our Raspberry plantations and seems to be widely spread. In
fields situated east of Grimsby, it was found in good form both al the beginning and end of
April. On the 10th of May it was rapidly increasnig in size and by the 20th nearing matur-
ity, but down to this date no eggs had been observed. On May 31st eggs were plentiful and
on June 7th were found to be hatching ; on the 23rd June eggs were still plentiful, hatching
and larv?e fixing on the old canes ; at this date the scales were present in all stages of develop-
ment. These fields were not seen again till September 22nd when eggs were more plentiful
than at any previous examination, lice running and fixing on both old and new wood and there
were growing scales in all stages particularly on the o d canes. The same conditions prevailed
on the 25th of October except that the new canes were then heavily infested.
It appears from these investigations that while this scale resembles scurfy barklouse in
appearance it differs from it in being multibrooded and in passing the winter alive. I intend
making a careful search for eggs at the end of the season to determine whether or not there
are eggs in good condition at that time, as the opinion is held that some of the eggs winter over.
On September 22nd there were very few scales on the young wood in comparison with the
old and not many of these were of advanced growth. If the old canes be removed and des-
troyed immediately after fruiting much of the spreading will be prevented as it is no doubt
later in the season, when larvse are more plentiful, that most spreading occurs. This precaution
followed by a thorough treatment before growth starts in the spring with a suitable wash such
as soap, crude oil or lime and sulphur will in my judgment meet the difficulty.
San Jose Scale (Figs. 4 and 5).
Owing to the cold late spring the larvse of the San Jose scale did not appear till a week or
ten days after the usual time, but notwithstanding this and the unfavorable weather which
Fig-. 4.— Peai infested with San Jose scale.
-Portion of a branch infested with the
San Jose scale.
followed, reproduction was rapid and the pest was discovered in many orchards where it had
not previously been found. In many instances trees that were but slightly infested in the
spring are encrusted now and likely to be ruined before the end of the season.
1908 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 19
Formerly the practice was to mark for special winter treatment any trees that were badly
attacked in summer, but this was not satisfactory as such trees fre(iuently became much
weakened and sometimes ditd before the winter's frosts closed the scale's season.
Recognizing the necessity for prompt summer treatment in such cases much pains was
taken to procure an effectual remedy suitable for summer use which would destroy the scale
without injuriously affecting the trees. In a long series of experiments emulsions made from
kerosene and crude petroleum proved the most satisfactory and are really very useful. The
varying results so commonly reported from the use of kerosene are largely due to differences
in preparing the emulsions and of the condition of the weather when the applications were
made. They shou'd be applied only on warm, dry, bright, airy days, and it would appear that
the hotter and dryer the weather is the better will be the result in killing the scale and
the safer to the trees. Spraying done on trees in leaf is necessarily imperfect for the
foliage prevents the spray reaching every part of the wood, particularly the twigs. For spray-
ing infested trees in leaf we prefer a rather coarse nozzle which sends its spray through the
foliage to the wood much better than a fine nozzle. The oils resist re-attack so well that even
if there be considerable breeding after the treatment is given it will not matter, for the
majority of the young scales which fix will die and the tree will not be badly affected again
during the season. Either kerosene or crude petroleum may be satisfactorily applied wi' h a
combination pump and diluted with water to almost any per-centage, but to use them with an
ordinary pump it is necessary to make an emulsion. Kerosene emulsion 1 in 6 is a suitable
strength for hardy foliage and 1 in 7 for peach and other tender foliage. That is one gallon of
kerosene in a total quantity of seven gallons of emulsion. Crude oil emulsion 1 in 10 is a
suitable strength for hardy foliage. This gives one quarter of a pound of soap to the gallon of
emulsion and ten per cent, of oil which is all most foliage will resist. Kerosene is preferable
for peach trees. I would spray only badly affected trees in summer and follow this with a
thorough spraying of the entire orchard with lime and sul()hur in the winter or spring.
Our experiments clearly demonstrate that lime and sulphur is altogether the most effective
remedy we now have. It is also the cheapest and the safest. It is easily applied and we hope
by utilizing steam from ordinary threshing engines for cooking tf) make it more easily procured
than any other spray. A larger proportion of lime and sulphur than is necessary in California
is recommended for our climate. One pound of lime and one-half pound of sulphur to the
gallon of wa^h giving the best satisfaction in our experiments. We found no advantage from
the addition of salt, in fact the best results were obtained where no salt was used, and as it
seriously corroded the pump we do not recommend it.
It will be interesting to this meeting to know how this remedy appears to work out, and
as frequent examinations were carefully made, I ma,y speak with considerable confidence.
There were so many living, healthy, developing females remaining that in the early examina-
tions we pronounced the treatment a failure. When the breeding season came we were greatly
surprised at finding no larvjie on treated trees and the little yellow lice simply swarming ( n
trees that were nut treated. The microscope showed the mature females on untreated trees
to be packed with young, while the large, fresh, oily females on treated trees were empty,
barren and entirely without any appearance of young about them. The proportion of males
in the over-wintered brood is Urgely in excess of the females and this is nature's provision for
complete fertilization in the spring whch no doubt is indispensable. The males being on the
surface and exposed perished from the treatment, and many of the females protected under
layers of encrusted scales escaped, bat as there was no copulation there was no breeding.
A m st gratifying feature of our work is that it shows clearly that the scale may be easily
controlled and the vigor of an orchard maintained independent of surroundings. An orchard
exposed to reinfestation i^ of course at a disadvantage, but even this will not prevent h-kling
the scale well in check if regular annual treatments are given.
20 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
And now that these results are secured, fruic growers and particularly those in infested
sections, will appreciate the Minister's persistent effort in their behalf, and we trust such
thorough use of the remedies will be made as will speedily bring the pest well under control.
Dr. Fletcher : .**^aid that he was glad to be able to confirm the results obtained by Mr.
Fisher in the case of the San Jose scale.
He had just been through the scene of these experiments with Mr. Fisher and Mr. Gib-
son, and saw these very trees that were treated with lime and sulphur, and they were just as
healthy as trees need to be. The scale was very abundant at the beginning of the season, but
now there are only a very small number of living scales thtre, which shows that this remedy
is very eiTective. The treatment does not cost more than it is worth, and the application of it
is useful in more ways than one, because it destroys many other injurious insects, and we have
in it a remedy which comes next to the Bordeaux mixture. Lime, sulphur and salt is one of
the very best fungicides we know of and when we find that it is one of the best and cheapest
applications for destroying the San Jose scale, and at the same time will remove many other
diseases that aff'ect the tree, we should appreciate the efforts of the men who have given us
this remedy.
Until the San Jose scale was introduced into Ontario, our greatest loss was from the brown
rot of the plum, and the black spot of the apple. Mr. Evans has a specimen that he is going to
show to the meeting, which will illustrate how reports come back from European markets of
the fruit we ship. The farmers ship them in comparatively good condition, they only see a
small amount of spot upon the apple. This sample will show you what condition these
apples are in when they reach the European markets. What does this mean, it means that
the fruit growers have not taken the proper care to properly treat their trees ; these apples
were shipped in comparatively proper condition ; but the shipment, was delayed for three
weeks and this is the condition in which the apples were found, [ Apples were exhibited which
were so spotted and pitted with rot as to be absolutely unmarketable, and yet they were
shipped three weeks before in an apparently sound condition.]
Prof. LociTHEAD : I can assure you there is no person more phased than I am, at the
favourable results of Mr. Fisher's experiments.
Any person who has had anything to do with the San Jose scale knows the destruction it
creates. The question is often put to the Entomologist, what are you here for if you can't get
rid of the scale ?
Mr. Fisher was with me at the Pittsburg meeting of Economic Eatomologists and I can
assure the members here, that we are ahead of the United States as far as the treatment of
San Jose scale is concerned. Although they reported the results of the lime and sulphur
treatment, there was a good deal of divergence of opinion at that meeting.
Mr. Fisher : .There seems to be some difficulty in cooking this mixture properly. The
lime and sulphur preparation requires a great deal of cooking. Two hours are absolutely
necessary and three hours are better than two. I am not a chemist and I cannot explain the
trouble from a scientific stand point. Our practice has been to put a quantity of water in a
kettle and bring it to a boil, we then put the lime into the boiling water, and as soon as we
got it slaked, we threw in the sulphur. The slaking of the lime seems to have
a good eflfect in reducing the sulphur. This is cooked for tw^o hours. When the sulphur is first
introduced into the lime, the mixture is of a light silvery color and it remains about the same
color during the first hour and a half, then it begins to shade away to a dark deep amber, and
some that we cooked longer became a greenish color and had quite a green cast. If the mix-
ture is properly made you cannot wash it off the trees, nor can you wash it off your hands, if
you get any on.
I
1903 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 21
When it becomes cold the lime and sulphur appear to crystallize and we have water and
crystals, but we cannot stir it up neither can we restore it to life by cooking, and it will not
stick when we put it on the trees. The preparation must therefore be applied while hot.
The Chairman : After it is in condition to apply to the trees, how long before it
crystallizes ?
Mr. Fisher : As soon as it gets cold ; it would probably take half a day to cool. There
is no trouble in getting it on after it is prepared, if you are not interrupted.
Mr. W. E. Saunders : As regards the chemic^il nature of this compound, it m-ght be of
interest to state that when the lime and sulphur are combined together, they make sulphide
of calcium, and sulphide of calcium freshly made is soluble. It has been in use in the drug
business for a long time as a remedy for skin diseases, and I have found that in the strength
which we make it, which results in a bright brick -red solution, it does not crystallize. I
should think that the crystals occur from making the solution too dense. We have a solution
in stock now, that has been made for perhaps three months or six months and it is still of a
deep orange-red color ; it contains sulphide of calcium and probably some sulphur. This
solution we have bottled up and it is in good condition to-day. When it is exposed to the air
it forms upon the surface a flake of a mixture of sulphur and sulphide of calcium. Decom-
position, no doubt, will go on to a more rapid extent as it is exposed longer to the air. I
should think that by putting this material in barrels, filling them right to the top, hud putting
the plug in the bung, it could be kept for weeks. If you have more sulphur than the solution
can take up, it might possibly take it up while hot and throw it down when cold. If it had an
excess of either one it might leave the residue in the bottom.
Mr. Fisher : We have very little sediment ; the mixture appears to be perfect We did
have a lighter wash, but it left the sulphur exposed, so that it would be blown away by the
wind or washed off by the rain, whereas by using a pound of lime and half a pound of sulphur
to the gallon of wash, it left the sulphur covered. The sulphur seems to be deposited between
the lime and the bark of the tree.
Prof. LocHHEAD : I had a talk with a chemist at the Pittsburg meeting and he stated that
when you boil sulphur and lime together, you get various kinds of sulphide of calcium There
are sulphides of a high and a low degree, and these differ very remarkably.
Prof. James : This is one of those thin^^s where the practice is of far greater value than
the theory. We all know that the various forms sulphur assumes depend entirely upon the
temperature to which it is heated. The use of the lime and sulphur mixture for the treatment
of the San Jose scale in the eastern part of California has presented a very interesting feature
to me. Perhaps most of you know thit in the early days this favorite stand-by, or method,
used in California was used here, but we were told by the American Entomologists that it was
not at all applicable _to the eastern part of the continent. It is quite evident now that our
American friends came to a conclusion too rapidly, because when Mr. Fisher's department
used that treatment he wrote to a large number of the Entomologists on the other side, and in
their replies they admitted that their previous conclusions were hardly correct. Mr. Fisher
has practically shown them the way in this matter, and I think we can safely say that his
experiments are in advance of anything that has been previously done in the Eastern States,
or the Eastern half of the Continent. The only way in which they can be said to have gone
beyond us is in the very important work done at the Department of Washington, in sending
to China and Japan for the natural parasites of the insect. It seems that after trying many
experiments, we have got out into the light and are now where we have some safe and sure
footing with regard to this insect.
Dr. Fletcher : With regard^to what Prof. Lochhead has said, that this work was shown
o be of great importance at the Pittsburg convention, the suggestion has been made that our
22 ThlE REPORT OF THE No. 19
work was as good as any in the United States. We can say that it is better than anything
that has been done hitherto, and more than that, it is far more extensive than anything that
has ever been done in the United States During the last four years Mr. Fisher has been
working continuously throughout the summer. The best work done in the United States has
been done by an Entomologist who has a class to teach and other work to do, whereas, Mr.
Fisher has given his whole attention to the work and we have these good results.
If a thing is worth doing and it will pay to do it, our farmers will do it. Seventeen years
ago there was not a spraying machine in Canada, and now there are more than a million,
because the people have been shown that it pays to use them. And so it will be with the
treatment for the San Jose scale.
Dr. Fletcher then moved, seconded by Dr. Bethune, "that the Entomological Society of
Ontario have watched carefully the efforts of the Hon. the Minister of Agriculture and his
Officers to discover a practical remedy for the San .lose scale ever since its first appearance iu
Canada, and the Society now feel that they can justly, and they do hereby, tender their con-
gratulations to the Minister for the excellent results which have been obtained through the
discovery of a practical remedy for this most destructive insect.'"— Carried unanimously.
The Chairman : It is very great gratification I am sure to us all that a member of our
Society, and one of its Directors should have accomplished the very good work that he has
done ; we also feel that an immense deal of credit is due to the Minister of Agriculture for the
thorough way in which he has caused these investigations and experiments to be conducted in
the face of a great deal of opposition. We feel grateful to him for what he has done, and also
to his officers for their excellent work.
EVENING MEETING.
A public -neeting of the Society, to which the members of the London Horticultural
Society were specially invited, was held on Wednesday evening, October 29th, in a lecture
room of the Normal School, by kind permission of Principal Merchant. At 8 o'clock the
meeting was called to order by the President, the Rev. Dr. Fyles, who said :
Ladies and gentlemen we are happy to meet you again to talk of the beautiful objects in
which the Society is interested, and to tell you of some facts concerning them. I beg to re-
quest Prof. James to take the chair this evening.
Prcf. James : Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I accept very readily and very will-
ingly the invitation of the Entomological Society to occupy the chair on this occasion ; partly
because of the high appreciation I hold of their work, and partly also because we of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture who are more intimately related to that work, get from them so much
assistance in connection with our own work. We have been holding a session this afternoon,
and have been discussing two questions in particular. They are of very great moment to the
people of this Province. We have been discussing very small things indeed. Things so small
that in order to be detected, in some cases at least, they must be put under a powerful micro-
scope. These small things' mean a great deal in connection with the development of this
country ; they are the Scale insect that affects our fruit trees and the Weevil that destroys our
pea crop. If the Society had done nothing else in connection with their meeting, but to pre-
pare for publication the information that will be collected, then they will not have met in vain.
It is not many years since Entomology was looked down upon. It is only within the last
few years that it has received that attention which it deserves, and I am afraid that even yet
Entomology in most of its departments is not receiving the recognition it fully deserves. We
1908 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 23
are finding more and more enemies to our crops, and as they come before us we turn to the
specialists, those who have made a special study of Entomology, and apply to them for help
and assistance, and as these men put into practice the results of their investigations, the people
as a whole are coming to the conclusion that after all these men are not merely men of theories
but are men of practice, and I think we shall find in connection with this Entomological
Society that theory and practice are working hand in hand as effectively as in connection with
any other society organized for the general welfare of this Province.
Entomology is a subject which is not only of very great consequence to me, as these two
crops I have mentioned will give evidence, but it is a subject of very great interest. It came
out in discussion this afternoon that the pea crop of this Province during this past year was
worth from four to seven million dollars less than it was about ten years ago. This falling oft
in production is to be attributed to the destructive work of a minute insect. If our entomolo-
•gists can give us a simple remedy whereby the ravages of this insect can be overcome, you can
understand how very practical their work must be.
We have not a very long programme to lay before you this evening, but I think that you
will find that what we have to give you will be full of interest.
I have now very much pleasure in introducing to you the Rev. Dr. Fyles of Quebec.
Dr. Fyles then read his presidential address and illustrated it with a series of beautiful
diagrams, the work of his own hand.
INSECT LIFE.
By Rey. Thomas W. Fyles, D.C L., F.L.S.— President.
The old Roman poet, Lucretius, made known, in lofty strains, his ideas upon Natural
Things. His poetry was better than his philosophy. He held the opinion that the soul of
man was difi'used in atoms throughout, the body. He argued that if, on the death of the
body, any of these soul atoms remained in it, the soul could not properly be accounted
immortal, because it sufi'ered diminution. But, he continued, if the soul left the body with
all its parts entire, how do you account for the boneless, bloodless creatures that are found
in, and upon, the carcass ? He seemed to think that the soul particles could embody
themselves anew in difi'erent ways. If Lucretius had been an Entomologist, and had known
the life histories of the Silphidse and Muscida3 he would not have entertained opinions so absurd.
The great question of Life baffled him, as it has baffled many a philosopher since.
%,:.. The boys, at the school I attended as a child, pointed out to me a celebrated surgeon,
a lecturer on Anatomy, who, they said, was endeavoring to find out the nature, and the seat,
of life. We regarded him with awe ; but he never made the discovery — he died, and his
place knew him no more.
Distinct from the highest meaning of the word Life, the Theological meaning, which
we understand in our Saviour's declaration, " They would not come unto Me that tBey
might have life," the word is used in various senses. It is used to denote : —
I. Vitality — the power by which we live and move and have our being.
II. The period between birth and death.
III. Energy, vigour ; as in. He is full of life.
IV. The condition and habits of life ; as high life, low life.
V. A multitude of beings ; as the city teemed with life.
VI. A life history.
There are other meanings, but these will suffice for our present purpose.
24
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
With the term Insect Life we are very familiar. The late Prof. Riley conducted under
it, as a title, a publication which is highly valued, as a very treasury of Entomological in-
formation. Let us, in our consideration of Insect Life, transfer to it the meanings above
enumerated.
I. And first as to the vital power. Of this it may be said that, as in the case of man,
so in that of the inferior creatures, no physiologist has ever been able to make plain to us
its nature and its seat. We speak of certaia organs as vital organs ; and we are able to
trace the respiratory, digestive, nervous, muscular and reproductive systems ; but the grand
power that brings all into play remains a mystery. It came from God ; and, when He
taketh away the breath of His creatures, they die and return again to their dust.
What is the first and ordinary indication by which we judge that an insect is alive ?
It is its ability to move.
We notice on a Basswood an appearance as of a triangle of small twigs, some brown,
some green. We examine it closely and perceive that we have an object before us with a
head, and a trunk, and jointed limbs. Is it alive ? The creature stretches out a limb, and
we know that it is alive. It is Diapheromera femorata, Say. Fig. 6.
Again we see on a twig a small creature that in build resembles a Guinea-fowl with
head and neck extended. It is brown and hard,,
and might, you think, be taken for a thorn.
Suddenly it springs out of sight. You might say
Fig. 6. Walking-stick insect (original).
Fig.
Leaf-hopper, much magnified (original).
of it, as old John Willett said of May-pole Hugh, " You look, and there he is : you look
again, and there he isn't ! "
Or again you see a piece of bark, as you suppose, projecting slightly from the boll of
a tree. It is brown and ridged, and has marks as if, at some time, a small twig on either
1902
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
25
side had been broken off. You give it a poke, and it swerves ; and some small feet are
protruded ; and you perceive that it is a living moth {Calocampa curvimacula^ Morris)
And once more, you notice a seeming patch of lichen on a birch- tree. You approach
to examine it ; when suddenly,
from beneath the deceptive
fore-wings, a pair of gorgeous
scarlet secondaries are display-
ed ; and the creature flies off
to a place of security It is
Catocala parta Guen. Fig. 8.
How rapid the nervous ac-
tion—how great the muscular
force, that can carry the frog-
hopper out of reach, that can Fig. 8. Catocala parta (Red Underwing Moth).
display, and set in motion, so effectively, the ample wings of the moth !
There is a baetle {Limulodes paradoxus, Matth.) so small that it looks like the dot that
we place over the letter i ; yet it is j^ifted with nervous and muscular forces according to
its need ; and we can —
" trace in nature's most minute design
The signature and stamp of power divine,
Contrivance intricate, express'd with ease,
Where unassisted sight no beauty sees.
The shapely limb and lubricated joint.
Within the small dimensions of a point,
Muscle and nerve miraculously spun.
His mighty work, who speaks and it is done,
The invisible in things scarce seervreveal'd.
To 'vhom an atom is an ample field." *
In the progression of caterpillars a remarkable phenomenon may be witnessed. If a semi-
translucent caterpillar be placed, when in motion, against the light — as upon a window pane
there will be observed a backward muscular action, within the body, which takes the appear-
ance of a succession of wavelets passing from segment to segment, from the head to the farther
the nerve power passing
and acting, in order, upon
legs in motion and cause
backward flow causes the
When an lulus is in
motion, you see each pair of its numerous legs move forward in succession with the utmost
regularity. (Fig 9.)
Respiration, and the reception, digestion and assimilation of food are as necessary to the
life of the insect as they are to the life of man : and the insect is provided with organs admir-
ably suited to carry on these functions, and with others according to its need.
II. We may call the period of the insect's existence its Life.
Insect life in this sense is made up of four successive stages— the egg, the larval, the pupal
and the imago stages.
Some kinds of insects pass through all these rapidly, as for example, the House Fly.
With it, the egg stage lasts only twenty-four hours.
extremity. It is owing to
from ganglion to ganglion
the muscles that set the
the real advance — the
forward movement.
lulus multistriatus.
* Cowper. Retirement.
26
THE REPORT OF THE
No.l9
The following table, which I have made up from the last five completed volumes of the
Canadian Eatomoloylst, will give an idea of the usual length of the egg stage of insects : —
Colias interior, 6 or 7 days, Lyman, Vol. XXIX., No. 11.
.Epirranthus obfirmaria, 13 days, Fyles, Vol. XXIX., No. 11.
Brephos infans, 8, 9, or 10 days, Brainerd, Vol. XXIX , No. 11.
Trigonophora periculosa, 10 days, Fyles, Vol. XXXI., No. 2.
Euprepia caja, 9^days, Gibson, Vol. XXXII., No. 11.
Arctia phalerata, 7 or 8 days, Gibson, Vol. XXXII., No. 12.
Xylina Bethunei, about 14 days, Lyman, Vol XXXIIl., No. 1.
Phlyctcenia ferrugalis, 14 days, Fletcher & Gibson, Vol. XXXIIL, No. 5.
Arctia virgancula, 7 or 8 days, Gibson, Vol. XXXIIL, No. 12.
The most rentiE^jrkable egg period that has come under my notice is that of Pamphila Mani-
toba. Thi egg stage of^this insect lasts for eight months. In the year 1894, on the 8th day of
August, I witnessed the laying of a batch of the eggs. On the 20th day of April, in the follow-
ing year, I saw the tiny larvae bite their way to freedom from the shells in which they had
lived so long. The other stages of the insect's life were completed within four months — in less
than half the period of the egg stage. m. i i ■, ^ • • -.-/v
1 he larval period also varies in differ-
ent species. It is the insect's feeding
time. In the case of a Bombyx, it is the
time when sufficient nutriment must eb
assimilated, to sustain the insect through
all- its after existence. Some larvae are
quickly " full fed," and go directly after
into chrysalis. Others spend the Winter
in a state of torpidity, and complete their
growth in the Spring. Such, for instance,
are the larvae of Melifcea Harrisii Scudder.
Fig. 10. Caterpillar an.l Chrysalis of a Cossus. These are gr<>g!irIou«i in the Fall, and may
be seen'appirently tangled] up in dirty-
looking webs upon the heads of the
White Aster. When disturbed they
strike an attitude, and seem to be all
legs. In the Spring they scatter, and
feed up on the young shoots of the
plant. The butterflies from them ap-
pear in June. Their life is completed
within a twelvemonth.
But with the Cossidte the larval
stage is greatly prolonsred. Packard
has given illustrations of Cussas Cen-
tereusU, Lintner, in which the appear-
:ance of the larva is shewn after a
growth of four months, of a year and
four months, of two years and four
months, and of three years", when the
caterpillar was ready to pupate. ( Fig.
10.)
But the most extraordinary prolongation of insect life is that of Cicada septendecim,
Linneus (Fig. 11). This creature, as its name implies, is seventeen years in attaining perfec-
tion. In lenij[th of life it stands alone amongst insects.
Fig. 11.
Cicada septendeciiii. a, larva ; b
form ; d, eggs deposited in a twi
pupa case ; c, perfect
1902
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
27
III. The energy of many species of insects is surprising-they are full of life. In sime
cases, as in that of the mosquito, they are- as the little girl said of a troublesome puppy-' ' too
much alive."
On the 22nd of June of this year, I was staying at the beautiful country house of the
Hon .urable Richard Turner, on the Island of Orleans. I looked from my bedroom window
early in the morning-it was a bright, sunny morning-aud lo, the air was full of light gauzy
forms sporting around the trees on the lawn and over the tops of them. There were myriads of
the creatures ; and all day long they kept up their mazy dance, seldom alighting to rest They
belonged to the species Ephemera simula^is. Walker The wings of this cpecies are spotted
with brown, and are strengthened with an exquisite net- work of - nerves." The long waving
tails of the insects add grace to their movements. (Fig. 12).
If I may, I will here mention an episode, that was narrated to me by the much esteemed
Editor of our magazine. Dr. Bethune. Some years ago, an alarm of fire was raised in the
town in which he then resided The fire-engines were
called out and there was a great commotion From the
roof of a large warehouse, near the water, volumes of
Fig. 12. (Original.) Fi^.g (Original.)
seeming smoke and heated air were rising and eddying. On reaching the building the firemen
found that they had been misled, or, as the boys would say - sold." The appearlnce that had
alarmed the town was caused by innumerable specimens of Polyshchotes punctatus, Fab. rising
from, and sporting over, the roof. (Fig. 13.)
Often during the time I lived in the Eastern Townships, when driving home in the calm
summer evenings, I noticed above the top of some giant monarch of the forest, a mysterious
moving column just discernible against the pale after glow of the sunset. The appearances
were due to assemblies of insects, taking their pleasure in the heights.
Who has nob noticed the dash with which the beei comes suddenly out of the blue and
flights upon the foot-board of the hive, as if, like the clown in the pantomine he would say,
" Here we are again ! "
That energetic little fellow the Flea, Pnlex irritans, Linneus, can leap thirty times its
own height.
Wlio has not admired the persistence with which the bot-fly, Gastrophilus ecnn, Linneus
keeps up with the trotting horse and hovers around its legs, till opportunities occur of attaching
Its eggs to them. • ^
It is the cold breath of approaching winter that robs the insect world of its energy that
takes the life out of it. Apropos of this, " The Duchess" in her story entitled " Her Last
Throw " has a little piece of quiet fun. One of her characters. Fay, is speaking :-
" Her voice annoys me. It is so slo^y~Bo dr a wily. It is irritating. It is lifeless. She
talks as though she were a fly in October."
"Captain Severn laughs rather constrainedly.
28 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
"Oh! And is it in October flies talk ? says he. How interesting ! After all, the one
subject never quite mastered is natural history. It is always /nZi of surprises."
If flies do not talk, they have some mysterious mode of communicating with their kind.
One evening, when I resided in England, rtturning to my home I noticed a number of large
handsome moths fluttering around an out-building. I looked about and saw others, coming
from all quarters, and as far as the eye could see. I recognized them as males of the species
Lasiocampa quercus. Presently it occurred to me that a female of the species might have
come from a cocoon in my insect breeding cage. I opened the door of the out-building, and—
in flocked the moths. So intent were they upon paying their respects to the lady moth, who
was really within, that they tiew into my hands as I undid the gauze covering of the cage.
What called them ? A voice unheard by man — a subtle effluvium — or emanations yet more
strange ? We know not ; but they came from far and near, full of life and energy. The
female chose her mate ; and the rest fluttered disconsolately away, or fell inertly to the
ground.
IV. The term life is applied to the habits and mode of living. VVe say, what a strange
life to lead !
The Broad-leaved A&ter {Aster macrophyllus h.} ^rows in patches of considerable size in
the woods around Levis. In the month of June of this year I noticed that many of the large
ground leaves of the plant were folded over, from both sides, and crinkled. On opening one of
them I found that a larva had turned the leaf into a cool and pleasant tent for itself, and was
feeding upon the parenchyma of the leaf.
This larva was about nine lines in length, and was of a pale green, with dorsal, sub-dorsal
and side lines of darker green. The head and second segment were jet black and glossy. The
fore-part of the third segment was dull brown — ori the after part of it were four conspicuous
white patches. At intervals, along the subdorsal lines, and elsewhere on the body, were
round jet black dots. The spiracles were black. The under side of the larva was pale green.
The cla.spers and anal segment were marked with black.
On June 25th the larva span a capsule-like, white cocoon, open at one end, for the exit of
the moth. Its plan was to place itself on the under side of a fresh leaf, upon the midrib ;.
then to aflix its threads at a certain distance on either side of the rib, and to draw so much of
the leaf as lay between, into a fold or crease. Within this it formed its cocoon.
The moths appeared on July 10th. The insect measured when displayed ten and a half
lines across. Its body was four lines in length, and its autennaj three lines. The palpi were
dark brown, turned back usually. The basal part of them was spindle-shaped ; the terminal
point was smaller, long and pointed.
The fore-wings were brown, clouded with darker brown towards the hind margin. They
had a sub-terminal line of paler brown spots bordered with black. Beyond the centre of the
wings was a pale brown horse-shoe like mark, not very distinct.
The secondaries were grey with a lighter well-marked sub-terminal line, and a grey fringe.
The body was tufted at the extremity. The tarsi were ringed with white.
Professor Fernald tells me that the moth belongs to the genus Trichotoplie, Clem. He
does not know the species. I think it probable, therefore, that it is unnamed ; and I venture
to give it the provisional name of Trichotophe Levissella. Its life is a curious one.
I have raistd from this species the parasite Hemiteles ymieronatus^ Prov.
The mode of life of a Tortoise Beetle that has lately made its appearance in the neighbor-
hood of Quebec is a remarkable one. The larva feeds on the burdock and the thistle. It
moulds its exuviae and dejecta into a screen which it supports over its body by means of is
forked tail — thus disguising itself from its enemies, and sheltering itself from the hot sun.
When it goes into pupa it cements itself to the leaf. The pupa is brown and drab, and, round.
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 29
the abdomen, is set with white branched spines. The perfect insect is a pretty pea-green,
shield- shaped beetle. I have described it in the Canadian Entomologist for this month.
The Syrphus flies (Fig. 14) lead a remarkable life. Their larvae come from eggs laid upon
plants on which aphides abound. They are blunt at one end and tapering at the other, and
they have powers of extension and retraction (Fig. 15). They drive their sharp mout^h organs
into the aphides and suck them dry — as a boy might suck an orange— rejecting the skins.
They spend the pupal period of their existence in .curious hunched-up cases. The flies are
handsome. They sustain their life upon the nectar of flowers, and they may be seen upon the
heads of yarrow as late as the beginning of October. There are several species of them.
One day in September I was examining the blossoms of the Turtle-head {Chelone glabra),
and admiring the beautiful gothic arches formed by the curved stamens and the flocculent
anthers. I noticed that the pistil of the blossom extended over these and was bent down in
front of them so that it would come in contact with intruding insects and be charged with
pollen that they conveyed. I looked round to see what insect would venture to open that
Turtle-mouth and tread that arched way. A movement in one of the blossoms arrested my
attention and I saw that there was an insect within. So busily engaged in the recesses of the
flower was this spoiler that I was able to pluck the blossom and put it and its occupant into a
box that I had ready.
Fig. 14.— Syrphus fly. Fig. 15.— Syrphus fly larva Fig- 1(3 —Lace-winged fl^-. Fig-. 17.— Lace-wiix^ed flv
sucking' out the vital eo-o-s and larva
fluids of an aphis. "
On reiching home I found that the fly was Syrphus Americana, Wied. The Syrphus fly is
a beneficial insect — it leads a useful life.
V. We say that the plant is teeming with life, meaning that numerous living thing=»
infest it.
At Montmorency, on the 30th of July, I noticed something peculiar in the plants of
(Enotliera biennis, L. that abound there. Instead of growing in a graceful s )ike, the flower-
buds were crowded in a flattened mass. I plucke-l a number of the heads and examined them
at leisure. They were alive with aphides, and preying upon these were larvae of the Lace-
wing fly (Mehoma Slossonce, Banks) (Figs. 16 and 17) and larvae of four kinds of Syrphus flies,
viz., S. arcuatns, Fallen, S. Americanus, Wied., Platychirus quadratus, Say, and Sphoerophoria
cylittdrica. Say. I also found in them caterpillars of the noctuid Alaria florida, Guenee, and
of a beautiful little Tortrix that is new to me. From the aphides 1 obt lined some minute
Proctotrupids.
Another plant that abounds with insect life is the Golden Rod (^'olidago Canadensis, L ).
At the summit of the flower-head works the larva of Pedisca Scudderana, Clem. In the stem
are found the hollow galls of Gellechia gallo-solidaginis, Riley, and the pithy galls of Trypeta
solidaginis, Fitch. In the leaves are the dipks caused by the fly called by Osten Sacken,
Cecidomyia carbonifera. These three last named species are liable to the attacks of parasites.
Among the blossoms of the plant lurks the Hemipteron Fhymotu erosa, Linn, awaiting its
prey ; and numbers of butterflies, moths, bees and flies resort to the plant— it abounds
with life.
One of the most remarkable assemblies of insect life that I have witnessed was on the
walls of an electee power-house at Cote St. Paul, Montreal. The building was close to the
30 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
Lachine canal and near the aqueduct. Low down m front of the building was an arc light.
Attracted by this was an innumerable company of Neuroptera. Both the variety of species
and the number of each kind were surprising. It was a calm, soft evening, a very gala time
for the Neuroptera. In the assembly were the beautifully striped Macronema zebratum, HsLgeUy
the elegant Setodes exquisetoi , Walker, with its golden spotted border, and the diaphanous
Chloroperla hilineata. Say.
VI. By the word life we sometimes understand a life history.
Scattered through the pages of the Canadian Entomologist will be found many life-hist< ries
of various kinds of insects. They may not, by the general reader, be deemed as valuable as
" Plutarch's Lives," or " Walton's Lives" ; but to entomologists they are deeply interesting ;
and we gladly welcome every addition to their number.
Among the most wonderful of the insect life histories I have read, are those of Hormaphis
hamamelidis, Fitch, and Hamamelistes spinosus, Shimer. They appear in "Technical Series,
No. 9, U.S. Department of Agriculture," and are written by Mr. Pergande. The creatures
whose lives are recorded are two species ot plant-lice inhabiting both the witch-hazel and the birch.
Mr. Pergande tells us that, — "The study of the life history of these, after numerous
failures and disappointments, covering a space of twerity-two years of patient labour" W8is set
length brought to a successful conclusion. I will speak only of the first named insect.
It lays its eggs in October upon the branches and twigs of the witch-hazel. They produce
stem-mothers, which in colour are of a dull black, and are set with white, iridescent waxy rods.
Around each of these stem-mothers a gall is formed within which it lives. It changes its skin
three times before attaining its growth. It then brings forth its progeny (numbering 100 or
120) within the gall. These are the migra7its. They grow rapidly, changing their skins four
times. At the last change they become winged. They leave the gall at the end of May and
seek, and settle upon, the black birch. They are of a dark purplish colour and have colourless
or slightly dusky wings.
Each migrant deposits about fifty larvse upon the under side of the birch leaves. The
larvae change their skins three times, and then present an extraordinary appearance. They
are almost round and flat, and have a fringe of cylindrical waxy rods. Their body colour is
dusky brown, or black ; and, in the fringe, the lowest third of each rod is white, and the other
two-thirds glassy and iridescent. The insects at this stage are closely cemented to the leaf.
After two generations more, and about the end of August, comes the sixth generation or return
migratds which undergo four changes — becoming pupne at the fourth. These pupa3 proiluce
the winged insects that return to the witch-hazel. The migration continues throughout Sep-
tember. From these return migrants comes a brood of wingless males and females, the latter
of which deposit their eggs upon the witch-hazel twigs in October, as was at first stated.
We have dwelt upon insect life in the different meanings in which the term is used. I
trust that your interest in the subject will not end with this night's proceedings. All around
us, and all the time, there are natural objects and workings of nature deserving of our close
attention. " For everything there is a purpose, and in everything there is a meaning, if only
we have the eyes to see it. and the hearts to understand it." The Entomological Society of
Ontario was intended to be, and is, a guide to nature studies. If any gentleman present be
not a member of the Society, I invite him to join it. In entomological pursuits he will learn
lessons of God's power and goodness that will strengthen his higher life ; he will acquire infor-
mation that will be of interest and service to him all his life long. His presence at our meet-
ings will give new life to our proceedings. He will find new interests and pleasm-es that will*
banish ennui from the life he leads ; and in the end, if he has proved a useful member of the
Society, the editor of the day will, I doubt not, write his life-history for the pages of the
" Caiiadian Entomologist " ! !
190a ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 31
Prof. James : Ladies and gentlemen, we always look for a paper of much int* rest from
Dr. Fyles, and he has kept up the good reputation he has already achieved in this Society by
his paper this evening. I have always taken a great interest in the Society and never fail to-
read anything the Doctor has written. I remember some years ago reading some reminiscences
of the life of Philip H. Gosse, a celebrated entomologrist who lived in that part of Canada from
which the Doctor comes. I consider his paper on the insects of the Bible one of the most
instructive papers I have ever read ; and others upon the insects of Shakespeare and of our
modern poets most interesting and attractive. The Doctor is always able to add a literary-
finish to his work on entomology. He tells us to-night in one place that natural history is full
of surprises, and this reminds me of a little incident I read in a New York paper. Cooper, the
novelist, in one of his stories described a young man driving along the road who came to a
house, pulled up his horse, jumped down from the rig and tied his horse to a locust. The sup-
position is, of course, that a locust tree was meant, when, however, the French translator
came to this passage he evidently was stuck by the word "locust." He turned to his diction-
ary and found only one meaning, and that was the locust or grasshopper (Sauterelh), and he
makes Cooper's young man tie his horse to a grasshopper ! This rather staggered the trans-
lator, and he thought it necessary co add a foot-note, which ran as follows : "In America the
grasshopper grows to a very lareje size, so they stuff them and add a few weights to hold them
down and place them in front of their houses to use them as tie-posts " ! The natural history
of America certainly is full of surprises.
SOME COMMON BUTTEBFLlf S, AND SOME NOTED BUTTERFLY HUNTERS.
By Wm. Lochhead, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph.
The younger students of insects, and those of us who are actively engaged in the warfare
against injurious insects, can hardly realize the conditions under which the older eLtomologists
worked ; and I make bold to say that we will never know how much we owe to them. We are
indeed fortunate in our day and generation. We have ready access to large collections correctly
named and arranged through no effort of ours. We have scores of splendidly illustrated
volumes, each of which can be bought for a trifle and placed on the shelves of our own library.
We hare numbers of specialists who can help us out of the many small difl&culties which often
arise. All of these privileges were denied to the workers of a generation ago, and we marvel at
the amount of good work done under obstacles which would new be termed well nigh
insurmountable.
It is my purpose this evening to tell you something about some of our great collectors,
including some of those stout-hearted men who worked unremittingly without hope of money
reward, and more than that, without the sympathetic encouragement ofthe people whom they were
trying to help. They were looked upon as harmless "bug-hunters", and they were allowed to
live, because the community believed that it took all kinds of people to make a world. But
times have changed. Entomologists are now looked upon as persons who are doing a necessary
and a valuable work for the country. Governments spend money on their support, College
chairs are endowed that students may receive instruction in Entomology, people are beginning
to clamor for a better knowledge of insect-life, and the parents of school children are demanding
the introduction of Nature Study into our schools.
I wish to state at the outset that Entomology knows no national boundaries, for the
entomologists of all countries form one grand brotherhood of workers. Naturally, then, I shall
not confine my remarks to our Canadian band. I shall introduce to you many co- workers from
the United States, co-workers whom we always delight to honor, for to them we owe much.
32 THE REPORT OF THE ^ No. 19
With the aid of the electric lantern, I hope to make quite real both the persons and the
insects about which I shall speak. I regret that, throu2;h oversight; on my part, lantern slides
of some of our prominent collectors were not prepared.
The first face shown on the screen is one quite familiar to a London audience. The name
of Dr. Bethune is well known in scientific circles throughout Canada, the United States, and
Europe. He has been Editor of the " Canadian Entomologist " for upwards of 22 years, and
the credit of its present high standing is due almost entirely to his brilliant work. Dr. Bethune
was a contributor of valuable papers on insect-life nearly 40 years ag^. He is one of the tew
surviving charter members of the Entomological Society which was organized in 1863. From
1865 to 1873, Dr. Bethune was Editor of the Entomological department of the Hon. Geo.
Brown's ''Canada Farmer", and for nearly 40 years he has contributed articles to the
agricultural papers on subjects of economic importance.
The second face is also familiar to Londoners. Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bethune were a fine
team of workers. He, too, is a charter member of the Entomological Society of Ontario, and
until he became Director of the Dominion Experimental Farms was one of the leading
authorities on Entomological subjects. His work " Insects Injurious to Fruits," published in
1883, is still the best thumbed book on the shelves of the working Economic Entomologist.
The third face is also familiar to Londoners. Mr. J. M. Denton was one of the most
earnest collectors of our Society. Readers of the Annual Reports of the Entomological Society
recogni?e how much he helped to make those Reports so valuable.
The fourth face is that of our worthy President, — Rev. Dr. Fyles of Quebec. He and
Mr. Lyman of Montreal whose picture follows have done much in stirring up the enthusiasm
of lovers of insects in our sister province, and both have done work of real scientific merit.
Our sixth face is that of Mr. Harrington of Ottawa, and is probably not so well known as
the preceding, since his duties at Ottawa have prevented his attendance at our annual
meetings for four or five years. Mr. Harrington is one of the leading authorities in America
on Hymenoptera and Coleoptera. • He is one of our younger men, so that much may yet be
expected of him.
The seventh face is one well known from ^he Atlantic to the Pacific. I do not care to say
much about Dr. Fletcher in bis presence, suflice it to say that his heart and head are aa large
as his body, and that is saying a great deal. Long may he live to fill the position which he
now adorns !
The last Canadian to whom I shall refer is the Abbe Provancher of Laval University,
Quebec. In 1869, this indefatigable worker, without the aid of reference libraries or access to
reference collections, began the " Naturaliste Canadien " and continued this magazine up to
1891, completing 20 volumes. In the meantime, in 1874, he began his "Faune Entomologique
du Canada/' a series of volumes devoted to descriptions of Canadian Insects. The first volume,
completed in 1877, is devoted to Coleoptera. In 1878-79-80, he issued supplements to this
volume. In 1883, he completed a second volume which was devoted to th^ Orthoptera,
Neuroptera and Hymenoptera ; and a little later he published additions to his Hymenoptera.
In 1890, he completed his third volume devoted to the Hemiptera. He died in 1892. I
regret that I am unable to present a likeness of this able French Canadian Naturalist.
Now, I turn to our co-workers in the United States. The first is T. Wm. Harris, who
lived from 1795 to 1856. This man was the first paid American Entomologist, and his publi-
cations date from 1823. These were followed by a long succession of interesting and original
articles dealing chiefly with the injurious Insects of New England. He published a Report
entitled " Insects Injurious to Vegetation" in 1841, this being known now as "A Treatise
Upon Insects Injurious to Vegetation." As Dr. Howard remarks : '*This book is to-day as
valuable as when first written, more than 50 years ago.'' In the early part of his life, Harris
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 33
worked practically alone ; but, in 1854, Dr. Asa Fitch was appointed Entomologist for th
State of New York. Dr. Fitch was born in 1809 and died in 1879. He published 14 reports,
in all of which are observations and work of a valuable character.
The next picture is that of Townend Glover, who might be called the first entomologist of
the Federal Government at Washinj^ton . His first report dates from 1854. For the 10 years
between 1856 to 1860, Fitch and Glover were the only Economic Entomologists of great note
in America.
The next face is that of Benj. D. Walsh, an Englishman by birth, who was a contempor-
ary of Fitch and Glover, but began later than the previous two to write articles along econo-
mic lines. In 1868, Walsh was appointed State Entomologist for the State of Illinois. He is
said to have been a very interesting speaker, and one who could hold an audience of farmers
for hours at a time when he dealt with entomological subjects.
Th3 next face is that of C. V. Kiley, who also came from England, — one of the mosi
famous economic entomologists the world has ever produced. In 1868, Riley was appointed
entomologist for the State of Missouri. He published 9 annual reports covering the whole
field of economic entomology. In 1878, on Glover's death, Riley was appointed entomologist
©f the L'^nited States Department of Agriculture. With the exception of two years, whe»
Prof. Comstock was entomologist. Dr. Riley had charge of the Government work up to June
1894, when he was succeeded by the present entomologist, Dr. L. O. Howard.
Dr. Howard is a leader among entomologists ; and, as chief of his department, has beem
a great success. He has the faculty of gathering around him a strong corps of assistants, and
these he encourages to do much original investigation by giving them full credit for all th«
work they do. Dr. Howard is a prolific writer — his latest important publication being '■ The
Insect Book," an illustrated manual of popular entomology.
Our next picture is Dr. J. B. Smith of New Jersey in his oflice and laboratory. He is
another of our best known entomologists. In 1895, he published a college text-book called
" Economic Entomology," a valuable guide to the insects which are of economic value. Dr.
Smith is a specialist in the Noctuid family of moths.
The next i? Dr. W J. Holland of the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburg. His specialty is the
Lepidoptera, and his most recent work is the " Butterfly Book " which should be in every
school library. It is a marvel of cheapness and profusely illustrated with coloured plates.
Next comes W. H. Edwards, the great Lepidopterist. His grand work on the butterflies
of North America is a monumental one, filling three large quarto volumes with exquisite
coloured illustrations.
The next picture is that of Prof. Comstock of Cornell University. Although an investi-
gator of great originality, his strongest claim on the brotherhood of entomologists is the
inspiring influence which he has exerted on the many students who flock to his class-room and
laboratory. I may say truly that about two-thirds of all the entomologists in America to-day
hive been in his laboratory and have come under his influence. His published works are
known to every student. They have done much to systematize the study of insects, and to
make it possible tor the young collector to make headway.
Next comes one of our famous women who have popularized the study of insects. Mrs. Com-
stock is a meet companion and helpmate for the Professor. Besides being a student of insects
she is an illustrator of insect life and has prepared a large proportion of the illustrations in her
husband's books. For the past two years, she has been devoting her attention to the extensiom
of Nature Study in New York State.
The next woman is the late Miss Ormerod of England. She has done more than any
other person in Great Britain to build up economic entomology. Her reports published a
her own expense, are almost invaluable, and her Manuals are classics.
The last picture is that of Prof. Webster, whom most of our members know well. For
3 EN.
34 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
many years, he attended our annual feathering, and assisted us in our discussions ; he more-
over helped us when we were fighting the San Jose scale. Having received an appointment
in Illinois, he is now unable to be with us, much to our mutual regret.
Now we come to the consideration of some of our common butterflies and moths. (Colored
illustrations of the following were presented by means of the lantern) ; Papilio turnus ; Vanes-
sa antiopa ; Pieris rapae ; Anosia archippus ; Eudamus tityrus ; Samia cecropia ; Hyper-
chiria io ; l*hlegethontiu8 celeus ; Everyx myron ; Deilephila lineata ; Tropsea luna ; QEde-
masia concinna ; Orgyia leucostigma ; Bombyx mori ; Cutworms ; Clothes' Moths ; Hyphan-
tria cunea ; Acronycta ; Prionoxystus robiniae ; Halisidota ; and Sannina exitiosa.
In most cases, all the four stages egg, caterpillar, pupa, and imago were shown. Such forms
as Pieris, Orgyia, Bombyx, Cutworms, Clothes' Moths Hyphantria and Sannina, which are of
economic importance, were dwelt upon more at length.
At the conclusion of Prof. Lochhead's lecture. Dr. Fletcher rose and said : I am sure
everyone present has been much pleased with the entertainment we have had this evening ;
Dr. Fyles's delightful address, full as it was of so many ideas of interest, must have pleased
everybody. Prof. Lochhead's illustrations with his remarks will, I have no doubt, teach us
a great deal about insects, and I have much pleasure in moving a vote of thanks to Dr. Fyles
and to Prof. Lochhead.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unaminously.
Dr. Bethune : Before we separate I should very much like to propose a vote of thanks to
the chairman for the very able manner in which he has presided here to-night, and for coming
from Toronto to be with us, also for his interesting remarks at the beginning and at other
times during the proceedings ; and I should like to add to this vote of thanks the name of
Mr. Principal Merchant, who has kindly allowed us the use of this lecture room, and of Mr.
Dearness for the able way in which he has taken charge of the lantern.
The motion was seconded and unaminously adopted.
Mr. Dearness made a suitable reply on behalf of himself and Mr. Merchant, and the meet-
ing adjourned.
. SECOND DAY'S SESSION.
Thursday, October 30th, 1902.
The Entomological Society resumed its meetings at 11 o'clock, a. m., the President, Rev.
Dr. Fyles, occupying the chair. The Directors' Reports on the insects of the year were first
called for ; at the clos3 of the reading of each there followed a general discussion on the insects
referred to and much valuable information was given. Specimens were al>o exhibited in illus-
tration of the, subjects treated of, many c»f which we-e presented to the Society's collections.
The reports of the Council and officers, for the past year were read and adopted ; the meeting
then proceeded to the election of Officers, which resulted as shown on page 2. The reports
of the Branches and Sections were read and approved.
In the aftsrnoon the Society met at 2.30 o'clock and the chair was taken by Prof. Lochhead,
the newly elected President. After the reading of Reports was completed, papers were read
by Dr. Fletcher, Prof. Lochhead, Messrs. Mofiat, Lyman, Stevenson, Norris, Gibson and
others, and were in many cases fully discussed. The majority of the papers are published in
the following pages, but a few, being ot a technical character, are to appear in the " Canadian
Entomologist," the monthly organ of the Society ; among the latter should be mentioned'papers
by Dr. Fletcher and his assistant Mr. Arthur Gibson on "The Life-history of the Variable
Cutworm, Mamestra Atlanfica" ; by Mr. Gibson on the Canadian species of the genus Aparitesis
(Arctifi) with specinl reference to the larvse ;" and " the Life-history of Crocigrapha Normani.'''
190a ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 35
A large number of rare and interesting specimens were exhibited by Dr. Fletcher, Dr.
Fyles, Mr. A. Gibson, Mr. C. H. Young, Mr H. H. Lyman, Prof. Lochhead, Mr. J. D Evans,
Mr. G. Chagnon and Mr. A. E. Norris.
The following exhibits were made by Dr Fletcher and Mr. Arthur Gibson :
A beautiful series of Smerinthus ophthalmicus reared from eggs received from Mr. J. W.
Cockle, of Kaslo, B. C. Most of the specimens were of a beautiful fawn colo ir, although the
female which laid the eggs was of a slaty grey tint.
A series of Nemeoj hila petrosa from eggs collected at Banff by Dr. Fletcher, and to com-
pare with these a series of the form known as Nemeophila Selwynii, Hy. Edwards, from Nepigon.
Dr. Fletcher stated that although the Rocky Mountain form was extremely variable, one specimen
being actually almost undistinguishable from N. Selwynii, the species taken at Nepigon was
extremely constant in markings. Of hundreds taken during the last ten years he had never
been able to catch, or rear, one which approached the western form in the amount of markings.
The only difference noticeable between extreme examples of these two forms, which seems con-
stant, is the presence, at the base of the costa of the western form, of an orange mark of
rarying length.
Life histories of the following species, showing larvae in all stages, pupae and moths :
Crocigrapha Normani, Mamestra grandis, Mamestra atlantica.
Two new strawberry pests from Vancouver Island, Petrophcra tnincata and Scopelosoma
tristigmata were also shown in their diff< rent stages.
Hemileuca maia, var. lucina, from Mr. Criddle, Aweme, Man.
Coenonyrnpha ithornata taken at Ottawa this year for the first time by Mr. A. E Richard.
Erehia disa from BanjQf, Alta.
A series of Erehia epipsodea showing great variation in the undersides.
Lycctna pseudargiolus, var. riigrescens, a new variety from Mr. Cockle, of Kaslo, B. C.
Lycoina pseudargiolus, var, argentata, a new variety from Manitoba (E. F. Heath).
Plusia formosa, from Mr. W. Mcintosh, St. John, N. B.
Semiophora elimata, from Mr. W. Mcintosh, St. John, N. B.
Phyciodes Hanhami, a new species from Manitoba somewhat resembling P. nycteis on the
underside.
The brown-tail Moth, {Euproctis chrysorrhoea) a perfect male, the first specimen recorded
from Canada, which was taken by Mr. W. Mcintosh, at St. John, N. B.
. Chrysophanus dorcas, male and female, a species taken on the Georgian Bay, at Nepigon
and at Rounthwaite, Man. which Dr. Fletcher believes to be the true G. dorcas, of Kirby.
A fine specimen of Enprepia caja, var. Utaheitsis, bred from larva received from Mr. E. P.
Venables, Vernon, B. C.
Mr. Gibson in illustration of his paper on Canadian species of the genus Apantesis (Arctia)
exhibited a fine series of phalerata and 'ttais, with larvae in different stages, as well also of
specimens of vittata, dnna^ Williamsii, with the var. determinata, ornata^ with the var. achaia,
phyllira, rectilinea, Celix,Jigurata, michabo, Nevadensis and complicata. Besides these he showed
three specimens of a species which Dr. Dyar thinks may possibly be Qnenselii, var. turbans,
described from Mongolia, and which is new to North America. These were collected at Cal-
gary, N. W. T. by Mr. T. N. Willing, and in a general way somewhat rest mble small speci-
mens of virgimada.
Rev. Dr. Bethune exhibited the type specimen from which Dr. San nders described A. Celia
which is now believed to be a good species.
Votes of thanks tcere passed to thi following :
Mr. C. H. Young, Ottawa, for a donation of specimens for the Cabinets, including inflated
arvse of 6 species of noctuid larvae.
86
THE REPORT Ob' THE
No. 19
Mr. A. E. Norris, Montreal, for sending for exhibition a collection of lantern slides taken
by Mr. A. H. Holden and beautifully coloured by Mr. Norris, and also for sending for exhibi-
tion a collection of insects to illustrate his paper on the Insects of the year at Montreal.
Mr. G. Chagnon, Montreal, for a pair of the new species of Dipteroii, Teph onota Canadensis
lately described.
Dr. Fletcher, for a pair of Chioaobas Macounii for the Society's Cabinet.
Mr H. H. Lyman, Montreal, for a specimen of Argymds Ckariclea.
\902
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
37
REPORTS ON INSECTS OF THE YEAR.
Division No. 1. — Ottawa District. C. H. Young, Hurdman's Bridge.
The season of 1902 in the Ottawa district has been a very poor one for the collector. The
writer, outside of some success he had at Meech's Lake, Que., during a six week's stay, took
very few acceptable things.
The very cold and wet season, especially in May and June, doubtless was the cause of such
a poor year. In August, which month 1 spent at Meech's Lake, however, I was fortunate
enough to capture a good number of interesting species, some mention of which I will make
afterwards.
The most noticeable injurious insect of the season around Ottawa was doubtless the Birch
Skeletonizer (Bvxculatrix Canadensisella) which was so abundant last year, and which, the
present season, seemed to do just as much damage to birches of all kinds. It was this year
accompanied, however, by numbers of a large, grayish green aphid, and the damage was
specially noticeable towards the end of August.
Garden crops were attacked to some extent in this district. The Onion Maggot was very
troublesome in some places and caused considerable loss.
Asparagus plants in my garden were rather seriously attacked by the larvae of Peridroma
9cculta^ one of the large noctuid moths. This caterpillar when mature is a large cutworm, and
is very voracious, feeding at night, and hiding in the earth at the foot of the plant during the
day. Towards the end of September a neighbour of mine brought me some specimens of the
Tomato worm {Protoparce celeua), Fig. 19, saying that they were doing damage to the foliage of
his tomato plants. I immediately went over to his place and in two rows, one about a
hundred feet long, the other about fifty, I collected 59 specimens of this caterpillar. On the
1st July I noticed three insects resting on the stem, of a leaf of vegetable marrow, and on
collecting them was surprised to see that they were genuine specimens of the Squash Bug, Fig.
20. Dr. Fletcher in his report for 1901, says, " This bug is very rare indeed
\\jiy at Ottawa : Twenty years ago, two specimens were taken here by Mr. W.
j^^jBm-'^ H. Harrington and none were seen since, although looked for carefully,
w^vflW\t. until the past season, when a few specimens were taken. ' Dr. Fletcher re-
y oH I commends :
\ ^ V (1.) " Hand-picking, early in the season, of the old bugs when they
Fig. 20. Squash-bug. first resort to the plants, and also of the easily seen egg clusters. This
requires an inspection of the vines every day or two. The young bugs may be easily destroyed
with a spray of kerosene emulsion, or of whale-oil soap.
(2.) Trapping, — This consists of placing
at intervals through the plantation, shingles
or pieces of board, beneath which the bugs
gather for shelter. By examining these
every morning, many may be captured. In
a season when the bugs have been abundant,
all vines should be burnt as soon as the crop
has been gathered. In this way, many of
the insects in all stages of development will
be destroyed."
The Caterpillars of the White Cabbage
butterfly were not so numerous as last year
but caused, however, some harm in turnip
and rape fields, as did also the Zebra cater-
pillar {Mamestra picta) Fig. 21, which was
Fig-. •2'1. Mftinestra picta : a, Zebra caterpillar ; b, Moth.
38 THE REPORT OF THE ' No. 19
fairly abundant. Edrly in the year hundreds of cut- worms of Noctua ff/nnica were present
in clover fields but I have not heard of their having done serious damage.
During the season considerable attention has been given to studying life histories, par-
ticularly of lepidoptera. Many specimens have been reared and some additions made to our
knowledge of common species. — Some of the results of this work are submitted herewith show-
ing the larvae, pupae, and perfect insects and in some cases parasites also of :—
HydroRcia cdtaphracta In burdock. (Lappa inajor.)
Gluphisia trilineata On Aspen. {Populus tremuloides.)
Edema albifrons On Oak.
Ly::omorpha pholus On lichen on rocks.
Eudryas grata ...... On grape vines.
Metzeria lappella Seeds of Burdock.
Euplexia lucipara Ferns of all kinds.
Peridroma occulta .... Injuring asparagus.
Mamestra legltima , On asparagus and clover.
Papilio asterias On parsnip, celery and carrot.
Sphinx eremitus On Mentha and Monarda.
Notodonta stragula On hazel nut.
Leucania albilinea On grass and clover.
Pyrameis himtero. On Pearly Everlasting.
CaP^campa curvimacula On Apple.
Arctia virgo On Plantain, dandelion, etc.
Synchlora rubrifrontaria On Qnercus macrocarpa.
Feniseca tarqui7dus On ScMzoneura tessellata.
Ickthyura albosigma On Aspen. (P. tremuloides.)
The following species have also been reared.
Basilarchia disippus from egg On Willow.
Grapta progne " On Wild Gooseberry.
Xylina Bethunei *' On Apple.
Xylina disposita " On Apple.
Xylina Grotei ' ..... On Maple.
Ypsolophus pometellus On Apple.
Hyperchiria lo On Aspen and basswood.
Mamestra picta On> Turnip
Noctua fennica On Clover.
Noctua c llaris On Clover, grasses, etc.
I noticed in examining the collections of the Society last yearthat some of the specimens
are faded or imperfect. I have therefore much pleasure in presenting the following which I
trust may be found acceptable :
Larvr© of Mamestra picta, Calocampa curvimacula, Noctua fennica, Xylina Bethunei,
Xylina disposita, Orgyia leucostigma, Datana ministra ; Moths of Eudryas unio, Lycomorpha
pholus (2), Epirranthis obfirmaria (2), Mamestra lorea (2), Abrostola urentis, Alaria florida,
Hadena verbascoides, Xylina pexata (2), Cirroedia pampina ; larvae of Papilio asterias.
Division No. 2. — Bay of Quinte. By J. D. Evans, Trenton.
No cases of serious injury from noxious insects came under the writer's notice, although
late in the season Colias phUodice {Fig. 22) and P ler Is rapce (Fig. 23) were quite numerous,
flitting about the clover fields containing the ripened second crop.
1903
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
39
Colias philodice. Colours : j-ellow
and black.
Much damage has been caused, however, to some orchard and farm crops from the unusual
character of the season throughout this section ; it
having been generally speaking extremely wet and
remarkably cool. The principal crops thus severely
injured are the apple, clover, potato, corn and tomato.
The first mentioned (apple) is very abundant, but the
fruit is being destroyed by a fungus growth, which may
not appear to be of much consequence when the apples
are being packed but develops enormously in a short
time and renders the fruit unfit for sale. A sample is Fig.
herewith submitted of a test case, where a fruit
packer put up a barrel of choice apples which had insignificant looking spots when packed ;
they were packed in the usual careful manner, placed on board of a steamboat and left under
^^ ^ the usual conditions of transhipment on board for
three weeks, at the expiration of that time they
were opened up and found to be covered with the
large scabs which appear on the samples exhibited,
[The sample apples shown were so damaged as to be
perfectly worthless.]
The potato crop is almost an entire failure owing
to a blight which ptruck the vines when in b;oom and
Fig. 23. Pieris rapae. Colours : white and black. developed into rot in the tubers.
A large proportion of the red clover hay was partially, and in cases wholly, spoiled in the
curing owing to the continuous rains prevalent at that time. From a like cause coupled with
the low temperature, corn and tomatoes, which are grown in large quantities for canning pur-
poses were, generally speaking, a failure.
Division No. 3. — Toronto By E. M. Walker.
During the present year but few observations were made by the writer on the ravages of
injurious insects, owing to a necessary absence from the city during a large part of the season.
Fig. 24.
Tussock Moth : e male moth ; a female moth on cocoon
h young larva ; c chrj'salis.
and being fully occupied with other matters during the remainder. A few of the most promi-
nent pests were noted, however, though doubtless many species of equal importance escaped
observation.
Tent caterpillars (Clisio^ampa Americana) were not specially bad this year. A few were
seen on the wild black cherry early in the season }:!ut fruit trees on the whole have been com-
paratively free from them.
Another enemy of the apple, the Codling moth {Carpocapsa pomonella) committed consid-
erable injury this season, and in one orchard, for example, on Davenport Road, evidences of its
presence could be detected in about seventy-five per cent, of the apples.
40
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
The Tussock moth (Orgyia leucostigma) Figs. 24 and 25, is still by far the most formidable
•nemy of our shade trees, although it appears
to be gradually diminishing in numbers and was
•listinctly less abundant than it has been during
the past three or four years. Very few trees were
•bserved that were completely stripped or nearly
»0, though in the lower part of the city there
were a good many badly disfigured trees. Very.
little has yet been done to control its ravages. Fijr. 25. Tussock Moth Caterpillar, full-arrown.
On the above property there was a lao'ge plantation of red currant bushes, which, at the
time they were seen by the writer (August 15) were almost completely stripped by the larvae
Fig. 26. Currant Saw-fly : a male ; b female. Fig, 27. Currant Saw-fly caterpilars. '
♦f the imported currant!^ Saw-fly {Nematus ventricosus) Figs. 26, 27 and 28. They occurred in
ultitudes and in various stages of development, and although the currant bushes were nearly
bare of foliage, an adjacent patch of gooseberries was almost entirely free from the pest.
Notwithstanding the condition of the foliage the fruit was abundant and of large size.
About the middle of May a large number of Pin cherry trees (Prunus Peimsylvanica) in
High Park were found to be badly attacked by the Cherry Aphis {Myz\(,s cerasi) the leaves at
the ends of the branches being very much crumpled
and disfigured. Subsequently they were found plen-
tifully on the wild black cherry and also on the
cultivated cherry.
The Cabbage Butterfly {Fieris rapae) has been
exceedingly abundant this summer and has caused a
great deal of damage to cabbages and allied vegetables
in this locality. On August 15, while inspecting a
large market garden north of the city, the writer
observed great numbers of the larvae in all stages on a
large bed of cabbages. They were to be found prac-
tically on every head, and many plants were quite
unmarketable. An adjacent bed of cauliflowers was
but little affected, though a few caterpillars were
In another bed of
•abbages only a few hundred yards distant from the one just referred to, the caterpillars
were much fewer in numbers though plentiful enough.
Fig. 28. Currant Saw-fly : leaf showing eggs and ^ , r xu i. j
holes eaten by the young larva?. tound on SOme ot the heads
loo:^
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
41
The only other serious pest noticed attacking garden vegetables was the Potato Beetle (Dory-
phora 10-lineata, Say), which occurred in distressingly large numbers on potatoes, though
tomatoes as far as the writer observed were pretty free from them.
An insect injurious to shrubs and shade-trees which seems to be on the increase lately is
Ormenls pruinosa, a large stoutly -built leaf hopper resembling a small bluish grey moth. I
first noticed them in large numbers in 1901 on some shrubs which were planted in the spring
of the same year. This year they were everywhere and showed themselves to be possessed of
by no means a restricted appetite. While most abundant on the Virginia creeper and grape-
vine they were common on many other shrubs and trees, etc., such as the elm, maple, bass-
wood, gooseberry, almond, Tartarian honeysuckle and rhubarb. The larvae are whitish
creatures not much like the adults in appearance, and have the habit of arranging themselves in
irregular rows along the smaller branches and twigs, the whole aggregation being partly
enveloped in a white flocculent material. The full-grown insects were first observed towards
the end of July and remained until the beginning of October. Late in September they could
be seen resting on the trunks of almost every shade tree except horse chestnuts, upon which
they were very scarce and were probably accidental.
Among the insects which were abundant last year but have not been troublesome this
season the Birch Bucculatrix (Bucculatrix Ganadensisella) is noteworthy. The trees have been
quite healthy the whole of this year, though in May I noticed that some of them were rather
badly infested with a large species of aphid. Butterflies on the whole have been scarce
according to the statements of local collectors, and two of our most destructive grasshoppers
MelanophiyS atlanis and Camnula pellucida were not nearly so numerous as usual, probably
owing to the wet season, since both species thrive best in hot dry weather.
Division No. 5 — London District. By J. A. Balkwill.
I am very happy to report that we have not had any insect visitations of a serious nature
in this district during the past season.
Last winter my attention was called to some
larvae which were doing considerable injury
to hayl^in barns in a part of London Township.
They were so plentiful that I collected over 30
of them from a small handful of hay, and Mr.
Moflat kindly identified them as the Dry Clover
Moth (Asopia costalis), Fig. 29. By spinning their
webs over the stems of the hay, they made it so
unpleasant that horses and cattle did not care to
eat it, and it thus caused a serious loss to those in
whose barns it was found.
In August, during our
Horticultural Society's
Flower Show, Mr. Butler, St. George Street, London, asked me if I
knew a beetle that attacked the asparagus ; from his description I
suspected that it was new, and therefore asked him to bring me some
of them, which he did the next day. On shewing them to Dr. Bethune,
who is always willing to oblige, he identified them as the Asparagus
beetle Crioceris 12-punctata (Fig. 30). This, I think, is the first
record of this insect for the London district.
2 I The Codling Moth has not been as much in evidence this season
( J as formerly, no doubt caused by the cold, wet weather, and this, I
think, is the reason that insects in general have not been so plentiful
as usual, mosquitoes excepted.
Clover Moths, Caterpillars and Chrysalis.
Fig. 30. 12-Spotted Asparagus
Beetle (greatly magnified).
42
THE REPORT uF THE
No. 19
The Datana, which did so much injury to Black Walnut and Hickory trees la^t year,
appeared again this season, but in very much smaller numbers, und the dim^ge was very light.
The Buftalo Carpet Beetle
(Fig. 31) has become a serious
pest in this district, and causes
great less in carpets and ether
woi )llen articles. To give an idea
of how plentiful they are, I may
mention that on one bush of
Spirse^ in 5 days I collected
over 100 beetles.
Fig. 31.
Buffalo Beetle, a, larva (destructive stage) ; b, pupa within larval
skin ; c, pupa ; d, beetle — all much magnified.
2. Asparagus Beetle, larva and eggs.
In the discussion which followed the reading of the Directors' reports, Prof. Lochhead
remarked upon the progress of the Asparagus beetles. Crioceris 12-punctata (Fi:^. 30) had
taken the lead of the other species, C. asparagi (Fig. 32), in their westward movement, while
in the neighboring States the opposite was the case.
Last year they had reached Guelph, the former species
being much the more abundant, and now it alone had
arrived at London. Dr. Fletcher stated that in the
Niagara District both species were equally abundant,
and he thought it remarkable that the 12-spotted
beetle should have moved faster than the other. The
asparagus rust he found very injurious last year at
Ottawa, but this year there was very little of it. Mr.
Balkwill had observed the same thing in gardens in
London, where much injury had been caused by rust
last year it was not noticeable this summer ; he also stated that the Codling Moth was very
little in evidence in this neighborhood. Mr. Fisher asked how it was that the Codling Moth
was so rare in the District referred to. Mr. Balkwill said that he could not account for it, as
the owners of orchards had done no spraying. Mr. Fisher thought that the diminution in the
numbers of the insect must have been caused by the small crop of fruit last year, which
deprived it of a sufficient supply of food, and therefore prevented a large number of the worms
from attaining their maturity. He then asked what steps should be taken to control the
Asparagus beetles. In reply it was stated that good results ha^i followed from dusting the
plants regularly with fresh lime when the larvse were upon them.
Dr. Fletcher, in reference to the Codling Worm (Fig. 33) urged very strongly the import-
ance of spraying during such a year as this, when their numbers were fewer than usual. VVe
now had the enemy at its weakest, and could without much difficulty reduce its numbers to
such an extent that it would take some time to become abundant again. Furthermore, good
fruit brings a high price ; it pays well, therefore, to persevere in spraying. He considered that
the reduction in the numbers of the insect was due to the cold, wet season, the small food sup-
ply and the extended use of spraying throughout the country. Among the enemies to this fruit,
he mentioned the Apple- Weevil {A7ithonomus quadrigibbus), Fig. 34, which he had found also
in wild haws, and the Plum CurcuLo, which often attacks apples.
Mr. Fisher spoke of the best means of controlling the Codling moth ; he considered the
bandage system the most effective of all, but the bandages must be removed at least every ten
days and the bark beneath them scraped. If this is not done, the bandage proves the most
190;^
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
43
convenient and safest place for the worm to change into a chrysalis, and thus far more harm
than good is done. He strongly recommended three things — first, spray with I^aris green
during the first week after the blossoms have fallen, later than that is of no use ; second,
bandage the trees and remove regularly ; third, keep hogs in the orchard to eat up the fallen
fruit and thus destroy the worms contained in it.
Dr. Fletcher said that spraying, properly done, saved seventy-five per cent, of the fruit.
East of Toronto there was only one brood of the Codling moth in the year and therefore
bandaging the trees was of no use, but west of Toronto there were two broods per annum, the
second being much the worst, and there bandaging produced excellent results. The bandages
should be passed through a clothes-wringer which could be carried in a wheelbarrow from tree
to tree, or they might be dipped into scalding water. The worms, however, will not all be
found in the bandages, for about half of them burrow into the bark ; these can be got rid of
by scraping with a wire bru^h which effectually tears them out of their burrows. He considered
burlap or sacking the best material for the bandage
and straw the very worst, because it is so hard to
put on and makes such a litter in the orchard.
One or two thicknesses of burlap, five or six inches
in width, tied in the middle with a string, makes
a satisfactory bandac^e. Hogs were very useful in
the orchard to devour the fallen fruit. The moth
Quarter of an Apple shewing the work of t^e
Codling Worm ; the insect in all stages.
Fig. 34.
Apple-Weevil (greatly magnified).
did not lay her eggs till the fruit was about the size of a pea and continued laying till it was a»
large as a hickory nut ; during this period spraying should be done.
Mr. Fisher said that the calyx (at the tip of the young fruit) cV-ses about a week after the
blossom falls, and therefore it is necessary to spray early.
Prof. Lochhead found the Haseltine trap-lanterns perfectly worthless as regards the
destruction of the Codling moth. They caught as many beneficial as injurious insects, but no
Codling moths. " The Expansive Tree-protector" is all right in principle, as it is a bandage,
but he found in nearly every instance that it was doing harm to the tree. The poisonous sub-
stance with which the felting is soaked was not efi'ective ; the Codling larvae were lively and
active in it, also spiders and other insects which took advantage of the shelter. He had also
found larvjTe crawling over the sticky substance which was supposed to be a complete barrier
against them. The worst feature about it is that it is said to expand automatically with the
growth of the tree ; he found that it failed to do so, but gradually cut right into the wood
through the bark and in time girdled the tree ; this C(mld only be prevented by frequently
opening and moving it. Sacking or burlap was ever so much better, as well as cheaper and
simpler He was surprised to find how remarkably active the agents have been in selling these
" protectors" ; they were to b^ seen in orchards all over the country.
Mr. Evans said that in his trap-lantern (described in the last Annual Report) he had ( aught
a great variety of insects, but no Codling moths. They are evidently not attracted by light
44 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
Mr. Walter Smith related his experience with bandages, and said that the main cause of
failure in their use is that people will not take the trouble to remove them regularly and then
they become excellent hiding places for the worms.
Mr. Fisher found it a good plan to drive two nails into the tree and leave them there ; the
string of the bandages could be twisted around them and released when the bandages were
taken off in much less time than was required for tying and untying.
Mr. Balkwill spoke of the scarcity of clover seed this year, and wished to know whether
this could be attributed to the destruction of the crop by the clover-seed weevil {Phytonomus
P'lmctatiis) ; his own opinion was that the scanty supply of seed was due to the character of the
season. The weather had been continuously cold and wet, so that the blossoms did not open
and consequently the flowers were not fertilized.
Dr. Fletcher said that he had found the weevil abundant in British Columbia this year.
Dr. Bethune stated that last year it was very numerous in London but this year he had not
seen a single specimen.
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.
The Council of the Entomological Society of Ontario begs to present its report for the
year 1901-2.
The t'hirty-eighth annual meeting of the Society was held in London in November, ]901,
and was well attended by members from a distance as well as those resident in the city. It
was also favoured with the presence of the Hon. J. Dryden, Minister of Agriculture for Ontario,
and Mr. G. C. Creelman, Superintendent of the Farmers' Institutes of Ontario. During the
first afternoon a conference was held to discuss the progress, present a?pect and future outlook
•f the San Jose scale in Ontario. In the evening a public meeting was held in the Normal
School ; the chair was taken by the Hon. J. Dryden, who delivered the opening address. The
Rev. Dr. Fyles then read his presidential address on " The Importance of Entomological
Studies to the Community at Large," and illustrated his remarks with beautiful coloured dia-
grams, the work of his own hand. Dr. Fletcher followed with an address on " The Value of
Nature Study in Education," and concluded with an exhibition of lantern slides of plants,
insects and other natural objects of interest. The following day was occupied with the reading
«f papers and the reports of the officers, branches and sections of the Society.
The thirty second Annual Report on economic and general Entomology was presented to the
Minister of Agriculture for Ontario in February last and was printed and distributed in the
beginning of May. It contained 128 pages and was illustrated with three maps and fifty-eight
figures in the text, a photogravure portrait of the late Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod and a very
beautiful full-page plate of thirty-three varying specimens of Hyphantria cunea kindly con-
tributed by Mr. Henry H. Lyman in illustration of his paper on "The North American Fall
Web- worms." Besides the account of the conference on the San Jose scale and the proceed-
ings at the annual meeting, the Report contained papers on the injurious insects of the year
by Messrs. Young, Evans, Johnston, Lochhead and Mofi^at ; "The Painted Lady Butterfly"
and the "Entomological Record for 1901," a new feature which is to be continued annually,
loy Dr. Fletcher ; "The trend of Insect diffusion in North America," the "Imported Willow
and Poplar Curculio," and " The Common Cheese-mite living in Sporotrichum globuliferum,"
l»y Prof. F. M. Webster ; papers by Prof. Lochhead on the " Hibernation of Insects" and
"Nature study Lessons on Mosquitoes"; by Mr. Mofiat on " Anosia Archippus does not
Hibernate"; by Mr. Evans, on "Collecting at Light" ; Mr. Winn, on captures made at
"The Milk-weed at Dusk"-; Mr. Walker, on " A Collecting Trip in South- Western Ontario";
Mr. Gibson, on " A Day at the Mer Bleue." Dr. Fyles contributed a paper on " Crickets,"
90JJ ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 45
and Mr. J. B. Williams, on "The Food of the Grass Snake." The volume closed with a
report from the North- West (Canada) Entomological Society and obituary notices of the lat«
Miss Ormerod and Mr. Otto Lugger.
The Canadian Entomologid has been regularly issued at th-^ beginning of each month.
The 33rd volume was completed in December last ; it consisted of 348 pages, illustrated with
five full-page plates and eleven figures from original drawings. The contributors number
sixty-two and represent Canada, the United States, England, Germany, Luxembourg and
India. Of the 34th volume ten numbers liave thus far been published ; those for November
and December will be duly issued at the beginning of their respecive months.
During the gre iter pirt of the year meetings for the study of Entomology have beeH
held on Tuesday evenings, followed during the summer months when the weather was favour-
able by collecting excursions on Saturday afternoons. The Geological Section has met regu-
larly on Thursdny evenings ; the Ornithological once a month on Fridays ; the Microscopical
on alternate Saturdays duririi^ the winter and the Botanical during the summer and autumn.
The reports of these Sections, giving a record of their proceedings, will be read at this meeting
and be published in the next Annual Report of the Society.
The good work of the Society has been much extended by the delivery of popular lectures
by several of the members. Dr. James Fletcher has given a large number on insects, noxious
weeds and nature study in various places in Ontario, Qufbec, the Maritime Provinces, Mani-
toba, the North- West Territories and British Columbia, in fact from one end of the Dominion
to the other. Dr. Bethune has lectured, chiefly to school children and horticultural societies,
in London and a number of towns not far distant, on noxious, interesting and beneficial
insects. Mr. W. E. Saunders has addressed teachers and other assemblies in Montreal,
Ottawa, London and elsewhere, on "The Birds of Canada." The Rev. Dr. Fyles has given
popular lectures on Entomology in Quebec and Levis, P. Que. ; and Prof. Lochhead has
delivered lectures on entomological subjects in Guelph, Port Elgin, Owen Sound, Beeton,
Woodstock and Hamilton.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
Thomas W. Fylbs, President.
REPORT OF THE MONTREAL BRANCH.
The 241st regular and 29th annual meeting of the Montreal Branch of the Entomological
Society of Ontario was held in the library of the Natural History Society, University street,
on Tuesday evening, May 13th, 1902.
Owing to the absence of the President, due to illness, Mr. Charles Stevenson, Vice
President, occupied the chair.
The minutes of the last meeting were read, and minutes of last annual meeting taken a.
read and confirmed.
The Vice-President on behalf of the Council read the foll'>wing report :
Report or the Council.
The Council takes pleasure in presenting the following report of the Society's work during
the seasons 1901 to 1902 :
Nine regular meeting have been held, the average attendance being seren.
1 HE REPORT OF THE No. 19
Several field days were held, the principal ones bein^ as follows :—
Point aux Trembles 1st June.
St. Martin Junction 15th "
Outremont 22nd "
St. Hilaire _ , 1st July.
The following papers were read :
The Dissemination of Disease by Dipterous Insects . . . Charles Stevenson.
Curious Effects of the Attack of an Asilus Fly on Cohas
Philodice A. F. Winn.
Is Telea polyphem'is double brooded somewhere ? Charles Stevenson.
On][the Family of Flies called the Syrphidse G. Chagnon.
Eggs of Tolype velleda i\ . F. Winn.
On collecting and preserving micro-lepidoptera H. H. Lyman.
The Milkweed at dusk A. F.* Winn.
A new Gortyna and notes on the Genus H. H. Lyman.
Coloration of Insects Graeme M. Stewart, Toronto.
The Asilidae or Robber Flies G. Chagnon.
The'North American Fall Web-worms H. H. Lyman.
An Assam Danais and its mimics Charles Stevenson.
An[^Hermaphrodite Lycaena A. F. Winn.
An Introduction to the order Hemiptera G. A. Moore.
Notes on Eurosta solidaginis Fitch G. Chagnon.
Notes on Lyccena Scudderii H. H. Lyman.
Lepidopterous Irisation Charles Stevenson.
Remarks chiefly on Hydroecias A. F. Winn.
Our staflf of members remains practically the same as last year.
Mr. A. E. Norris has kindly offered us room in his place of business to locate there our
cabinet and collection. We must all offer to this gentlemen our sincere thanks for the kind
assistance he has given us in this way.
Through the generous contribution of several of our members, our collection now amounts
to probably 5G0 or 600 species which practically fill up the dozen drawers we bought at the
beginning of the year.
An innovation introduced this year was the filing of all papers read at our meetings so to
be accessible for future reference.
The report of the Treasurer will now be submitted to you, and also that of our Curator
and Librarian who will give you many details as to the exact condition of our collection of
insects.
Submitted on behalf of the Council.
(Signed) G. Chagnon,
President.
The Treasurer then submitted his report, showing a balance on hand of $47.52.
The Librarian and Curator then presented his reports showing that valuable contributions
towards the collections of the Brarch had been received ; from Mr. Winn 98 specimc ns of
Lepidoptera and 134 specimens belonging to other orders, from Miss Emily L. Morton a
very valuable donation of eight hybrids of her own rearing, from Mr. Chagnon 94 specimens
of Diptera representing 51 species, from Mr. Norris 43 specimens of Lepidoptera, from Mr.
Stevenson 20 specimens of butterflies, from Mr. Denny 13 specimens of butterflies. Mr.
Beaulieu has promised a large number of specimens of Coleoptera and Mr. Lyman a number
wf Western Lepidopter?.
1903 ENTOIVIoLOGICAL SOCIETY. 47
The library is still of very modest proportions but the following additions have been
made : Howard's " Insect Book," by purchase ; "The Crambidae of North America," by C, H.
Fernald, A.M., Ph.D., presented by the author ; " Annotated Catalogue of the Butterflies of
New Hampshire," by Wm. F. Fiske, presented by C. M. Weed through H. H. Lyman.
It was then moved by Mr. A. Griffin, seconded by Mr. A. F. Winn, that the reports be
received and adopted. Carried.
The Secretary then read the Annual Address of the President, after which the election of
oflicers for the ensuing year took place with the following result : President, Charles Steven-
son ; Vice-President; A. PI Norris ; Librarian and Curator, A. E. Norris ; Secretary and
Treasurer, G. A. Moore ; Council, Henry H. Lyman, G. Chagnon, D. Brainerd.
On motion of Mr. Lyman, seconded by Mr. Griffin, the night for meetings wa«? changed
from the second to the first Tuesday in the month, as in the early years of the Branch.
On motion of Mr. Lyman, seconded by Mr. Winn, $5.00 was voted for the purchase of
eai-ly volumes of The Canadian Entomologist for the Branch Library.
Messrs. Stevenson, Chagnon and Winn were elected a Field Day Committee.
Mr. Lyman then presented 55 specimens of Lepidoptera, chiefly western, for the Branch
Cabinet.
Mr. Lyman read a paper entitled " What is a Genus ? "
Mr. Norris then exhibited, with the help of Mr. Griffin and the lantern of the Natural
History Society, a collection of excellent coloured slides of Lepidoptera.
On the adjournment of the meeting the members were entertained with refreshments by
Mr. Griffin.
G. A. MooRF,
Secretary.
REPORT OF THE QUEBEC BRANCH.
President's Report.
The Quebec Branch of the Entomological Society of Ontario has entei;ed upon the sixth
year of its existence.
We still have a goodly number of members though several of our young people have
entered business houses and can no longer give attention to entomology. Some of our mem-
bers have moved to distant parts of the country and some have been taken away by death.
We here record with sorrow the demise of Miss Bella Thompson. After a long illness, borne
with much patience and resignation, she departed this life on the 22nd of June last. The
friends of this lady have our deep sympathy.
The weather during the p^st season has been remarkably variable — too cold and wet for
insect life to flourish. We had, however, a very enjoyable field day on the 9th July at the
Island of Orleans. But few insect captures were made, but some pleasant hours were spent in
the grounds of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan aud those of the Hon. R. and Mrs. Turner. On this
occasion we found the oak trees infested with the Snout-beetle Balaninus nasicus, Say.
A specimen of the rare wasp, Vespa rufa, Linneus, was taken on the isHnd, and a nest of
Vespa Germanica, Fabr, was discovered there.
Vespa nrenaria, Fabr, was abundant in the woods round Fort No. 2, Levis, in August ;
and Pamphila Manitoba, Scudder, was seen in the same month and in the same locality.
A tortoise beetle new to the province has appeared at Levis this year. It feeds upon the
burdock and the Canadian thistle Specimens of this insect have been sent to the British
Museum for identification.
48 THE REPORT OF THE No 19
Report of Council.
The Branch now includes 32 members (24 adults and 8 juniors.)
The treasurer's report is submitted, and will no doubt be found satisfactory.
The continued rainy weather of last summer prevented the members from having many
held-days but a very enjoyable one was held on the Island of Orleans on the 9th July.
Our thanks are due to the authorities of Morrin College for having continued to allow us
the use of their rooms for our meetings.
Crawfoed Lindsay,
Sec-Treas.
The following were elected officers : — President, llev. Dr. Fyles ; Vice-president, Miss E.
MacDonald ; Council, Hon. R. Turner, Rev. F. G. Scott, Mrs. R. Turner, Miss Bickell, Miss
Freeman ; Secretary-Treasurer, Lt.-Col. Crawford Lindsay.
REPORT OF THE TORONTO BRANCH
Of the Entomological Society of Ontario for the year 1901-2, ending April SO, 1902. Read
at the Annual Meeting, held in the Education Department Building, May 16th, 1902. Mr. E.
M. Walker, vice-president, in the chair.
Gentlemen :
During the past year ten meetings have been held, and the following papers hare been
read before the Society : —
" A Collecting Trip in South-western Ontario " .E. M. Walker.
" An Evening at the Milkweed " A. F. Winn.
" Butterfly Collecting in 1901" : J. B Williams.
" Some Interesting Lepidopterous Larval Habits". Arthur Gibson.
" The Canadian Stick Insect" J. B. Williams.
" On Crickets " E. M. Walker.
Two meetings were occupied with the " Exhibition of Specimens," and at the special
meeting in November addresses were given by Mr. Arthur Gibson and Dr. Fletcher, of Ottawa,
and by Mr. H. H. Lyman, of Montreal, these gentlemen having kindly arranged to be present
on their way back from the London meetings. A number of the Natural History Society
members came to this meeting, as well as those of our own Branch, and a very pleasant even-
ing was spent in listening to and conversing with our three visitors.
We arranged for a Field Day to High Park on the 24th of May, 1901, but, unfortunately,
the weather made any expedition of this kind impossible ; however, we subsequently went to
High Park for the afternoon of June 22nd, and had an interesting and successful afternoon.
A number of additional drawers in the Education Department museum have been corked
and glazed for the collection of insects that the Society is making for the^Department, and we
have now plenty of space to re-arrange the collection in a satisfactory manner, and provide
room for all the orders.
The Orthoptera, Odonata and diurnal Lepidoptera have already been re-arranged.
We have subscribed for the " Journal of the New York Entomological Society," the
'■ Entomological News" and the " Bulletins of the New York State Museum.".
The Branch presented a series of the very beautiful plates of scale insects, from Bulletin
No. 46, to the Education Department museum, and Mr. Boyle, the Superintendent of the
museum, has had them framed and hung up in one of the rooms.
Valuable papers on entomological subjects have also been received from the Central Ex-
perimental Farm at Ottawa, the United States Department of Agriculture at Washington, and
from several other sources.
190S
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
49
The attendance at our meetinfjs is but small, and we have only added one new name to our
membership during the year. Most societies of this kind, however, have their " ups and
■downs," and we must hope that by next year we shall be able to report that the attendance
and membership are going up.
E. M. Walker, Vice-President.
J. B. Williams, Sec-Treasurer.
Toronto, May 16th, 1902.
The following ofticers were elected for the present year : — President, E. M. Walker ;
Vice-President, G. M. Stewart ; Secretary-Treasurer, J. B. Williams ; Librarian and Curator,
J. H. Webb ; Members of Council, Arthur Gibson, John Maughan, jr.
REPORT OF THE TREASURER.
financial Statement of the Treasurer of the Entomological Society of Ontario for the year
ending August 31st, 1902.
Receipts.
Balance from previous year $ 483 05
Members' fees 388 22
Government Grant.... 1,000 00
Proceeds from sales, Pins, Cork, &c 14 23
Proceeds from sales. Entomologist 130 25
Advertising 28 43
Interest 15 32
Total $2,059 50
Auditors
i W. E
{ J. A.
W. H. Hamilton.
Balkwill.
EXPENDITCRE.
Printing $ 731 34
Expense, Annual Meeting & Reports. . . 270 97
Salaries 375 00
Rent 165 rO
Library 36 98
Expense — sundry 66 03
Balance 414 18
Total $2,059 50
Treasurer :
Jas. H. Bowman.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN AND CURATOR.
For the Year Ending 31st of August, 1902.
38 volumes were added to the Library during the year, made up as follows : —
Twenty-one bound volumes of Government Reports, Proceedings and Transactions of
Scientific Societies, Institutions, &c., the most important of which is, the 21st Annual Report
of the U. S. Geological Survey for the Years 1899 & 1900, in seven large volumes, profusely
illustrated, with maps, and accompanying them was, the Geological and Mineral Resources of
the ^Copper River District, Alaska ; also. Reconnaissances in Cape Nome and Norton Bay
Regions, Alaska, 1901.
By purchase : The three first volumes of the Lepidoptera Phaltense in the British Museum,
with plates. By Sir George F. Hampson, Bart.
By'exchange : The first two volumes of British Lepidoptera. By J. W. Tutt, F.E.S.
Twelve volumes were bound, bringing the total number of volumes now on the Register up to
1,760.
41'books were issued to local members during the year.
Some valuable additions were made to the Society's native collection ; and several rare and
interesting specimens were secured in this locality, whilst some indicate the spread of injurious
species.
Respectfully submitted.
J. Alston Moffat.
4 EN.
50 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL SECTION.
The Botanical Section met for organization on 8Lst May, when the following officers were
elected for the year 1902 : — Chairman, Rev. Dr. Bethune ; Vice-Chairman, J. Dearness ;
Secretary, J. A. Balkwill.
The attendance at the meetings, which were held every second week, was very good, and
a considerable interest has been maintained during the season.
An outing. to Thompson's bog was held on July 11th, but, owing to the wet weather, only
a small number attended. The bog was overflowed with water, and many parts could not be
visited. A number of interesting plants were brought home, but no new plants were discov-
ered.
Mr. J. H. Bowman reported an outing by Rev. T. C. Scott and himself, when the follow-
ing fungi were gathered, cooked and eaten : Cantharellus ceharius, Bussula heterophyllay
Fsaliota placomyces, Lycoperdon cyathiforme ; also having seen a very large Amanita muscaria,
with a number of dead insects near by, killed by eatiag the poisonous mushroom.
During the season a large number of plants were brought to the meetings, examined and.
identified.
J. A. Balkwill,
Secretary.
REPORT OF THE MICROSCOPICAL SECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY OF ONTARIO.
The Microscopical Section of the Entomological Society of Ontario takes pleasure in pre-
senting its twelfth annual report.
Since the last annual report five new members have been added to the membership roll of
the Section, namely : Messrs. C. W. Horton, G. Escott, N. Beal, J. Tanton and C. Parsons.
The re-organization meeting was held on the Twenty-eighth of September, 1901, when the
following officers were elected : —
Prof. Jas. H. Bowman Chairman.
Prof. J. Dearness Vice-Chairman.
Mr. E. A. Brown Secretary.
Profs, Bowman & Dearness and Mr. C. W. Horton Executive Committee.
During the past winter (the Microscopical Section resolves into the Botanical Section
during the summer months) sixteen regular meetings were held, with an average of ten mem-
bers, as well as visitors. At the request of the Students of the Western University, a number
of the members of the section assisted in the programme at the annual Conversazione. In
addition to the exhibition of a number of the slides in the Society's collection. Prof. Dearness
demonstrated "Life in a Drop of Water " and " Circulation of Blood ;" Dr. Bethune exhibited
a number of slides of Insects or their parts, while Prof. Bowman prepared Crystals on the spot
and, by means of the polariscope, brought out their beautiful colors.
From time to time throughout the season papers were read or addresses given on the
following subjects : —
Pond Life Prof. Bowman.
How Best to Mount Seeds for Microscopic Examination Prof. Dearness.
On the Theory of Colored Light Rays Prof. Bowman.
How Best to Mount Sections of Cloth Prof- Bowman.
On Sertularia E. A. Brown.
1903 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 51
Microscopic Examination of Plant Hairs Prof. Bowman.
On the Wet Mounting of Pollen Prof. Dearness.
On the Dissimilarity of the Muscular Tissue of an Insect and a Higher Animal . . Prof. Dearness.
Mono-bromide of Camphor Crystals and Methods of Making and Mounting. . . .Prof. Bowman,
Notes on the Life History of Trichina Spiralis Prof. Dearness.
Practical Study of Branchippus, Cyclops and Cyprus ... .Prof. Bowman.
Properties of the New Metal Radium Dr. Bethune.
The Respiration of Spirigfe Mr. R. W. Rennie.
On the Local Distribution of Riccia Natans Prof. Bowman.
On the Way in Which Riccia Natans Passes the Winter Mr. R. W. Rennie.
In addition to the above papers, the members exhibited many beautiful slides of crystals,
sections of wood and insects.
At one of the meetings Mr. Law drew the attention of the Section to the diflference in
composition of specimens of sand from Santa Pensacola (Florida) and Sable Island. The
granules of the former were sharply cut, of a whitish color, making beautiful polariscopic
objects, while the latter were found to be composed of Silica stained by the action of some
metallic oxide and presented a rounded appearance. Dr. C. Abbott, who for some time has
been conducting experiments in Micro-photography, exhibited some interesting and instructive
photographs, which go to show the advantages to be derived from the union of the Microscope
and the Camera.
It is the earnest desire of each member that, during the near future, there may be a large
increase in the ranks not only of this Section, but of all societies that have for their motive the
advancement of science, for the field of observation and study is large, while as yet the laborers
are comparatively few in number.
All which is respectfully submitted.
Jas. H. Bowman, • Edgar A. Brown,
Chairman. Secretary.
. REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SECTION.
During the year just past the Ornithological Section has held nine regular meetings at
which the attendance has averaged over six.
At these meetings many interesting subjects have been brought up and discussed and
many valuable notes recorded. One bird new to Canada was reported, viz. the White-eyed
Vireo, by W. D. Hobson, Woodstock ; and two others, the King Rail and the American Scoter,
which are new to the County of Middlesex, were also noted.
Two Mammals new to this district were also recorded by Mr. Robert Elliott : an undeter-
mined Lemming and the Pine Mouse. Specimens of these were shown at one of the meetings
and they were stated by Mr. Elliott to be common, though no one else had succeeded in tak-
ing any.
Three families of birds, the Vireos, Swallows and Warblers, have been studied at the
meetings and twelve papers have been read ; two of these were published in " The Auk " and
most of the others have been or will be published in *' The Ottawa Naturalist." These papers-
were as follows :
" The Bobolink's love for its home "; " The Prairie Horned Lark nesting in New Bruns-
wick "; and " a Hybrid between the Sheep and the Deer," by Wm. H. Moore, Scotch Lake, N. B,
" The American Scoter in Middlesex County ;" ' ' Nesting habits of the Ipswich Sparrow " ;
"The spots on the eggs of the Great Blue Heron;" " E irly Nesting in 1902," by W. E.
Saunders, London.
52 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
'' The Cardinal an established resident of Ontario," and "Cubic contents of the eggs of
the Buteos." by J. E. Keays, London.
" Recollections of the Passenger Pigeon," by Dr. Bethune, London,
" The Parula Warbler and its variety," by Robert Elliotc, Bryanston.
"The White-eyed Vireo at Woodstock," by W. D. Hobson, Woodstock.
Work has been continued on the list of the birds of Middlesex, which is not j^et completed ,
and the migrations of birds have been studied during their progress as usual.
Since our last report was made, addresses and lectures have been delivered by our members
a,s follows : to audiences in Sarnia, Toronto and Brantford ; before the Field Naturalists' Clubs
of Ottawa and Guelph ; and in London to one assembly of Teachers, two Farmers' meetings
and four Church associations.
All which is respectfully submitted.
W. E. Saunders,
Secretary.
Mr. Saunders exhibited specimens of the Lemming referred to in the foregoing report and
also of several species of Mice. Prof. Lochhead remarked that the Ornithological Section was
performing a very good work, especially by the popular lectures on Birds that were given by
some of the members. He noticed that a great interest had been thus awakened at Guelph
and would he was sure be long maintained.
REPORT OF THE GEOLOGICAL SECTION.
The Section continued its weekly meetings as heretofore, studies of geological specimens
and addresses on geological subjects furnished instruction for the members of the section. A
new and most successful feature of the year's studies was a monthly meeting for blow pipe
analysis of various minerals. This department was in charge of Messrs. Dempster and Smith.
Dr. W. °J. Stevenson also gave a most instructive lecture on the tests for a number of minerals
by wet assaying. Visits were made to places of interest, as has been the custom in past years.
Dr. Woclverton visited the neighborhood of the Sandhills of the Sauble, and discovered a new
outcrop of the Hamilton series in that vicinity. Mr. Percival visited the glacial markings on
Kelley's Island. Mr Smith the Rainy River and other North West Ontario districts. Besides
these reports made by our own members, interesting descriptions of Temiscaming district were
given by Mr. Geo. Taylor, and the Atlin, British Columbia by a resident mine owner of that
northern region.
Dr. Woolverton kept the table supplied with numerous interesting specimens to illustrate
the papers read.
A-rticles on geological subjects were read by different members of the section.
Dr. Woolverton's report on the Sandhills of the Sauble summarized was as follows. The
sands blown from the beach form hills of a considerable height. The width of district covered
by these dunes is about 2 miles. On the edge of the sand ridges a fossil bed of the Hamilton
period was observed ; numerous specimen of Zaphrentis prolifica were visible.
Mr. Percival's report on the Glacial markings of Kelley's Island.
Kelley's Island is situated in Lake Erie off the north coast of Ohio. The glacial groove is
situated at the north end of the island in the limestone rocks of the district. The portion of
the groove preserved is 33 ft. across and apparently 17 ft. deep. The groove presents a series of
corrugations merging into each other by beautiful curves. Ihe whole appearance is that of
Corinthian columns lying prostrate side by side. On what is known as " Inscription Rock "
1903 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 53
are sculptures made evidently by the Indians in times long past. The figures denote histori-
cal events of deep interest, relating to the conquest of the island by the Iro(|uois. These
sculptures, found on the south side of the Island, were deeply engraved and though now
rapidly weathering away, are yet easily traceable. *
Mr. Smith's Report on The Eagle Lake Mining Region.
The Eagle Lake District is reached by C. P. R. from Fort William and lies some forty
miles east of Rat Portage. Eagle Lake, about where the group of mines and prospects com-
prising the mining division are located, is some 90 miles in length and ranges from 1 to 13
miles wide. The course of the lake is very tortuous and many islands are met with. The
scenery presented by the sheets of pure blue water, granite bluffs and evergreen blanketed
hills is of a degree of picturesqueness not soon to be forgotten.
The distributing point of the lake is at Vermilion Bay, a small C. P. R. by-station
consisting of half a dozen buildings and shacks. There is another C. P. R. station known as
Eagle River on a river of that name tributary to the lake. At the north end of the lake pro-
per a Hudson Bay post is located . A few trappers, prospectors and Indians are the only other
representatives of human kind in that great region. The Provincial Department of Crown
Lands has surveyed the country sufficiently to make known in a general way the configuration
of the lake, but the details of the topography and geology of the land about it are still generally
unknown.
It is agreed among students of the subject that what is now known as the " Height of
Land " extending through Quebec, Northern Ontario and Keewatin in the form of a horse-shoe
reached an altitude rivally that of the Appalachian system which gives shape and position to the
eastern half of this continent. Owing to changes of rainfall and temperature, a great tract
which centres about the Height of Land came under a thick cap of snow and ice which, in its
movements, ground down the hills, filled the valleys and scooped hollows which filling with
water became lakes. This theory, which has been very briefly and inadequately put, accounts
for the larger features as well as for many of the minor phenomena which characterize our
great Northland.
It is the theory of the writer that Eagle Lake owes its existence to a branch of the great
Keewatin Glacier, which formed west of Hudson's Bay and several hundred miles due north of
the lake.
A careful study of the map indicates that the branch referred to passed in a general south-
easterly direction sending lateral divisions to the north-east and south-east. Tne northern
shores of the lake are generally destitute of soil which may be accounted for by the compara-
tively recent retirement of the glaciers and to water erosion facilitated by the heavy rainfall
and the undulating character of land.
A number of rocks picked up by the writer were found to consist of specimens of basic
gray granite, red granite, talcose hornblende schists of a green color and black trap.
The gray granite was found 100 feet from the surface. It was overlaid by the red variety
which in turn gave place to the green schist. The eruptive rock was found on an island facing
the granite and schist outcrop. The formation of the granite in the outcrop was anticlinal i. e.
tipped upwards from the lake, while the schist layers above appeared to dip in the reverse
direction. The basic granite shows clear indications of decomposition in exposed parts where
the felspar is broken down into kaolin giving the rocks a whitish cast.
At many points are to be seen the outcrops of quartz veins found either as stringers or as
a single vein (which may be two or three feet wide.) When the quartz is in stringers the
filling matter is green schist, similar to that before mentioned. The quartz carries small per-
centages of mineral i. e. magnetite or black sand, copper and iron pyrites, zinc blende and
54 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
native gold and silver. By pulverizing the quartz in a moitar and panning, the operator will
frequently obtain colors (or minute specks of pure flour gold) in these veins. From a number
of them there have been taken near the surface splendid specimens of free gold ; some small
samples, running as high as fifteen or tAventy dollars in gqld values, of this kind do not, however
-appear to obtain at the greater depths.
When the gold is found in a network of fine stringers a disproportionate body of barren
matter must be excavated at great expense in order to procure the rock carrying gold. Two
miners working in a tunnel are able to take out about a ton per day.
"When the quartz-vein is compact, the prospector looks for values on the side adjacent to
the foot wall. Assuming the average value per ton to be the same in each case it is obvious
that the latter class of prospect could be operated much more economically than the stringer-
quartz prospect. In the former the barren material may be left untouched except in so far as
its removal may be necessary in the construction of passages. The pay ore may be kept freer
of extraneous material involving less cost in transporting and milling. The labor of sorting is
also eliminated.
The majority of the prospect mines of the region are as yet prospect claims only. They
have for the most part been staked by miners and prospectors of the district who have not the
funds wherewith to carry on their work continuously until conclusive results are reached.
If the district is ever to produce gold in paying quantities, capital must be invested there
but subject to conditions. If a mine is capitalized to a greater extent than is reasonably neces-
=sary to pay expenses for the period during which it is decided to work it, there is usually a
great temptation on the part of directors and managers to spend the company funds too lavishly.
In the second place if the mine ever pays, its earnings must be divided among a greater number
-of shares than would be the case if the capital had been less, thus giving smaller dividends.
Then the management of such mines must be put in the hands of capable and experienced men,
who know all branches of their work thoroughly. Again, operations should at first be carried
on on an exceedingly modest scale in order that, if no result obtains, the loss may be at a mini-
:mum. Investors may thus feel their way to greater expenditures of money. Most of the
prospects contain only a very low grade of ore, so that all machinery introduced should be on
that basis.
Summing up it appears to be only necessary for companies forming or about to form with
the object of exploiting the region to capitalize moderately, engage trained and efficient men as
foremen and superintendents, and to operate on a wholly conservative basis. The district may
then become a regular contributor to the gold output of this country.
All which is respectfully submitted
George B. Kirk,
Chairman.
REPORT FROM THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO TO THE ROYAL
SOCIETY OF CANADA.
(Through the Rev. C.J. S. Bethune, D. C. L., Delegate.)
The Entomological Society of Ontario has now completed its thirty-eighth year and con-
tinues to perform good work of a practical and scientific character. Its membership maintains
a steady growth and there is a frequent demand for complete sets of its publications from various
parts of the world. Its monthly magazine and annual reports contain the records of so much
original research and investigation that they have become essential to the equipment of every
tudent in this department of natural science.
During the greater part of the year regular meetings have been held in the Society's room
1908 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 55
at London. On Tuesday evenings several young men have met fcr the systematic study of
insects under the guidance of Dr. Bethune and Mr. Moffat ; on Thursdays the Geological Section
has continued, with unabated enthusiasm, to discuss the rocks and minerals of the surrounding
country ; on alternate Saturdays the Microscopical Section has met throughout the winter to
investigate the hidden things of nature and study the beautiful forms which cannot be seen with
the unaided eye. Once a month, on Fridays, the Ornithological Section, has gathered together
.at the house of Mr. W. E. Saunders ; the numerous papers by its members, published in the
Ottawa Naturalist, testify to the energy and zeal with which they have devoted themselves to
the study of bird life. During the summer the Botanical Section took the place of the Micro-
scopical and held many interesting meetings. One field excursion only was made to Komoka,
a favourite collecting ground near London ; it was thoroughly enjoyed by the few botanists and
entomologists who attended.
The Branches of the Society at Montreal and Quebec, the former of which has flourished
for twenty-eight years, report that they have had a very satisfactory season, regular meetings
ihave been held and many excellent and interesting papers were presented ; a few field days
have also been found very enjoyable and have helped much in stimulating the ardour of those
-who attend them. The Toronto Branch, like that at Quebec, is now five years old, but it has
■not received nearly so much encouragement and support as its twin-sister in the lower Province.
Why the '' Queen City of the West " should furnish so few entomologist is diflBcult to under-
stand ; it has the advantage of many distinguished seat's of learning, several extensive libraries,
a number of scientific Professors, and a rich and easily accessible country for explorAtion.
Notwithstanding their limited numbers, the members of the Branch have held frequent meet-
ings, at which several excellent papers were read, and have made good progress in the formation
of a collection of insects for the Ontario Department of Education.
A noteworthy feature of the Society's work is the delivery of popular lectures by competent
members. Dr. James Fletcher has given a large number on insects, noxious weeds and nature
«tudy, in various places in Ontario, Manitoba, the North West Territories and British Columbia ;
Dr. Bethune has lectured, chiefly to school children and Horticultural Societies, in London and
^ number of towns not far distant, on noxious, interesting and beneficial insects ; and Mr. W.
E. Saunders has addressed teachers and other assemblies in Montreal, Ottawa and other places
as well as in London, on the Birds of Canada. These lectures have been well attended and
listened to with great interest, and will evidently do much to awaken and stimulate a love for
natural history and a desire to know more about the wonders in plant and animal life that
everywhere surround us.
The thirty-eighth annual meeting of the Society was held in London in November last, and
•was attended by the Hon. J. Dryden, Minister of Agriculture for Ontario, and a number of
members from different places. The proceedings opened with a discussion on the San Jose
scale, its ravages in Ontario and the best methods of keeping if under control ; much useful
information was given by Mr. G. E. Fisher, Provincial Inspector of Scale insects, Dr. Fletcher
the Dominion Entomologist and Professor Webster, State Entomologist of Ohio. An evening
meeting, to which the public were invited, was held in the Normal School building ; the Hon.
J. Dryden took the chair and gave the opening address, in the course of which he said that the
Entomological Society was one of the best as well as the oldest of the associations aided by the
-Government of Ontario, that " we need its accurate work and we have been greatly aided and
helped by it during all the nearly forty years of its existence, and no doubt shall continue to
"be helped by it during the years to come ". The Rev Dr. Fyles, of Quebec, the President of
the Society, gave an address on "The importance of Entomological Studies to the community
at large ", illustrating his remarks with a beautifully executed series of diagrams, the work of
Ills own hand. He was followed by Dr. Fletcher, who spoke on " The value of nature study in
56 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
Education " and concluded with an exhibition of lantern slides of plants, insects and other
natural objects. During the remaining session a number of valuable practical and scientific
papers were read , these are published, together with the reports of the Officers, Branches and
Sections of the Society, in the 32nd Annual Report recently issued by the Ontario Department
of Agriculture.
This volume of 128 pages is illustrated with two plates, a portrait of the late Miss Eleanor
A. Ormerod, and a series of figures of the Moth Hyphaniria cunea, three maps and fifty-eight
wood cuts in the text. The principal articles are papers on the Insects of the year 1901 by the
Directors, Messrs. Young, Evans and Johnston, andbyProfessor Lochheadand Mr. J. A. MoflFat.
*' The Painted Lady Butterfly (Pyrameis Gardui) " and the " Entomological Record, " a new
and highly important feature, which is to be continued annually, by Dr. James Fletcher. " The
Noith American Fall Web worms, " illustrated by the beautiful plate already referred to, by
Mr. Henry H. Lyman. "The trend of Insect diflfusion in North America'', the "Imported
Willow and Poplar Curculio, " and a singular case of a Cheese mite living in the culture intended
for the destruction of the Chinch^bug, by Professor F. M. Webster. Two useful papers by-
Prof. Lochhead on the ' ' Hibernation of Insects " and ' ' Nature Study Lessons on the Mosquito "..
A paper by Mr. J. Alston Moflat setting forth his reasons for believing that the Archippus
butterfly, whose habits he has studied for many years, does not hibernate. Interesting papers
on collecting and field work : by Mr. Evans on the attractive powers of an electric lam}^ ; Mr.
Winn on his wonderful captures at a clump of milk-weed at dusk ; Mr. Walker on "A collect-
ing trip in South-western Ontario," and Mr. Gibson on "A day at the Mer Bleue. " Dr. Fyles
contributes a paper on " Crickets "; Mr. Stevenson on " Commercial Entomology " , and Mr,
Williams on "The Food of the Grass Snake, " which he finds to be Cut- worms. The volume
closes with a report from the North-west (Canada) Entomological Society, by Mr. Gregson ;;
and obituary notices of the late Miss Ormerod and Mr. Otto Lugger, by the Editor.
"The Canadian Entomologist, " the monthly magazine of the Society, is now in its 34th
year of publication. The volume for 1901 contains 348 pages, and is illustrated with five full
page plates and eleven figures from original drawings. The contributors number sixty-two, and
represent Canada, the United States, England, Germany, Luxembourg and India. The principal
articles may be classified as follows ; Descriptions of new genera, species and varieties in Lepi-
doptera by Messrs. H. H. Lyman, A. G. Weeks, A. Busck and Dr. Wm. Barnes ; Orthoptera^
by Dr. S. H. Scudder, Prof. A. P. Morse and Mr. A. N. Caudell ; Hemiptera by Mr. E. D.
Ball and Prof. H. Osborn ; Diptera by Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell, Messrs. C. Robertson and
D. W. Coquillett ; Coleoptera by Prof. H. F. Wickham and Mr. H. C. Fall ; Hymenoptera by
Messrs. E. S. G. Titus, W. H. Ashmead, T. D. A. Cockerell and C. Robertson ; Neuroptera
by Mr. N. Banks ; and Homoptera (Hemiptera) by Messrs. G. B. King and T, D. A. Cockerell.
Eleven new genera and sub genera are described and 123 new species and varieties.
Papers on Classification and Systematic Entomology : Ontario Acrididre by Mr. F. M.
Walker ; lists of Lepidoptera from Alberta by Mr. Wolley Dod, from Southern Manitoba by
Mr. E. F. Heath ; the Moths of Manitoba by Mr. A. W. Hanhatn and the Butterflies of Nebraska
by Mr. M. Cary ; Cicadidfe by Dr. A. D. McGillivray ; the Genera and species of Coccidre by
Professor Cockerell ; the Genus Catocala by Professor G. H. French and Mr. 0. C. Poling ;
Spilosoma congrua by Mr. H. H. Lyman ; Generic names in Orthoptera by Mr. J. A. G. Rehn ;
discussions of Lepidoptera by Dr. H. G. Dyar, Prof. J. B. Smith and Prof. J. R. Grote ; Sta-
phylinidfe by Dr. E. Wasmann ; Coccidse by Mr. G. B. King ; Collecting Notes on Kansas
Coleoptera by Mr. W. Knaus ; American Bees by the Rev. T. B. Morice and Professor
Cockerell ; The Genus Osmia by Mr. E. S. G Titus ; the Respiration of Aleurodes by Prof. C.
W. Woodworth ; the Xiphidiini of the Pacific Coast by Prof. A, P. Morse ; Note on Baeus by-
Mr. W. H. Harrington. ^
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 57
Life histories of the foUovviiif^ insects are given ; Xylina Bethunei by Mr. Lyman ; several
species of Hydrsecia by Mr. H. Bird : the Green-house Leaf-tyer by Dr. Fletcher and Mr. A.
Gibson ; the fall Canker-worm by Mr. D. E. Hinds ; several species of Catocala by Messrs. G.
M. and E. A. Dodge ; Nannothemis bella by Mr. R. Weith and Prof. J. G. Needham ; and
Arctia virguncula by Mr. Arthur Gibson.
In Economic Entomology there are important papers by Mr. E. D. Sanderson on Plant-
lice affecting Peas, Clover and Lettuce ; Diptera bred from Cow mannre by Dr. L. O. Howard ;
the Exportation and Importation of Beneficial Insects by Prof.^F. M. Webster; the Insect
Fauna of Human Excrement (a review) by Dr. J. Fletcher. Also a paper on the effects of
Scorpion venom by Mr. O. W. Barrett.
NOTES OlS THE SEASON OF 1902. (WESTERN QUEBEC.)*
By Charles Stevenson, Montreal.
The season commenced early with every prospect of a good time for the Insect-hunter, but
the meteorological conditions soon became of such a nature that there was little sport for the
Lepidopterist. The temperature was low with high winds and perpetual rains. However, on
the 22nd June, when at Piedmont in the Lauren tian Hills, I had the pleasure of adding a new
species of butterfly to the Quebec list, which was identified by Mr. H.H.Lyman as Coeno-
nympha inornata Edw. The day was anything /but favorable for collecting, as there was no
sunshine and several showers. But on a plateau at a high elevation behind " La Montagne,"
I caught five perfect specimens in twenty minutes time. On returning to the station I found
that Mr. A. E. N orris who had gone off in another direction had caught a weather-beaten
specimen. This insect has been recorded in Newfoundland, Labrador, Sault Ste. Marie and
Lake Winnipeg in Canada, Montana and Minnesota in the United States. Dr. W. J. Hol-
land, who possesses a large series of this species, says that the Newfoundland type is distinctly
darker than those in the Northwest. Four of my captures are pale and one dark. By this
capture in the Laurentians it seems probable that its range extends across the continent on the
high grounds unfrequented by the Entomologist, and as these regions open up it may prove
to be found fairly abundant from Labrador by the Laurentians, along the north shore of the
Ottawa on to Lake Winnipeg and into the United States.
At the same place and date while grubbing among rotten stumps I found an interesting
looking larva which was successfully reared to maturity, producing a fine specimen of a click-
beetle, rare to us, Pityoh'us anguinus Lee. This calls to mind the cap-
ture of a very large Eyed-elater, Alaus ocnlatus Linn (Fig. 35) on the
slopes of Mount Royal on the somewhat early date of the 18th May,
resting on the trunk of a fallen tree.
When the Natural History Society visited Piedmont on the 7th June,
a day of rain and drizzle, a few of us enthusiasts braved the elements
and I was fortunate enough to get a syrphid fly new to the very fine col-
lection of Mr. G. Chagnon and a moth Mamestra latex, Gn. new to mine.
A specimen of the Hag-moth Phobetron pithecium A. & S. was ob-
tained in sweepings on Mont Beloeil at St. Hilaire on the 9th July.
In the Coleoptera my last captures were :
Gahrita janiis. Fab., 25th May, Rigaud, Que.
Fig. 35.
Callida punctata, Lee, 9th July, St. Hilaire, Qae.
Cychrus viduus, Dej., 11th July, St. Hilaire, Qae.
"* Read before the Montreal Branch of the Entomologrical Society of Ontario,
58 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
One specimen was found by Mr. G. Chagnon and two by myself, the reward of an after-
noon's scraping among dead leaves and rubbish.
Saperda mutica Say., 19th July, Chambly Co., Que.
Neoclytus erythrocephalus Fab., 11th July, St. Hilaire.
Long-horns were very scarce throughout the season with the exception of Typocerus veluti-
nus Oliv., which was quite plentiful.
Platydema ruficorne Sturm, was very abundant in Laval Co. on the 11th May, when Mr.
Chagnon and myself obtained over 150 specimens between us in a quarter of an hour.
Two weevils that live on water plants Lixiis ruhellus Rand, and Lixellus Jilifo7"mis Ijec.y
were captured while boating on the lake at Mont Beloeil, St. Hilaire, on the 9th July.
While rearing some Csmoderma eremicola larvae I found that the attractive "Nimble fly,"
Zelia vertebrata Say., is its parasite.
The beautiful Crane-fly Bittacomorpha clavipes Fab., was very abundant along the banks
of a stream running through the village of St, Hilaire, on the 11th July.
Specimens of the " micropterous " variety of the Chinch-bug Blissns leucopterus Say., were
found at Rigaud on the 24th May and on Montreal Island during July.
Lepidopterous larvae were somewhat scarce, especially such ones as the Tent-caterpillars
Clisiocampa americana Fab. , and the Tentless C. disstria Hbn. At St. Hilaire the water hem-
lock borers Gortyna margi7iidens, were plentiful, but those of the burdock G. rutila, usually
so common on Montreal Island, were fewer than in former years, and Cub- worms have not been
prominent. But the Tussock-moth caterpillar is spreading among the shade trees of Montreal
to a dangerous extent, and it is to be hoped that the citizens will awaken to the fact, before it
is too late.
MOTES ON THE SEASON OF 1902.
By J. Alston Moffat, London, Ont.
To the collector of natural history specimens, the weather is of the first importance ; and
in no other of the departments of natural history is the collector made to realize the close
dependence there exists I etween the weather and success, than in botany and entomology,
whilst entomology seems to be the more sensitive to adverse influences of the two. Hence, a
cool, wet summer, although it will produce luxuriant vegetation generally, may, nevertheless,
place Paris Green and Bordeaux mixture at a discount.
Perhaps never in the history of his career, has that antiquated subject of reference, '* the
oldest inhabitant," so completely failed to recall from the dim and distant past, a summer to
correspond with that of 1902 in this locality, for uniform coolness and frequent rains, and its
natural compensation, a general reduction in the number of insect pests. To the Entomo-
logical collector the season may be pronounced a complete failure. During a ramble in quest
of specimens, he might see the landscape adorned with flowers, and yet find no butterflies there
to give animation to the scene. But as has often been observed amidst a general scarcity,
some unusually good finds have been made.
Four years ago Mr. Bice secured a specimen of that rare Sphingid Deldamia inscripta,
Harr, which he generously donated to the society's collection, the only representative of the
species yet there ; but early this season he took another in his own house, whilst yet another
was taken by Mr. J. Tanton in a diff'erent part of the city— a notable incident in so rare a
species. Mr. Bice also took a fresh specimen in perfect condition, of that attractive Sphingid
which is rarely met with here, Ampelophaga versicolor, Harr.
1903
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
69
That large and attractive southern butterfly, Papilio cresphontes, Cram. Fig. 36, was more
frequently seen and larger numbers of it taken than for many years back ; which seems rather
strange, considering the character of the season.
That singular looking Hemipteron Ploiaria hrevipennls, Say. Emesa longipes. Fab., whose
.appearance suggests a componnd between the Mantis and Walking-stick ; has been more fre-
quently observed, and more interest taken in it, and enquiries made about it than ever before,
some fine specimens of it having been brought to me for determination.
As an illustration of the spreading of injurious species, Mr. C. P. Butler of London,
Ont., reported his finding in large numbers Crioceris 12-pundatus, Linn., on his asparagus the
early part of August. This is the first observation of it reported in this locality ; and so far
as observation went, it was then confined exclusively to his neighborhood. Mr. Butler kindly
provided the society with a liberal supply of specimens for its collection. There are two species
of injurious asparagus beetles, Crioceris asparagi, Linn,, and G. 12-punctatus, Linn., and they
-differ considerably in their appearance, and to some extent in their habits. Crioceris asparagi
60 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
has been on the Canadian list, as having been known to be taken in Canada for fourteen years
or more, but it has not yet been reported as having been seen in this city or vicinity, whilst
C. 12-punctatns will soon prove itself to be the more abundant and destructive species of the
two.
Mr. E. M. Walker's observations on the spreading of Pieris protodice (Fig. 37) eastward ,
given in the Thirty-second Annual Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario, page 87,
aroused my interest in that butterfly, and I requested
the collectors in London to be on the look-out for it ;
but it was not observed here by any of them. The
season was unfavorable for rapae (Fig. 23), as it was
not nearly so plentiful as in ordinary years, and lb
may well be regarded as yet more unfavorable for
protodice^ which has been designated " The Southern
Cabbage Butterfly." In 1895 protodice was reported
as plentiful at Windsor, Ont. It was also seen at
Fig. 37. Pieris protodice ; colours, white and
black. London where a few specimens of it had been taken
the previous year. Since then it has not been observed in London. No further notice of its
movements has been taken, so far as I have observed, until Mr. Walker reported it as plenti-
ful at Leamington, Chatham and Sarnia. Which seems to indicate that it is recovering lost
ground eastward, but that its appearance at London in 1894 and 1895 should be regarded as a
sporadic outbreak, rather than as a permanent advance. The only fresh captured specimen of
protodice that I have seen this year came from Leamington.
Desiring to locate its present boundary eastward, I made a trip to Glencoe. which is about
half way between Chatham and London on the Grand Trunk Railway, but found only rapae
there. So it has not yet got thirty miles east of Chatham ; and if it is gradually extending
eastward it will be several years yet before it reaches London along that line. But I am under
the impression that it will increase more rapidly along Lake Erie shore than it will inland, and
my intention was to visit Port Stanley in order to see if it had reached that locality, but a
favorable opportunity did not present itself.
If Pieries protodice is actually recovering lost ground, how slowly it is spreading eastward
as compared with the rapid advance of P. rapae westward upon its first introduction into the
country. First taken at Quebec city in 1863, and considered likely to have been landed there
from Europe three years earlier, it reached Montreal in 1867. Belleville and Trenton in
1872. Port Hope, Toronto and Dundas in 1873. Paris and London in 1875, occuping western
Ontario and extending into Michigan in 1876. Thus in thirteen years time it spread from the
City of Quebec to the Detroit river. And the marvellous thing about it was that as rapae
advanced protodice disappeared, not leaving a trace of its previous existence in the locality.
New it has taken six years for protodice to get from Windsor to Chatham, and then it has not
got the whole ground to itself, but only getting to be in the majority. Clearly indicating that
protodice is meeting with a resistance of some kind to the reoccupj^ing of its lost ground, which
rapae did not encounter in its progress westward.
This is an occurrence of the most profound interest to every student of biology, and well
worthy of their closest attention and consideration. And in it may yet be found a key to the
solution of some of the most obscure and difficult problems of the day, in their relation to the
science of life in natural history.
190a ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 61
A FEW NOTES ON DANAIS ARCHIPPUS.
By H. H. Lyman, Montreal.
Were it not for its commonness, I think that this butterfly would be considered, as
suggested by the common name proposed by Dr. Scudder, the Monarch of North American
butterflies.
It is so large, so strong of wing, and its colours are so rich that its pre-eminence is very
marked, and it is so abundant, and so widely distributed that it must be familiar to even the
most casual observer of nature. (Fig. 38.)
(Fig. 38.)
As boys, my brothers and I gave it the name of the "Large Striped Butterfly," Limenitis
Disippus being the " Small Striped Butterfly," and these names had certainly the merit of
being descriptive.
But while this butterfly is so common and so easily reared, there is, perhaps, no butterfly
about whose life history naturalists have disputed more keenly, and notwithstanding all the
arguments and the evidence gathered, the facts have never been made sufficiently clear to pre-
clude further dispute. This shows what a fascinating study is Entomology. There is always
something still to be learned about even the commonest species, and everyone, no matter how
limited his or her means and time may be, can always add to our knowledge, if only the efibrt
be made in the right way.
The points about which the dispute has chiefly raged are three :
1st. Does it hibernate ?
2nd. How many broods are there ?
3rd. How long do the individuals usually live ?
Mr. Wm. H. Edwards has contended that the life history of this butterfly difiers in no
essential particulars from that of other hibernating species ; that in Virginia there are four
broods, the butterflies of only the last hibernating, and appearing on the wing early the next
spring, mentioning the last of March as the time of first appearance, eggs being laid last of
April or beginning of May, the 2nd May being mentioned, and the first brood from the hiber-
nators appearing at the end of May.
The late Dr. Riley wrote, "They commence depositing eggs in the latitude of St. Louis
during the fore part of May .... Butterflies from these eggs begin to appear about the
middle of June."
Dr. Scudder claims that in the north (Query : What is " the north " ? and where does it
begin in coming up from " the south " ?) the species is only single brooded, that the country is
62 THE REPORT OF THE No. 1»
annually colonized by immigrants from the south which lay eggs up to the middle of August ;
that the butterflies never mate the first^season ; that some attempt hibernation, but that while
hibernation may be successful in a few localities in southern New England, usually every
hibernator north of the annual isotherm of 40° perishes ; that large numbers migrate south,
and pass the winter in an active state, that the butterflies live for more than a year, and mingle
on the wing with their progeny of the succeeding season, from which it has been suggested that
its common name should be " the Tramp" or " the Patriarch."
Mr. Moffat, in the interesting papers which he has contributed to our Annual Reports^
accepts Dr. Scudder's theories, and even adds to them. He appears to claim that all
butterflies observed ovipositing in the north have come from the "south," but believes that
there are several broods in the south, and that each of these broods is controlled by the same
strong desire to travel northward, and that there are thus successive waves of immigrants
which lay eggs and produce fresh butterflies, and that these successive waves account for the
egg layings from " about the first of ; June and before," till such late layings as produced the
butterfly which Mr. Moffat had emerge on the 6th of November, but Mr. Moffat wisely
declines to attempt to draw the line between north and south for this butterfly.
There is one point, however, which is not made clear, and that is whether Mr. Moffat be-
lieves that the butterflies which emerge in July from eggs laid by the first arrivals in Ontario
continue on the wing in the locality where produced, or also emigrate to still more northern,
latitudes, and if the latter, whether these having come from the " south" mate and oviposit
in these more northern regions.
My own experience of this butterfly extends over many years, but I have probably not
given it the same careful study that Mr. Moffat and others have done. I have, however, ap-
proached the subject with an unprejudiced mind, and have always been open to conviction,
but at the same time confess that by natural disposition I am inclined to look with suspicion
upon any theory which attributes abnormal causes to observed phenomena.
The facts, so far as I have observed them, are that in the early summer worn and dis-
coloured females appear on the wing, and are seen ovipositing. These worn and discoloured
specimens soon disappear, and no such specimens have ever been seen by me after about the
middle of July. What becomes of them ? Do they die here after laying their eggs, or do they
press on to the " north " ?
On many occasions I have first seen these immigrants at the end of June or 1st July. At
Au Sable Chasm, on 1st July, 1895. I saw the species for the first time that year, and secured
two eggs which I saw laid, and a butterfly reared from one of these eggs emerged 31st July.
Doubtless they sometimes arrive earlier. Mr. Winn has seen them earlier. I do not remem-
ber to have done so in the neighbourhood of Montreal, prior to 1899, and have frequently
searched the Milk Weeds in June for eggs or larvse without success.
Once only I found a larva nearly full grown, on the mountain, which must have come from
an egg laid about the middle of June, but in 1899, on the annual excursion of the Natural
History Society of Montreal to Montfort, on 10th June, this butterfly was seen flying, and Mr.
Norris found an egg and gave it to me. This egg hatched about the llth, pupation occurred
on the 29th, and the butterfly emerged on the 10th July.
i On 1st July of that same year, on an outing of the Montreal branch to Chateauguay Basin,
I took a pair in coitu. The male was bright, but the female worn and discoloured. I kept
them alive in a cage with the food plant, and secured one or two eggs, and a butterfly reared
from one of them emerged on the 4th August.
In 1896 I went down to Portland, Me., on 29th August, and during a ramble on the 30th
found a larva of the species nearly full grown, which pupated on 7th September. Allowing
the usual time for the larval period, the egg could hardly have been laid before the 15th-
190a ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 63
August. But what butterfly laid it ? Certainly not one of the worn and discoloured spring
immigrants. No one, I am sure, ever saw one of them laying eggs as late as the middle of
August. AVhat reason is there against supposing tnat it was laid by a butterfly which emerged
about the end of July or beginning of August from an egg laid by an immigrant the last of June
or beginning of July ?
I accept the colonization theory, but I see no reason to accept the extraordinary hypothesis
that this species practises celibacy for a year from its birth.
In regard to the autumnal gatherings, which I regret to say I have never observed, Mr.
Mofiat's belief seems to require our acceptance of an intelligence scarcely less than human. He
speaks of the working of their " mmds," claims that a rendezvous is selected, but whether
by a representative "committee on place of meeting" duly elected for the purpose, oris
named by some Napoleon or Lars Porsena among them, we are not told, and that then messen-
gers are sent forth east and west and north, if not south, to summon the array.
Such a belief is, to me at least, incredible. I have never seen one of these gatherings, but
do not doubt that they frequently occur, but I think that if they occurred regularly every
year, and that if annual flights to the south were also of yearly occurrence many more observa-
tions would have been made and recorded, on account of the size and conspicuous appearance
of the species, but I see no reason to attribute anything semi-miraculous to these gatherings.
Tt is well known that in some years this butterfly occurs in much greater numbers than in
others, and it would seem probable that marked swarms only occur in years of great abund-
ance. That a southerly migration also sometimes takes place, may also be conceded but it is
not necessary to suppose that scouts are sent out to gather the hosts.
The migration would begin at the furthest point north that the species extended to, and
would begin earliest at that point. Naturally, as they flew south they would meet milder
climatic conditions, and so be tempted to linger by the way, and to foregather with those in-
habitating these regions. That the butterfly has a marked odour is well known, and it seems
probable that the odour from these increasing swarms would be carried a considerable dis-
tance by the wind, and so tend to attract still more, either from east or west, to these gather-
ings, of which there are probably not one but many.
Because Dr. Thaxter has observed it wintering, like "the very best society," in the Gulf
States, Mr. Moffat concludes that it does not hibernate anywhere, but surely this is too weighty
a conclusion to draw from such slender premises.
The life history of this butterfly will never be settled by argument, but the main facts
could easily be learned if a sufficient number of intelligent persons would devote a little time
to observing the species, and jotting down their observations at the time, as nothing is so
unsatisfactory as trusting to one s memory in regard to scientific facts. And to this end I
would suggest the issuing by the Society of a leaflet, printed on stout foolscap paper, with
one of our Annual Reports, of which a large number are printed and distributed, giving
illustrations of the butterfly, caterpillar and chrysalis, and with a series of questions, carefully
prepared to elicit information upon all the doubtful points in its life history. That the
observers be requested to pin up the leaflet in a convenient place, and fill in their observations
as soon as made, and then at the close of the season, when the last of these butterflies have
disappeared, to sign and forward them to Dr. Fletcher, to whom they would go post free, and
the results could then be tabulated by a committee of the Society.
In order to insure a general interest in the matter, it would be well for the Society, or
individual members, to offer a series of say five prizes, ranging from $10.00 to $2.00 for the
best and most complete reports sent in.
64
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
THE INSECTS OF THE SEASON.
By W. Lochhead, Ojstario Agricultural College, Guelph.
The year 1902 was one of many surprises for the economic entomologist. Several insects
•which did serious damage in 1901, and which gave indications that their ravages would be even
more serious in 1902, were conspicuous by their absence, or by their very diminished numbers.
The Hessian Fly is an example. Again, other insects, which in the last few yoars were not
Considered serious, appeared in large numbers and did much damage. The Clover-seed Midge
is an example. Other examples will be given in their appropriate place in the following notes*
The wet, cold season had its influence in checking the multiplication of some injurious
forms, but in the case of others there was no appreciable check.
Insects Injurious to Farm Crops.
For reasons, which can be only partially explained, the Hessian Fly (Cecidomyia destructor)
did very little damage in those regions where it was most abundant last year. While it is
true that a much smaller acreage of wheat was sown last fall, and as a rule the sowing was
done much later than usual, yet there remains some apparently unaccountable cause for the
almost total absence of flies in those regions. The winter and fall were not unfavorable to
insect life, if we can judge from the condition of most insects in spring. It is probable that
the parasites were more abundant than were supposed, and that they were instrumental largely
in killing most of the Hessian Flies.
In South Grey, however, the Hessian Fly did muoh damage this year, some fields of wheat
being entirely broken down by the spring brood. There it appeared to attack certain varieties
of wheat in preference to others. For example, the Early Arcadian was untouched, while the
early Clawson, sown at the same time, and on the same kind of soil, and under other similar
conditions, was seriously afi'ected.
The Pea- Weevil {Bruchus pisi) continued its ravages with undiminished
vigour in the older sections, and spread to new areas where it had previously
been unknown. It is evident that concerted action must be taken or
else pea-growing will have to be abandoned. Already in some sections
the latter policy has been adopted.
The Clover-seed Midge {Cecidomyia leguminicola) Figs. 39, 40 and 4l,
was abundant in the western portion of Ontario, and in many places com-
pletely destroyed all clover left for seed. Even that which was pastured
up to June 20th was destroyed, according to some reports. Here, again,
farmers must co-operate. All should cut or pasture their clover until the
20th of June.
In many respects, Wireworms, Figs. 42 and 43, may be considered one
of the most injurious insects which attack farm crops. The extent of the
ravages is difficult to compute, for in some localities they are almost absent,
but in others they are very abundant.
On account of their habit of working below the surface of the ground,
no reliable method has been devised for their destruction, or for the pre-
ventix)n of their attacks. In fields which have been kept for several years
in sod, wirewcrms are almost certain to multiply. When the sod lands are broken up, the
t^ worms" will be found in almost every stage of development. Some are very young and will
require two cr more years before becoming mature ; some are a year old ; some two years old.
Fig 39.
The Clover- seed
Midge : {a) larva
highly magnified; b)
head retracted, still
more highly magni-
fied. (Riley.)
i9o:s
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
65
and others nearly mature and perhaps entering the pupa stage. It is evident then that the
breaking up of the land will destroy but a small number of all the wireworms in the soil. If
the ploughing is done in the fall, and the land is kept well stirred until winter sets in, many
pupae will be destroyed ; but the grubs will be but slightly injured. The roots of the grasses
turned under may satisfy their appetite the following season, and the crops may not suffer
much. In the second season, however, these supplies of food are exhausted, and the roots of
the growing crops are called into requisition. Hence the common complaint that wireworms
are often more destructive the second season after the sod is ploughed under. It behoves the
farmer, therefore, to put in a crop which is specially immune, such as peas, or a hoed crop.
(a) The Female Midge, with her four-pointed ovi-
])ositor extended ; (ft) head ; (c) tip of ovipositor ; (d)
joints of antennae ; all hiirhlv magnified. (Riley.)
Fig. 40.
(a) The Male Midge, highlj- magnified ; (b) head,
further enlarged ; (c) clasping organs ; {d) joints of
antennae; (e) claws; (//) form.s of scales on body
and wings. (Riley.)
Fig. 48.
Click-beetle
parent of
Wireworms
The main preventive is a short rotation of crops, in which the fields are not allowed to
remain longer than two seasons in grass.
Experiments and experience have both shown that there is no use attempting to kill the
wire-worms by soaking the seeds in poisonous chemicals, or by putting poisonous substances on
the lands in the hope that the insects will be killed.
Cuhvorms were quite abundant in many sections of the Province, and did considerable
damage.
An interesting observation was made in Kent County where the cutworms were rery
wumerous up to the end of May. Heavy rains occurred at this time, and many of the low,
lerel fields were inundated. Thousands of dead cutworms were seen along the borders of %h%
drowned fields. *'
5 EN.
66
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
InsecTvS Injurious to Vegetable and Garden Crops.
The Colorado ^Potato Beetle (Doryphora decem-lineata) was not as injurious as informer
years. It is probable that the wet season was responsible for the diminution in numbers.
The Squash Bug (Anasa tristis) Fig. 30, was also not so troublesome as in previous years ;
but the Cucumber-Beetles held their own and did much harm.
Blister Beetles were not so abundant as usual, probably due to the fact that Grasshoppers
have not been numerous for l;he past two or three seasons.
Cutworms were reported from North Grey as cutting oflF young mangolds and cabbages.
The Tur7iip Aphis (Aphis brassicae) did little damage and was not noted in any reports
which I received, but the Cabhage-worm (Pieris rapae) was quite destructive not only on
turnips but also on cabbages and cauliflowers.
The Zebra Caterpillar (Mamestra picta) was quite common in most turnip and cabbage
fields. (See Fig. 21.)
At Leamington in Essex County, the Melon Plant Louse (Aphis cucumeris) was very abun-
dant in many of the large melon fields. They were kept in check by a careful application of
tobacco solution. These insects are greenish-black, and infest the under surface of the leaves ;
consequently, the tobacco applications must be made to the under surfaces by means of an
elbow on the rod near the nozzle.
Asparagus beetles were not so destructive this year as usual about St. Catharines. ,
The Tomato and Potato Flea-beetles (Epitrix cucumeris) were very abundant. It is of
interest, economically, to note the relation of these flea- beetles to the Early Potato Blighty
which was prevalent this past season. The edge of the holes eaten by the beetles soon became
diseased, and examination showed the presence of spores of the Early Blight (Macrosporium
solani). It is probable that the beetles are carriers of the disease from one leaf to another,
and it is jmore than probable that the dead tissue surrounding the holes made by the
beetles forms a suitable medium for the establishment of this semi-saprophytic fungus.
Early applications of Bordeaux and Paris Green are necessary for the control of the
beetles as well as the fungus.
The Potato Stalk-Bo7'er (Trichobaris 3-notata) Fig. 44, which committed such serious
ravages in Pelee Island last year, appeared again this year, but in diminished numbers.
Many potato-growers on the Island sufi'ered greatly,
but definite information as to the real extent of the
injury done is wanting on account of the more serious
damage done by the Late Potato Blight (Phytophthora
infestans). The death of the stalk by the fungus may
aid in killing the stalk-borer, since the larvae may be
prevented from reaching maturity. li is the duty of
the potato-growers, however, to take the usual pre-
cautionary measures, viz., to burn the vines in the
field in the fall, so as to kill the surviving adult
Fig-. 44.
-Potato Stalk-borer : a. grub ;
c. beetle, all much magnified.
pupa
beetles, which would otherwise hibernate in the dead stalks.
Insects Injurious to Orchard Trees.
In spite of the unfavorable wet season, the San Jose scale increased in large numbers in
the infested sections. The pernicious nature of the scale is now impressing itself strongly on
the minds of the fruit-growers, and they are coming to the conclusion that the warnings of the
entomologists, uttered seven or eight years ago, were warnings which should have been heeded
then, and not now. The orchard men themselves mustTiow bear the burden of controlling the
190a ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 67
scale. Their task is far from being a hopeless one, however. Experience shows that there are
several insecticides which may be used with good results. These are whale-oil soap, crude
petroleum, and the lime and sulphur mixture. The last is by far the cheapest remedy, but
the great objection to its general adoption is the difficulty of preparation. Two pounds of lime
are boiled with one pound of sulphur in a kettle for two hours. Much requires to be known
concerning the chemistry of the resulting mixture, for different sulphides of calcium are formed
according to the time the mixture is boiled. It is probable that some one of these sulphides is
more effective than the others.
The example of Saltfleet Township is to be commended when it passed a by-la>v whereby
inspectors were appointed to make a careful examination of the orchards for San Jose scale, in
view of preventing its spread. It is to be hoped that other municipalities will follow the
example set by Saltfleet, so that a limit may be placed to the spread of the scale.
The Codling Moth (Garpocapsa pomonella), so far as my own observations extend,
was not so injurious this year as last. The first brood appeared rather late, but the second
brood was quite numerous. The wet season precluded careful spraying operations which may
account for the large second brood.
A correspondent from South Grey reports that the Codling Moth was very injurious. He
says : " It would not be exaggerating to say that one-third of the apple crop was destroyed by
this pest."
In- my last year's Notes on the Injurious Insects of the Year, I called attention to the
worthlessness of the Ilaseltine Moth Trap-lantern.
Recently another device for entrapping the Codling worms has been put on the market.
It is known as the Expansive Tree Protector. It consists essentially of an expansive metallic
collar, coated on its underside with a sticky substance, and a cloth band saturated with a
poisonous liquid placed between the collar and the trunk of the tree. Although not in a
position personally to test the device this year, I had an opportunity of inspecting many of
them in different orchards. In nearly every case they failed to give satisfaction, and in some
instances were positively harmful. In the first place, they are difficult to fit to the trunk of
the tree ; secondly, the sticky substance did not hold the caterpillars, and other forms of
insect-life, or prevent them from crawling over it ; thirdly, the poisonous band did not kill
the insects which crawled beneath the collar ; and fourthly, the bark of the tree immediately
beneath the band was frequently seriously injured.
In my humble opinion, decided improvements in the construction of this device must be
made before it becomes effective.
In Prince Edward County the Apple Maggot { Tri/peto pomovieila) was abundant. In some
orchards more than half the fruit was injured by this maggot.
The work of this insect differs from that of the Codling- worm in that channels are eaten
through the fruit in every direction. Spraying is of no value in combating this pest, and the
V y remedy is one of prevention. The infested fallen
>/v/^ \, ^/* fruit should be destroyed at once, so as to prevent
^^-
71
the maturing of the flies. When the maggot is
full grown it leaves the apple, and pupates on, or
just below the surface of the ground.
2 ^ Peach-tree Borers (Sannina exitiosa) Fig. 45,
F g. 45. Peach-tree borer, female moth ; 2 male moth, were very numerous, especially in the Niagara
district. Many young trees of this year's planting were injured.
The Plum Curculio (Gonotrachelus nenuphar) was abundant in most sections of the Pro-
vince.
68 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
The Bud-moth {Tmetocera ocellana) Fig. 46, and the Cigar-case Borer (Coieophora Fletcher-
ella) were serious pests in many orchards the past season, and it is my opinion that the latter
is becoming more injurious with each succeeding year. Last spring I saw an
orchard in which every tree was badly infested. In some instances, the
wintering cases literally covered portions of some of the smaller branches.
It is true that the orchard referred to was a neglected one, so far as insects
and fungi are concerned, but it is also true that both the Cigar-case Bearer ^. ^^ Bud-moth
and the Bud-moth are difficult to treat successfully. Both insects are well »"<* ^^^''^■
protected by their coverings, and experience shows that thoroughly careful spraying at the
right time is required to kill them. Fortunately for the orchardist, both begin active work
about the same time, hence both can be treated at the same time.
I feel that more demonstration spraying in the infested orchards is necessary before the
fruit-growers will be convinced that these insects can be treated successfully. Seven or eight
years ago it was shown that two or three applications of Paris green (4 ounces to the barrel)
as soon as the cases became active in the spring, would hold the Case-bearers under control.
Also, that kerosene emulsion, diluted with nine parts of water, applied at the same time was
quite effective.
Aphids were unusually abundant in many orchards.
Insects Injurious to Shade Trees.
The protection of shade trees from the attacks of boring insects is becoming quite a seri-
ous problem in many of our towns and cities. It is becoming apparent that greater watchful-
ness is required. The watchman, however, should have some acquaintance with the habits of
the insects to be watched, so that remedies may be taken at the right time. One of the duties
of the watchman, however, should be the protection of our insectivorous birds, for we must rely
to a great extent upon them for the destruction of the borers. The increase in number of
borers in recent years, I think, can be traced to the wanton destruction of so many of our use-
ful birds, arid their protection at the present time is imperatively demanded.
A shade tree pest, new to me, has arrived within the last two or three years. The birches
are the victims in this instance. I have watched their work in Guelph for two summers. I
thought at first that the birches were dying from the physiological causes which produce Stag-
Head, but I was wrong in my diagnosis. My attention was called this summer to dying
birches in Hamilton, where an examination of the dead limbs revealed the presence of a borer.
I was unable to get specimens of the adult, but the owner of the trees stated that he saw many
of them in early summer. On account of their small size and their active habits, he was unable
to make any captures.
From a study of their work, I was able to identify them as the Bronzy-birch Beetle
{Agrihis anxius), one of the Buprestidae. This borer has been found working in London,
Buffalo, Detroit, Ann Arbor and Chicago.
It would appear that the beetles begin work at the top and work downwards. For this
reason, the tree begins to die first at the top. The burrows made by the grubs are very irrejralar,
and have no definite direction. In most limbs which I examined I could trace their labyrin-
thine, net- work courses for considerable distance in the cortex and young wood, but often they
would run directly into the wood, and emerge again at the surface. In one case, I found a
straight tunnel in the heart-wood, but this occurred in a small twig not more than one-third of
an inch in diameter.
The exit hole of the mature beetle is characteristic, I think. One side is straight, wid lb«
ether is curved to conform to the shape of the beetle. "
190!S
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
The effect of all this burrowing of many grubs in infested trees is to weaken the branches
and to interrupt the supply of food and food- materials to the parts above. Some of the trees
which were examined in Guelph and Hamilton, had their bark from top to bottom perforated
with holes. Many of the larger limbs had raised ridges on the bark, which, when cut open,
showed burrows beneath.
The life-history of this insect is about as follows : The adults emerge in May, and begin
laying their eggs in crevices on the bark. The larvae hatch in June, and are not full grown
when winter sets in. They remain torpid during the winter, and become full grown in April
or early May. The pupa stage is of short duration, for the adults begin emerging in May, as
already stated.
It is impossible at this stage in the study of the insect to indicate a definite line of re-
medial treatment. As the beetles are capable of flight, it is necessary that dying and dead
trees should be cut down before the escape of the beetles in May to prevent the infection of
neighboring healthy birches. Their natural enemies are unknown to me, with the excep-
tion of the woodpecker, which I have seen frequently on affected trees. It is likely that we
will rely upon this bird to help us in controlling this new pest of the birch.
THE PAPER-MAKING WASPS OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC.
By Rev. Thomas W. Fyles, D.C.L., F.L.S., Levis, Quebec.
Once upon a time, 1 was taken over a pulp-factory, and shown how billets of wood were
converted into paper. The process seemed to me a natural outgrowth from one that I had
witnessed, when a boy, among the descendants of Huguenots who settled at Dartford in
Kent two hundred years ago. These
men, in their little workshops, manufac-
tured paper from cotton rags.
The fineness and tenacity of vegeta-
ble fibre have been ever since the crea-
tion ; and paper-makers (not always
human) have existed, in successive gener-
ations, through all the ages since that
great event.
' ' The thing that hath been is that that
shall be, and chat which is done is that
which shall be done ; and there is no new
thing under the sun."
' ' Is there anything whereof it may be
said, this is new ? It hath been already
of old time which was before us." — Ecc.
L. 9-10.
The nest of the Black Hornet {Vespa
mactdata^ Fabricius) Figs. 47 and 48, is a
Pig. 47. Wasp's nest at an early stage of construction (original), wonderful structure, suggestive of a
variety of things, — tents, umbrellas, capes, the papier-mache dwellings of the Japanese, com-
pressed woodenware, etc.
It is often of great size. The Rev. J. B. Dobbage of Bourg Louis has one that measures
round it, over top and bottom three feet two and three-quarter inches and, when taken round
the middle, two feet nine and a half inches.
70
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
Our fences and out-buildings supply abundance of material for the busy workers tha
construct such dwellings. In the wilderness they resort to trees rent by tempests, etc., for
their supplies.
The old church at Hull, Province of Quebec, was built of wood. It' had never been
painted. One summer day, about thirty-seven years ago, when on a visit to Hull, I walked
up to see the church. It stood on a rocky knoll and was surrounded by cedars — the French
part of the town now covers the spot.
I thought to look in at the windows, but these were high up ; and I did not venture to
climb, for busily employed about the building were hundreds of wasps, of different kinds.
They were eroding the surface of the wood with their jaws — procuring the materials for the
construction of their nests.
The material thus procured would be thoroughly masticated and mixed with a natural
fluid or s?*liva, till it was of the right consistency. The wasps, on commencing their work,
would deposit the prepared material and then bring it into shape with their mandibles, going
over it again and again, pinching it till it was of a proper thinness.
The comb in the hornet's nest is very different from that in a hive of bees (Fig. 48). The
bee's comb is of wax ; the hornet's of paper. The bee's comb is suspended in masses perpen-
dicularly — the cells, two
deep, being placed back to
back and opening sideways.
The hornet's comb is sus-
pended in tiers horizontally,
the topmost tier hanging by
a stalk to the roof, and each
of the others by a stalk af-
fixed to the centre of the
one above it. The cells are
only one deep in each layer,
and open below. In the bee-
hive some of the cells are
filled with honey and some
contain young bees. In the
hornet's nest all the comb is
brood comb, the young being
fed with nutriment prepared
by the mandibles and max-
illse of their attendants.
CPlQ 49). ^^S- 48. Section of Hornet's nest (original).
The larvae of the hornet, in their early days, are held in place by a glutinous fluid, and
later, by pressure upon the sides of their cells. When they are about to change to pupae, they
spin a web over the entrance of their cells and
close themselves in.
Mr S. Stone, in the Entomologist^ s WeeMy In-
telligencer for June 11th, 1859; (No. 141, page 84)
thus described the process of feeding the larvae in
^^ , . _ ,.^^ a wasp's nest :
/!y V Lx " '^^^ process is an extremely interesting one.
An attendant or nurse on retiring from a foraging
Fig. 49. Head of Wasp, showing mouth excursion with a caterpillar it has found on a
neighbouring hedge ; a piece of meat neatly rolled
parts (original).
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 71
up, that it had purloined from a butcher's shop or somebody's larder ; a specimen of the insect
popularly known as 'daddy-long-legs,' shorn of its wings and other encumbrances, especially
if the day be a windy one, for the purpose of lessening the difficulty of conveying such an
unwieldly creature through a disturbed atmosphere— for wasps have powers as nearly as
possible allied to reasoning ones, as has been observed upon other occasions as well as the one
recorded above ; or perchance a winged ant caught in the act of migration, is met at the
entrance to the nest by one, two, and sometimes three other attendants. These at once lend
their aid in cutting up the 'prey," which they not only reduce to the consistency of pulp by
mastication, but to all appearance actually swallow. Having done this they separate, and
taking different courses, commence feeding the larvse which lie in their route. As they pass
over a cell, the larva therein contained, if hungry, protrudes its head and applies its mouth to
that of the attendant, who stops for a few seconds for the purpose of allowing it to sip its fill.
This done, the latter moves on to another cell, where the process is repeated. If on the
approach of the attendant a larva does not require food, instead of protruding its head it
remains quiet, when the former passes on to another cell where its services may be required.
In this way an attendant will feed perhaps twenty larvae before the contents of its stomach, or
whatever else may have served as a receptacle for the food it has been dispensing, is exhausted,
when it again proceeds in quest of food, either leaving the nest to obtain it, or else taking part,
in the manner already described, with one which has just returned from foraging."
It will be observed from the above account that the wasps feed their charges much as the
dove feeds her young, by supplying them with partly digested food from its own crop,
Mr. Stone's observations upon the feeding of the wasp-larvse confirm those made by Mr.
Spence as recorded in Letter XI, Kirby and Spences's Entomology, and by Willoughby and
R^umur before him.
Vespa Germanica, Fabricius — like the European Vespa vulgaris, Linneus — makes its nest
in a chamber in the ground, taking advantage of some natural hollow, or enlarging the run of
some small animal. I found such a nest by the roadside on the Island of Orleans last summer.
Some years ago I took a nest of Vespa media, Olivier. I found it suspended from the
ceiling of a coach-house belonging to my highly-esteemed friend, the late I. J. Gibb, Esq., of
Como, P. Que. This nest was compact and smooth, and of the size of a cricket-ball. The
entrance was in the middle of the under side, and was ab :>ut half-an-inch in diameter.
The late P. H. Gosse in the Canadian Naturalist, page 269 describes the nest of Vespa '
marginata, Kirhy. He says : —
"That is not a stone, although it looks so much like one, as you would find to your cost
if you planted your foot on it. The mowers have cut as near as they durst approach to it, for
it is a wasp's nesb (Vespa marginata) and full of very irascible and formidable subjects, who
are not to be assaulted with impunity. These large round nests are generally attached to a
stone, often nearly covering it, and cannot easily be distinguished from it. They are made of
a tough whitish paper, manufactured by the wasp, of the minute particles which she abrades
from weather-beaten wood, and agglutinates with saliva, spread out into this form. This nest
consists of several layers, convex above, and projecting at the edges to shoot off the rain from
the comb within, which is made of the same substance, and contains young and pupse. You
may observe numbers of the wasps coming and going, and crawling busily about the nest, the
entrance to which is beneath the edge. "
Vespa marginata, J^irhy = Vespa consohrina, Saussure = Fespa arenaria, Fabricius. See
Cresson's Hymenoptera, page 290.
I found a nest of this species last season in the open woods near Fort Number 2, Levis.
It was close to the ground, and was supported by some small stems of brush wood. I went
one cold day in October to obtain it, but somebody had forestalled me.
72 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
Amonsf the bees there are large females, small females or workers, and males or drones ;
so is it among the wasps ; and the male wasps are stingless as the dronts are. They may be
distinguished from the females in this way : —
The male wasps have 13 joints in the antennae.
The female wasps have only 12.
The male wasps have 7 abdominal segments.
The female wasps have only 6.
Bees, wasps and ants have the three kinds, — males, females and workers. It is customary
amongst naturalists to distinguish these by the astronomical signs for Mars, Venus and Mercury.
The sign of Mars is a shield and spear ciin i • i m
yellow bands on the first segment of the abdomen which form a
loop, and enclose a triangular patch of black.
4 The female of the Diabolic Wasp is about six-tenths of an inch long. It is black with
long yellow hairs. It has much yellow on the abdomen. Upon the first segment, the yellow
190a ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 73
is narrow and interrupted. Upon the others, it is indented by the black, in the middle, and
on either side of the indentation is a black dot. Saussure must surely have been severely stung
by this wasp when he gave it its formidable name.
5. Vespa Fernaldi was identified for me in the Entomological Division of the Department
of Agriculture, Washington. It is a pretty insect. In each of the abdominal segments the
black intrudes upon the yellow by three indentations, of which the apical one is the largest.
6. In Vespa media all the segments of the abdomen are marked alike with three scallops
protruding from the black band of every segment. The workers especially of this species have
much brown hair about them.
7. Vespa rufa. Last summer I took a perfect female specimen of this beautiful and rare
wasp. It was flying under the veranda of Mr. Morgan's country-house on the Island of
Orleans. The insect is three-quarters of an inch long, and an inch and a quarter in expanse of
wings. The antennae was black without spots. The eyes are black and have an outer streak
of white on the upper off side only. Between the antennae is a white patch, indented above
and below, and broader than deep. The white facial plate is angulated outwardly, and is
divided, through all its length, by a broad black patch somewhat narrowed towards the bottom.
The legs of the insect are pale yellow above and red underneath. The marks on the thorax
are white. The segments of the abdomen are bordered with creamy white. The wings are
somewhat smoky, but have an ochreous tinge, and the veins are sienna- coloured. The first
abdominal segment of this wasp is of a rich chestnut or Venetian red ; and on the second seg-
ment there is an interrupted patch on either side of the same colour. This segment is, with
the exception of the border, wholly dark red on the under side. The tip of the last segment is
red. The wasp is strikingly handsome. In the Provancher collection there is a worker of this
species taken at Chicoutimi.
8. Vespa communis also was identified for me at Washington. It, more than any other of
our Quebec wasps, resembles the ^espa vidgaris of Europe. I have taken it at Cowansville and
at Quebec.
9. Vespa borealis. The wasp is described in Kirby's " Fauna Boreali- Americana: Insecta"
page 265. The description may be found on page 129 of Dr. Bethune's useful compilation
from Kirby's work, which was published by the Entomological Society of Ontario some years
ago. Kirby states that the specimen he described was taken as far north as lat. 65°. A male
specimen of this species that I took at Levis last summer has been identified for me by Mr.
Ashmead of Washington.
Polistes pallipes may be easily known
from its slender and elegant form, its soft
brown colouring, its white feet, and the
two parallel longitudinal streaks on the
after part of its thorax. (Fig. 51.)
I will now close my paper with a
story told me by Mr. H. Brainerd of
3 ' Montreal, It tells of an entirely effective,
Fig. 51.— Polistes pallipes; a. the wasp; b. portion of comb. but SOmCwhat COStly method of getting rid
of a wasp's nest.
The Hamilton Powder Company had a magazine at Dinorwic, Ontario. In it was stored
four tons of dynamite. One day in last September two Irishmen were sent by the Hudson
Bay Company, to take out a supply of the explosive. There was a wasps' nest under the eaves
of the building, and an irritated wasp stung one of the men. He " got mad," and vowed he
would "smoke the critters out," so he made a "smudge." NoXnr the ground had become
saturated with nitro-glycerine, and no sooner was a light applied to the smudge, than an
74 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
ominous flash alarmed the men, and they took to their heels. They had gone but a short dis-
tance when there was a fearful explosion and they were struck down senseless. On their
recovery they told how the aftair had happened.
The loss was — the building ; the dynamite, worth about $1,200 ; charges for broken glass,
$140 ; and a smashed canoe ; but no trace of the wasps' nest could be found.
SOME INTERESTING HABITS OF LEPIDOPTEROUS LARV^.
By Arthur Gibson, Ottwva."^
The student of insects is continually being astonished and mystified by the wonderful
things which are ever occurring in the entomological division of the animal kingdom. No
matter what kind of insect study one may enter upon, nature never fails to present a varied, at
times incomprehensiole, series of interesting objects. In the lepidoptera there is no excep-
tion to the rule. While mysteries will continue to be, at the same time, owing to the rapidity
with which the science is now developing, many of the facts which are, as yet, unexplainable,
will doubtless in the near future be expounded, and knowledge which we are now badly in
need of, be duly placed at our disposal. A study of the larvae of our butterflies and moths will
soon convince the student that there is much of interest as regards even the habits of the
commonest species, many of which show remarkable traits.
As the title given this paper covers a wide field it is only the writer's intention to mention,
in a general way, some of the interesting habits which have come under his notice. When
asked for a short paper it occurred to me that if I could put together a few facts concerning
the habits of some of these larvse^ my endeavor might not be without interest.
At the outset a short mention will be made of the feeding habits of these creatures. All
have doubtless seen some caterpillars feeding, and know that the particular habits of each
kind vary to a ' great • extent, almost every species showing some peculiarity. While some
caterpillars are extremely restricted in their choice of food, only feeding on one or two plants,
others are quite indifierent and will eat almost anything, some species having been known to
eat up everything in sight. A good common example of the former class is the Monarch
Butterfly, Danais archippus. Fab., the larvae of which are known to feed only on Asclepias,
while in illustration of those which are general feeders, the Variegated Cutworm, Peridroma
saucia, Hbn,, might be cited. During July and August, 1900, the caterpillars of this species
fairly swarmed in the Province of British Columbia and the States of Oregon and Washington,
devouring plants of all kinds and causing a loss to grown crops of $168,000 in British Columbia
alone, from which it has been estimated that a loss of $2,500,000 accrued in that year in the
United States and Canada.
From an economic point of view an understanding of the feeding habits of larvae is im-
portant. It is well known that if the grower of any marketable crop desires to obtain the
fullest returns, a knowledge of his insect enemies will materially aid him, when his fruit trees,
cereals, etc., are attacked by any of these pests. While some caterpillars are general feeders,
most species, however, are particular in their choice of food In the event of a certain cater-
pillar occurring in lar^e numbers upon any single kind of fruit tree, or crop, anxiety or loss and
unnecessary work may be prevented if it be known to the producer that the species only feeds
on the plants upon which it is first found, or those botanically related, and that it is not likely
to spread to adjoining crops. Of course there are instances of certain caterpillars doing
damage to plants upon which they were not previously known to feed, but such occurrences
are unusual. Cutworms, for instance, which are the caterpillars of the Agrotid moths, as a
' Read before the Toronto Branch of the Entomological Society of Ontario.
i9o:ss
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
75
rule only feed at night, generally confining their attacks to low plants, such as cabbages,
cauliflowers, etc., so during serious outbreaks apprehension as to danger to near-by trees, or
other crops, may, in many instances, be avoided.
Some species of larvfe have the habit of lying close together in serried ranks when feeding,
and many of congregating when resting. Interesting examples of the former kind are
Frocris Americana^ Harris, Fig. 52, Attacus
prometheay Dru., and Hyperchiria io^ Fab,,
which, when in their younger stages, feed in a
row, each larva beside the other, on the under-
side of a leaf. Vanessa atdiopa, Linn., and the
Datanas are examples of those which feed in
colonies, a small branch having as many as
fifty or more, close together, while on the
remainder of the tree there may not be a single
specimen. The two kinds of Tent Caterpillars
furnish splendid examples of larva3 which con-
gregate in masses when not feeding. Everyone
has seen the tents of Chsiocampa Americana,
Harr., the true tent caterpillar, containing
large numbers of the larvae, and most people
have doubtless seen the large masses of the
52. Procris Americana larvte feeding. Forest Tent caterpillar, CUsiocampa disstria,
Hbn. , which does not make a tent, the larvae when at rest congregating on a silken mat spun
on the trunk of a tree or along one or two of the branches.
While many species of caterpillars have the habit of congregating in numbers, others are
quite the opposite, and are solitary throughout the whole of their larval existence, not more
than one, or at most two, specimens being found feeding on a single plant. A common inter-
esting illustration of this is Arzama obliquata, G. & R. The larva of this species is a borer,
feeding inside the main stem of the common Cat-tail, Typha latifolia, L., inside of which it
also generally passes the pupal state. Specimens, however, when mature sometimes leave the
Cat-tail and wander, or swim, to the shore or edge of the swamp to seek a suitable place to
pupate, — under a rock, piece of fallen branch, or in an old stump under the bark or in the rotten
wood. I have collected hundreds of specimens of this caterpillar in various localities and only
rarely have found two specimens in the same plant. These larvae when full grown measure nearly
two and one-half inches long, and not possessing any attractive qualifications can hardly be
termed beautiful caterpillars. Mr. Henry Bird, who has done such good work in Hydroecia,
relates the interesting habit of Hydroecia duovata, one of his new species. In a letter to Dr.
Fletcher he says that "thousands of plants (Solidago sempervirens, L.) may be examined
without any sign of a borer. A dozen isolated ones in another neglected spot may contain
twenty-four larvae, not twenty-three, or twenty-five, but the two dozen to a nicety, for Mrs.
Duovata can count up to two without any failure when depositing her ova." Among the
butterfly larvae those of Pamphila metacomet, Harr., and some other skippers, which Dr.
Fiet3her has specially studied, are solitary in habit. These caterpillars feed on various species
of Carex and curiously enough furnish themselves with a cocoon-like structure, in which they
live when not feeding. This interesting contrivance is placed between two of the larger
leaves which are drawn together and fastened by means of silk. This habit of course pro-
vides great protection to the caterpillar, as it is only by separating almost everyone of the
central leaves of a plant that their home can be found. It is altogether unlikely that many
have seen these caterpillars in nature, as they require to be looked for very closely.
76 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
During the past two summers the foliage of birch trees of all kinds, was badly attacked by
the larvae of Bucculatrix Canadensisella, Cham. These small caterpillars occurred in vast num-
bers throughout Ontario, but were not noticed by the public until late in August when the
trees assumed a seared appearance, and the leaves were dropping prematurely. These larvge
are popularly known as the Birch Skeletonizer, from the way they eat away the cellular tissue
of che foliage, leaving only the fibrous skeleton, and are of considerable interest from the
peculiar habit they have, which is quite unusual, of spinning on the leaves, before full grown;
fiat circular shelters, called pseudo-cocoons, whenever they are ready to moult. These little
shelters, which of course are only large enough to contain the one larva, are only used by the
caterpillars about a day or so before the process of casting their skin.
An interesting example of a caterpillar illustrating protective mimicry was observed last
season by Dr. Fletcher and the writer. In May, 1901, larvae of one of the noctuid moths,
Hom^hadena badistriga, Grt. , were found in some numbers on the yellow-flowered honey-
suckle, Lonicera hirsuta, Eaton. Caterpillars in all stages were found, but strange to say no
trace of eggs could be seen. Very small larvae were collected about a quarter of an inch long,
which must have been out of the egg only a day or so. Doubtless, as is often the case, the
young caterpillar made its first meal of the shell from which it had emerged. It is probable
that some eggs were still on the plant, but although searched for diligently, none could be
discovered. When young the caterpillars feed on the foliage of the new shoots of the plant
and generally hide inside the two clasping leaves which surround the cluster of flower buds at
the tip. When mature they crawl down to the shady side of the old wood of the plant, upon
which they rest when not feeding. At this time the general colour of the caterpillar is remark-
ably like that of the stem, or twig, upon which it is resting, and owing to this striking resem-
blance, it is thus protected from numerous enemies.
Many other larvae owing to their colour being similar to that of the plant upon which they
feed are likewise hidden from view, and unless searched for carefully, even when they are
known to be present, are difficult to find. Plusia cBreoides, Grt., which feeds on Solidago Can-
adensis^ L., is another example of a corresponding similarity in coloration of the caterpillar
to the green colour of the leaves and stem, protecting the species from natural enemies, auch
as birds, parasites, etc.
The larva of J^erice hidentata. Walk. , feeds on the foliage of elm ; it is a rather curious
caterpillar with sharp protuberances down the dorsum. This species feeds on the edge of a
leaf, and owing to its colour being the same as that of the foliage, and its peculiar elerations
on the dorsum corresponding with the outline of the leaf, it is thus protected considerably from
being observed. A similar example of protective resemblance is found in the caterpillar of
Telea polyphemus^ Cram., which when feeding on the edge of an elm leaf from which it has
eaten out a portion, is even better protected than the above by reason of its indented dorsal
outline and the bright lateral stripes, which simulate the ribs of the leaf.
An interesting habit which certain of the Coliad larvae have, is that of resting exactly in
the same place, after feeding, along the mid rib of a leaf. When wandering off to feed they
spin a path of fine silk as they walk. After they have eaten their meal they are thus able to
return by following this silken road to the exact
spot from which they first started. Papilio
turnus, Linn., also has the habit of spinning a
platform of silk across the upper side of a leaf
upon which it rests when not feeding. (Fig. 63).
^. r» T r Ti •,• i. Doubtless every collector of insects, or
Fig. 53. Larva of Papilio turnus. '' •
student of natural history, has noticed the habit
which many caterpillars ha,ve of drawing two or more leaves together by means of threads of
i9o;s
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
77
silk, m which they feed, or in which they rest when not feeding. Some larvae curl up a single
leaf» fastening the sides with silk, and live inside the enclosure thus made until they have
eaten nearly the whole leaf, when they go to anotlier leaf, and so on until they reach maturity.
The caterpillars of some of our common butterflies, such as Vanessa Milhertii, Gdt., Pyrameis
cardui, Linn., etc., have this habit. The larvjy of the large skipper Eudamus tityrus^ Fabr.,
which feed on the Locust-tree, Robinia Pseudacacia^ L., and Nisoniades hicilins, Lint., on
Aquilegias also live inside tents, which they make by drawing down a leaf to serve as a cover
fastening the same to another leaf immediately under. One end of the leafy case is left open
to enable the caterpillar to get out to feed.
PfUyctaenia femigalis^ Hbn., which is an interesting species on account of its economic
importance, has been called the Greenhouse Leaf-tyer, from the habit of the larvae of drawing
the leaves together, and tying them with silk. When this caterpillar is at rest it has the habit
of curling round to the side of the body the head and first three, or four, segments. Many of
the larvae of the smaller species of moths fold, or roll over the edge of a leaf and seal down the
whole of the turned edge with threads of silk. These small caterpillars live through all their
larval stages inside the same enclosure, in which they also change to the chrysalis state. Every-
one must have noticed the work of the common Bass wood Leaf- roller, Pantographa limata^
G. & R. This larva cuts a leaf half way across the middle, and then rolls the end portion into
a tube, within which it lives.
Some caterpillars when at rest assume curious positions. Many geometrid larvae have the
habit of extending the whole body straight out into the air, the anal prolegs and feet firmly
clutching the twig, or leaf, upon which they happen to be. They often remain in this position
for a considerable length of time, without even slightly moving the body. In numerous in-
stances the colour of the caterpillar, and the object upon which it is resting, is almost, if not
quite the same, and the larva may appear as an additional twig, the casual observer being un-
able to diflFerentiate between the living caterpillar and the object upon which it rests. The
Fig. 54. Sphinx caterpillar.
larT« of the Sphingidae, or Hawk- moths, when resting have the habit of rearing the front
of the body into the air, curling the head and first segment, down in a most stately manner
(Fig. 64), They hive been known to remain in this position perfectly motionless for hours. On
account of this habit they are when thus resting supposed to resemble the Egyptian Sphinx,
and owing to this resemblance the name Sphinx, and the family Sphingidae is due.
The fruit of the raspberry is occasionally injured to some extent by the larvae of the Rasp-
berry Geometer, Synchlora rubivora, Riley, Fig. 55. This caterpillar is furnished on each
segMtnt with several short bristles, or spines, and has the habit of disguising itself, by at
78
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
taching to these spines, very small bits of vege-
table matter, such as the anthers of flowers,
tiny pieces of leaves, etc. Owing to this habit
it usually escapes detection. The curious larva
of Harrisimemna trisignata, Walk, attaches
pieces of its cast skin etc. to some long hairs on
the front segments. When at rest the thoracic
feet are drawn up close to the body and the
front segments raised, giving it a very uncater-
pillar-like appearance.
Although presenting sometimes a rather
formidable appearance, with the exception of
one or two kinds which are provided with irritat-
ing hairs, caterpillars are quite harmless. Some
of the Sphingidfte will jerk their heads from
.,,•■, , i.1, • Til , , Fig-. 55. Raspberry Geometer : ft larva, natural size, on
Side to side and even snap their mandibles, but fruit ; b segment, magnified, shewing- hairs, etc. ; c moth
they are unable to bite anything thicker than ^'"''i-^ ' ''^'^'" "' ^'^"^' enlarged- colom- pale green.
Fig. 57. Spines of lo, caterpillar, magnified
n\
Fig. 56. Hyperchiria lo, caterpillar. j( Fig. 58. Empretia stimulea caterpillars.
the edge of a leaf. The best known stinging larvae are the pretty caterpillars of Hyperchiria lo,
Fabr., (Fig. 56,) every point of whose mosslike covering is a poisoned dart, (Fig. 57,). Several
of the slug caterpillars, as Empretia stimulea, Clem, are also able to leave unpleasant reminders
when handled, (Fig. 58.) The hairs of the larvae of the Brown- tailed moth Euproctis chrysor-
rhea, Linn, are likewise excessively irritating to the skin.
In conclusion the writer can only express the hope that this limited mention of some of
these interesting habits may not be without some result, and that those who have never had
the pleasure of watching the many habits of lepidopterous larvae, may be led sometimes to take
an interest in these creatures — the larval state of our butterflies and moths. Every species of
caterpillar is worthy of study, and as so little is known of the preparatory stages of most of
the lepidoptera, particularly of the moths, there is in this branch ot study alone, a vast field for
research. Many points doubtless of much value, even with regard to some of our common species
which as larvae, devastate our forest trees, fruit trees, and all kinds of crops, are yet to be dis-
covered. Every little helps, and facts which may be considered worthless at the time often
prove later on to be of great scientific value.
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 79
NOTES ON SEMIOPHORA YOUNGII, SMITH.
By Arthur Gibson, Ottawa.
^In the report of the Dominion Entomologist for 1901, on page 251, mention is made of a
new enemy to tamarac, or the American Larch {Larix Americana^ Mx.) and the Black Spruce,
■ (Pice'i. nigra, Poir.), viz., Semiophora Youngii, Smith. This insect occurred in sufficient
numbers in a large peat swamp near Ottawa to cause considerable destruction. A notice of
thfs is also made in an account of " A Day at the Mer Bleue, Eastman's Springs, Ont." by
the writer. (Rep. Ent. Soc. Ont. 1901.) During the past season further observations were
made on the life-history of the species, but our knowledge of the habits of the insect is still
far from complete.
On the 21st May, 1902, a trip was made to the Mer Bleue, by Mr. Young and the writer,
but only a few larvae, from half to three-quarters grown, could be found, and these were very
local. At this point, owing to recent fires, the only trees on the swamp are small tamaracs
and spruces from two to four feet high, and what larvae we did find were all hiding in the wet
moss at the base of the tamarac trees, a few inches below the surface. No specimens could be
found near the spruce trees. A great many trees in other parts of the swamp were examined,
but in only the one spot could specimens be found. In every case it was necessary to search
in the moss at the base of the tree to find the larva? as no noticeable injury to the foliage could
be detected. The mature caterpillar is a handsome creature "about an inch and a half in length
when full grown, of a rich velvety brown, with a ruddy or greenish tinge in different specimens,
the dorsal area showing the richest colours, and bounded on each side by the white clear and
threadlike lateral stripes ; the dorsal stripe of the same intensity as the lateral stripes ; the
spiracles black and lying on the upper edge of a broad white substigmatal band, the lower
surface much paler than the dorsal, the whole body finely mottled with small purplish brown
spots. The centre of each segment on the dorsum is darker and more velvety than the inter-
segmental folds. The head is reddish brown finely mottled with lighter spots." (Fletcher.)
On the 18th September another visit was made to the locality in the hope of collecting
some of the imagoes. At this time the moths of the Cranberry Looper, Caterva catenaria^
Cram., were in great evidence — hundreds and hundreds of specimens in perfect condition. At
almost every step four or five of these moths would arise from their resting places, and flutter
away. Unfortunately, however, we were too late to secure good examples of the moths of
Semiophora Youngii^ Smith, but in all five specimens were taken, three by Mr. Young and two
by the writer. These five specimens were in poor condition and were all collected at rest on
small tamarac trees. Mr. Young put one of his specimens, a female, into a chip box, and
secured some eggs, half of which he gave to the Division of Entomology. These were laid on
the 19th Sept. and the young larvse hatched out of doors on the 28th and 29th Sept. The
following brief description was taken of Stage I — Head, brown. Body cylindrical, semi-
translucent, pale greenish after feeding. Thoracic shield concolorous with head. Tubercles
black and shiny. No markings on the body. The young larvae loop when walking.
On the 16th Oct., in company with Dr. Fletcher and Mr. W. S. Odell, an enthusiastic
microscopist, another trip was made to the Mer Bleue, and on this occasion two pupae, of what
we take to be Semiophora Youngii, Smith, were found by the writer, in the moss at the base of
a small tree. One of these was dead, but the other contained a living, rather large hymenop-
terous parasite, almost fully formed, which could be distinctly seen moving inside. This pupa
has been kept in a warm oflice ever since, but the parasite has not as yet emerged (1st Dec.)
although still active inside the pupa.''^
* Since the above was written the parasite has emerged, and Mr. Harrington tells me that it is a species of Anomalon,
ot previously taken here and unknown to him.
80 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
The same day Dr. Fletcher collected a small noctuid larva about half an inch in length in
the wet moss at the base of a small tamarac tree. This looks very much like the caterpillar of
8emi(yphora Youngii, Smith. It is still alive and is hibernating out of doors.
INSECTS INJURIOUS TO ONTARIO CROPS IN 1902.
By Dr. James Fletcher, Dominion Entomologist.
The season of 1902 has been a rather unusual one in all parts of Canada. Exceptional
rain fall has been recorded during the summer at almost all localities, and this has had a per-
ceptible effect upon the abundance, or the reverse, of many of the well-known pests of the farm
and garden, as well as upon the development of some of the staple crops. Late spring frosts
were answerable for a considerable injury to grape and other fruit crops, including an affection
of the leaves of apple trees generally referred to by correspondents under the term " yellowing
of apple leaves," and also probably for a curious premature ripening of potatoes, which could
not be referred to any of the known fungous diseases.
Cereal Crops.
In the Province of Ontario cereal crops were little injured by insects, the chief
damage complained of being due to heavy rains. Rust was prevalent in many places, and
complaints of lodging on account of heavy straw were frequent. Peas, which once formed
such an important crop in Ontario, were little sown this season, owing particularly to the dep-
redations of the Pea Weevil. The Pea Moth was less destructive than usual, and the Destruc-
tive Pea Aphis was only mentioned from a few localities, upon late peas and the grass pea.
The grass pea, Lathyrvs sativus^ L., a pea-like plant belonging to the beau family, is not a true
pea, but the seed resembles peas so much that it was hoped that, as this plant is entirely free
from the attacks of the Pea Weevil, it might prove a valuable substitute for peas in those dis-
tricts where the Pea Weevil is destructive. These hopes, however, during the past season
hav?e been disappointed, probably on account of the season ; the grass pea, being of tropical
origin, seems to require more heat than we have had during the summer of 1902. The seeds
ripened unevenly, and the plants continued growing and flowering right up to frost. Late in
the season in some places it was attacked by the Pea Aphis. However, in some seasons during
the many years it has been grown, it has been known to give excellent crops, of from 10 to 30
bushels to the acre, of» excellent peas, which can be used for most of the same purposes as real
peas. Field peas, where sown late, were injured by mildew, and in the southern counties were
seriously affected by the Pea Weevil. Beans were much injured by the weather. Late frosts
in spring and heavy rains made re-planting necessary in a great many places. Fodder crops
with the exception of corn, yielded heavily, but wet weather at haying time made it sometimes
difficult to save the crop. There was a general complaint that clover did not form seed, even
where there was no midge. Wheat and oats, our most important cereal crops, were of good
quality and yielded heavily. A most satisfactory and unexpected condition prevailed through-
out the whole province, as far as the Hessian Fly is concerned. This is largely due to farmers
having followed the advice given by specialists as to the best means of avoiding injury from the
attacks of this insect. Most farmers speak of its absence as "a most remarkable disappear-
ance." The only serious injury by the Hessian Fly recorded in Canada this year was in
Manitoba, where, however, as only spring grain is sown and as there is there only one brood of
the insect in the year, as far as we know, the Hessian Fly can be kept in check with comparative
ease. Grasshoppers were troublesome in some parts of western Ontario, where they also
occurred last year They appeared again in destructive numbers in Manitoba, but whererer
1908 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 81
the Criddle mixture was applied, most satisfactory results followed. It will be well for farmers,
should grasshoppers appear in Ontario again. next year, to give this mixture a trial. It is a
great improvement on the well-known poisoned bran mash , which has been so widely used
against cutworms and also to a less extent against grasshoppers. Mr. N. Criddle, of Aweme,
Man., noticed that grasshoppers were very much attracted to fresh horse droppings, and he at
once tried substituting that material, which is always obtainable on farms without cost, for the,
in Manitoba, very expensive bran. The results were so satisfactory that many of the farmers
in his district used the mixture during the past summer and saved their crop. This mixture
consists of one pound of Paris green mixed with sixty pounds of fresh horse droppiugs. To
this is added two pounds of salt, and the mixture is then scattered broadcast around the edgss
of the fields by means of a trowel or wooden paddle. It is probable that even a weaker mix-
ture than the above will prove cflfective.
The pea crop as stated above was a small one in Ontario this year. Few tield peas were
planted and these only in northern counties. This is due almost entirely to the prevalence of
the Pea Weevil, more generally known as the " Pea Bug," which is by far the worst enemy of
this important crop. It is indeed at the present time one of the most destructive enemies of
farm crops, demanding the urgent attention of farmers in Canada and the United States. The
pea crop is one of very great importance, and there is no other which quite takes its place for
feeding. The loss is now enormous, probably nearly one million dollars a year in Ontario
alone, and yet there is a simple and effective remedy, which is well known and may be said to
be perfectly satisfactory in every way, as it is effective, easy of application and of comparatively
small cost. A great effort is now being made to stir up public opinion in this matter and get
some definite concerted action taken during the present winter and next year, so as to induce
pea growers to follow the advice which has been so often given. It does not seem unreasonable
to hope, in view of the peculiar circumstances of this case, that in one year a perceptible
change might be made in the amount of infested and injured peas on the market, and, with
this insect, more perhaps than with any other, total extermination seems a possibility if all
will work together ; but united action would have to be taken in all parts of Ontario and the
northern United States where seed peas are grown. Many farmers have already given up
growing peas, and others are talking of doing the same. The facts of this infestation and the
problem which they involve, are simpler than is ordinarily the case with a pest of equal magni-
tude. The Pea Weevil, as a regular crop pest, only occurs in Canada in certain counties of
Ontario, and there are still many places in the north where good peas can be grown free of this
pest. The counties worst affected are those lying just north of Lakes Ontario and Erie. It is an
exotic insect and has no native food plant, its only known food being the cultivated pea, which
is also an exotic and will not winter over in this country. Every pea, therefore, which is sown
in spring, has passed through the hands of seedsmen and others, and thus it has been possible
at some time to treat this seed before it is sown. A remedy which is perfectly effective and
easy of application by everyone with ordinary care, is to fumigate the seed before sowing with
bisulphide of carbon. The large seed merchants, for this purpose have special buildings called
" bug-houses " and practise this remedy regularly, finding it quite satisfactory ; and, were it nob
for farmers and gardeners who grow a few peas for their own use and will not adopt the proper
means of destroying the weevils before sowing their seed, there would be little difficulty in
quiclfly bringing down the numbers of this destructive enerhy. Now, however, some seedsmen who
formerly fumigated their seed regularly, are omitting to do so, claiming that their efforts are
useless all the time there are so many who do nothing. Although treated seeds may contain
no weevils, yet in an infested district a crop grown from clean seed may still become infested by
weevils which will fly in from the surrounding district, where seeds containing living weevils
had been sown, or from insects which emerged the previous autumn.
6 EN.
82 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19
The full grown Pea Weevil, is a small, roundish, very active beetle about one-sixth of an
inch in length, greyish brown in colour and bearing two conspicuous black spots at the end of
the abdomen above. (See figure). These beetles lay their eggs on
the green pods ; from these, small white grubs hatch, which bore
in and attack the nearest seed inside the pod. They penetrate
by a minute hole which is afterwards almost obliterated by thei
growth of the increasing seed. There is only a single insect
inside each seed, and it remains there until fully developed.
This lakes place perhaps, as an average date, by the middle of August, and, as a rule,
most of the weevils remain in the seeds till the following spring. However, and this is one of
the greatest difficulties in getting a perfect remedy for the Pea Weevil, some of the beetles,
in certain seasons a large proportion of them, leave the peas in autumn and pass the winter
about barns, buildings, etc. This makes it necessary to reap and thresh as soon as possible, so
that the seed may be treated before the weevils leave it. Some of the best seed dealers have
for years been urging upon growers the importance of this and have sent out printed circulars
to their customers, ofiering a higher price for seeds delivered by a certain date, so that the in-
jury may be as little as possible ; the grain, being harvested before it is dead ripe, is also of
better quality and germinates better. Efforts will be made during the coming winter to have
this matter fully discussed at all the farmer's meetings in the Province. I am convinced that
this problem of stamping out the Pea Weevil entirely, is a matter of possibility if farmers and
seed K erchants will only work together for a short time and carry out the instructions given.
The Pea Crop of Canada is far too important for farmers to give up growing it, nor do I think
that this would be a wise course to adopt, until a much greater effort has been made to get
farmers to use the common sense plan which has proved so successful with th6se who have
tried it. An old and well-tried remedy is to hold over seed peas till the second year before
sowing. The beetles will emerge the first spring and will die inside the bags. Another good
plan is to treat the seed with coal oil 1 gallon to 20 bushels of seed, turning the seed thoroughly
with a shovel every day for 4 or 5 days.
Root Crops.
There has been a noticeable absence of some of the destructive enemies of root crops. The
Turnip Aphis has hardly appeared. The Cabbage Butterfly, which last year was so injurious to
cabbages, turnips and rape, has been very much reduced in numbers by bacterial and insest
parasites. The Colorado Potato Beetle was troublesome where neglected, but is easily kept in
check with the ordinary poison applications. The advisability of applying Paris green or some
other poison in Bordeaux mixture has been demonstrated this year, when the Potato Rot has
very much reduced crops which were not protected by this useful remedy. The Bordeaux
mixture, consisting (for potatoes) of 6 lbs. of copper sulphate, 4 lbs. of fresh lime and 40 gallons
of water, as a remedy for this terribly widespread and destructive disease, is one of the greatest
triumphs of modern applied science. It always pays to apply it to growing potatoes to protect
them against various fungous enemies, and it has been found that the ordinary poisons which
destroy insects may be applied mixed with the Bordeaux mixture, without lessening the effect
of either. The Gray Blister-beetle, Macrobasis unicolor, Kirby, was reported from a few
places, but no serious injury was done, and it must be remembered that the occurrence of these
beetles in large numbers indicates that many locusts have been, or will be, destroyed, because
the larvae of the blister-beetles feed entirely upon the eggs of grasshoppers. Asparagus Beetles
occurred in numbers in the Niagara Peninsula, and have spread somewhat during the past
year. The remedies most relied on are dusting larva3 freely with freshly slaked lime, collecting
the beetles in beating nets and applying poisoned sprays to the food plant.
1902 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 83
As a consequence of the wet season, Slugs have been more abundant than usual, and several
complaints have been received of their injuries to root crops and various garden plants. These
molluscs are seldom troublesome, except in damp places or in wet seasons. The best remedy is
to dust plants lightly for three or four consecutive evenings, just at dew fall, with freshly slaked
lime, which adheres to the viscid coating of the slugs, and causes them groat discomfort, as is
shown by the copious out-pouring of the slimy secretion. After two or three applications the
animal loses .the power of producing slime and dies, xhe lime has no injurious effect on plants
and indeed is beneficial on many lands. When these creatures, as is sometimes the case, give
trouble in, greenhouses, lime or salt may be dusted between thetiower pots on the benches ; a
good bait which attracts slugs and snails very much, is bran damped sufficiently to make it ad-
here. A very small quantity of Paris green may be added to this and will soon clear out the
marauders. In greenhouses the poisoned bran or oat-meal may be placed on slips of glass,
which can be put out at night and removed during the day.
Fruit Crops.
The fruit crops of the province have been on the whole satisfactory, although irregular. In
some places heavy yields were secured, but in others there was a shortage. The ordinary insect
enemies have been less abundant than for many years, but fungous diseases, particularly the Black
Spot of the Apple, have caused loss in most districts, and in a few places the Sooty fungus, Lab-
rella pomi, has appeared. This produces on some varieties, particularly Rhode Island Greenings,
an unsightly appearance which is known in the trade under the name of "Clouded Fruit."
There has been a remarkable absence of injury from the Codling Moth, Cankerworms and Tent
Caterpillars. Plums are reported as a light yield, owing to late spring frosts and excessive
rain. Where spraying has been neglected, great injury has been done by the Plum Curoulio
and the Plum Rot has been more prevalent than for many years. This fungus every year
destroys enormous numbers of peaches and plums, and the dried mummified fruit may
frequently be seen in orchards otherwise well cared for. It is a most important part of the
remedy for this disease, to gather, from the ground when they fall and from the trees after
they have dried up, the diseased fruits, because in these is found the most fertile source of
infestation of the crop of the following year. All should be burnt before the spring opens, and
the trees should be sprayed carefully just after blossoming with poisoned Bordeaux mixture,
which will have the double effect of checking the fungus and preventing injury by the Plum
Curculio. The absence of so many of the regular enemies of the orchard must be due in a
large measure to the season, but also certainly to the increasingly large number of fruit growers
who now carry on their work in a scientific practical manner, spraying thoroughly and using
the remedies which experience has shown are the proper ones for the difl:erent pests. The
word "spraying ", however, to many who endeavor to practise this operation, has still little
more meaning than doing something, in any sort of a way, to fruit trees with a spraying pump.
It cannot be too often insisted upon, that spraying is the operation of applying by means of a
force pump and spraying nozzle a special liquid mixture, which varies according to the habits
of the insect to be treated, with such force as to break up the liquid so thoroughly that it falls
upon the plants treated as an actual mist or spray. Such terms as "sprinkling" and
" showering " are inaccurate for the operation intended. Undoubtedly, much of the so-called
spraying, as usually done, would be more accurately designated by these terms which describe
a much less careful and less even distribution of liquids. The Eye-spotted Bud-moth has been
rather troublesome in apple and plum orchards, particularly in the eastern counties and down
through the Maritime Provinces.
The subject of the injurious Scale Insects of the orchard, to which so much attention has
been directed of recent years, owing to the unfortunate introduction into our province of the
San Jose scale, has done much to show the value of a practical knowledge of Entomology.
84
THE REPORT OF THE
No. 19
MMi^
liE
This has been brought prominently before the fruit growers of Canada by means of the magni-
ficent work which has been carried on by the Honourable John Drydeii, Minister of Agriculture
for Ontario, through two members of the Council of our Society, Mr. Geo. E. Fisher and Prof.
Lochhead, whose efforts liave been well seconded by the nurserymen of the province, who have
been most assiduous in conforming to all requirements which the Minister thought it wise to
impose. As a consequence of this, the condition of orchards, as far as other scale insects and
various other pests are concerned, is actually better than it was before the advent of the San
Jose scale. The standard remedies for scale insects, kerosene emulsion and whale-oil soap
solution, are now pretty well known and generally adopted. The Oyster-shell Bark-louse, next
to the San Jose scale, is the one which does most harm. Where this occurs upon trees in the
San Jose scale district, it is, of course, destroyed at the same time as that scale, when trees
are treated with the drastic measures which have been found necessary. When trees are found
to be infested by the Oyster-shell Bark-louse (Fig. 59), the proper steps to take
are to spray the trees early in the winter with a simple whitewash containing one
pound of fresh lime in every gallon of water. Two applications should be made,
the second wash may be applied as soon as the first is dry. In spring invigorate
the trees by spudding in a- light application of well rotted manure around the
roots, and during the summer spray the trees, at the time the young scale insects
hatch, with kerosene emulsion or a whale-oil soap solution. For the San Jose
scale the latest results obtained by Mr. Fisher have proved that this insect can be
controlled by spraying infested trees early in spring with the California Lime- Sul-
phur and Salt wash, which Mr. Fisher has modified — he thinks, with equally good
results — by omitting the salt. This treatment must be followed during the summer
by spraying with kerosene emulsion. I have visited Mr, Fisher's experimental
orchards several times and have seen the excellent results which he has secured ;
these are certainly a monument not only to his great perservence but to the fore-
sight of the Provincial Minister of Agriculture, under whose instigation the many
and various experiments carried out by Mr, Fisher were made.
In some orchards at Queenston and Niagara there are some interesting occur-
rences of the Plum Gall-mite, Cecidoptes pruni^ A.m., which are now receiving experimental
treatment. The small round galls are clustered around the twigs and increase in numbers very
rapidly. The injury to the tree is not very apparent at first, but ultimately the twigs are
destroyed. The extremely small mites live in large numbers inside the galls, which are only
one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter. There is apparently no opening to them except just at
the time the mites emerge. Applications sprayed over the trees have so far proved unsatisfac-
tory, Mr, Fisher has tried fumigating with hydrocyanic acid gas, and, although at first this
was apparently successful, many of the mites certainly being killed, later examinations have
shown that it is not a satisfactory remedy.
The Grape-vine Leaf-hopper (Fig. 60), has
done considerable harm in some vineyards in the
neighborhood of St. Catharines, and experiments
have been carried on with a view of getting a prac-
tical remedy for these troublesome insects, well
known among growers as "the thrip, " The most
serious injuries by this leaf-hopper are its attacks
upon the 'Virginian Creeper, where used upon
houses and arbours.
The Apple Aphis has been rather more destructive than usual, and it has been found
necessary towards the end of the season to advise the spraying of trees, when it was very
•^^
Fig. 59.— Oys-
ter-shell bark
louse on a
twig.
Fig. 60.— Grape-vine Lcaf-hopi)er, nmcli niagiiifit-d.
190S
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
85
F\ pleasure the portrait of Mr. Edmund Baynes Reed, which is prefixed to this volume.
He was one of the small band who originated rhe Society on the 16th of April, 1863, and is one
of the few survivors who may expect to commemorate its fortieth anniversary a few months
hence.
Mr. Reed came to Canada from England when a young man and took up his abode in
London, where he for some time practised his profession as a lawyer. Later on he became
Secretary-Treasurer of the Synod of the Diocese of Huron and continued to occupy this position
till he left London for British Columbia in 1890. He was always devoted to Natural History
and especially to the collection and study of insects. His leisure time was largely given up to
these pursuits and to the work of the Entomological Society, in which he took the warmest
interest. He and Dr. Saunders were instrumental in forming the London Branch of the
Society and keeping up the enthusiasm of its members. When the head-quarters of the
Society were removed to London and there was in consequence no further need of a Branch,
Mr. Reed took an active part in everything that was done and gave most material help in the
formation and increase of the library and collections. He was Secretary-Treasurer of the
Society in 1871-2-3 and from 1880 to 1886 ; Vice-President in 1874, 1877 and from 1887 to
1889 ; member of the Council from 1874 to 1876 and in 1878 and '79 ; and during many of
these years Librarian and Curator in addition. The following extract from the report of the
Council for the year ending August 31st, 1890, bears testimony to his usefulness and services :
" In consequence of the removal of Mr. E. Baynes Reed from London to British Columbia,
to take charge of the Dominion Meteorological Station at Victoria, it will be necessary to make
128 THE REPORT OF THE No. 1-9
some new arrangements for the care of the library and collections, and the performance of the
official work of the Society The Council desire to place on record their
feelings of deep regret at t^e removal of Mr. Reed from this Province and the loss which the
Society thereby sustains. Mr. Reed is one of the original members of the Society and for more
than a quarter of a century has been one of the most active and zealous of its officials, filling
at different times the positions of Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Librarian, Curator and
Auditor. To him it is especially due that the library has grown to its present dimensions and
value, and that so much progress has been made by the Society in many directions The
Council beg to thank Mr. Reed for his services in the past and wish him all possible success
and prosperity in his new and important sphere of labour."
Mr. Reed was a constant contributor to the pages of the Canadian Entomologist from the
very first volume, in which appeared five articles from his pen. His papers, largely collecting
notes, records of rare captures, etc., were always interesting and valuable; he also furnished
descriptive articles on larvse, an accentuated list of Canadian Lepidoptera, a report to the
Department of Agriculture (jointly with Dr. Saunders) on the Colorado Potato-beetle which
had then invaded Western Ontario from the neighbouring State of Michigan, and popular
papers on common insects.
In the preparation of the early annual reports of the Society he took a large share and
contributed elaborate and valuable papers, as follows : Insects afi'ecting the plum, Report I.
(1870), pages 53-63, and Report 11. (1871) pp. 22-26 ; Insects injurious to the potato, ihid^
pp. 65-81 ; Insects attacking the cucumber, melon, pumpkin and squash, ibid, pp. 89-92 ;
Insects affecting maple-trees, Report III. (1872) pp. 35-43; Insects affecting the peach, ibid,
pp. 44-47 ; Insects affecting the potato, ibid^ 48-50 ; Some common insects which affect the
horse, ox and sheep. Report IV. (1873) pp. 34-41 ; Entomological contributions, Report V.
(1874), pp. 11-16 ; Sphingidse— Hawk-moths, Report XII. (1881), pp. 48-70 ; Diptera — Two-
winged flies. Report XIII. (1882), pp. 45-53 ; and short articles in several issues. From the
above list it will be seen that Mr. Reed gave much attention to economic Entomology and did
some very excellent work in that department. It was quite fitting, therefore, that he should
have been one of the company who, in August 1889, formed the Association of Economic
Entomologists and signed its original Constitution.
Another valuable and important work that Mr. Reed performed for the Society was the
compilation of a General Index to the first thirteen Annual Reports, 1870-1882, which proved
of the greatest use for many years to the members of the Society and others who had occasion
to refer to these publications.
For some time before he left London, Mr. Reed took a great interest in Meteorological
Observations and in connections with the Observatory at Toronto established a local station
and installed the necessary instruments. His anemometer and vanes were placed on the top
of the Cathedral tower and connected by wires with his residence on the corner of Park and
Queen's Avenues. The work that he thus performed was so accurate and satisfactory that he
was selected to take charge of the Pacific Coast Division of the DomiViion Meteorological
Service, and since 1890 he has continued to fill the office of Superintendent of the Observatory
at Victoria, B.C. Though his time is fully taken up with his official duties, he continues to be
interested in Entomology and is a member of the British Columbia Natural History Society.
His many friends will, no doubt, heartily join with us in the wish that he may enjoy the bless-
ings of health and well-being for many a year to come and retain the vigour and vivacity
vvhich have always been his characteristics. C. J. S. B.
\
INDEX.
PAGE .
Acmaeops atra 97
I. bivittata 97
II longicornis 97
II subpilosa 97
Acronycta Canadensis 94
II hsesitata 94
II hesperida 94
11 perdita 94
Agrotis genicula 94
Alaus oculatus 57 (fig), 104
Albuna pyramidalis and varieties 93
Ampelophaga versicolor 58, 93
Amphicerus bicaudatus 113 (figs)
Anarta melanopa . 95
Anisopteryx pometaria 104, 107
II vernata 107 (figs.)
Annaphila diva 95
Anoplonyx Canadensis 100
Anthonomus quadrigibbus, 42, 43 (fig.)» 108
Anthophylax mirificus 97
Apantesis (Arctia) species of 35
Aphorista laeta 96
Apple insects, key to 102 (figs.)
Apple- twig borer 112 (fig.), 113
" Weevil 42, 43, (fig.), 108
Arctia Celia 35
II yarrowi 93
Argynnis astarte 92
• I idalia 92
II triclaris 92
Arzama densa 95
II diffusa 95
II obliquata 76
Asemum moestum 116 (fig.)
Asopia costalis 41 (fig.)
Asparagus beetles ... .41 (fig.), 42 (fig.) 59
Aspidisca splendoriferella 105 (fig. ) 108
Attagenus pellio 87
Bactrocerus excavatus 100
Balkwill, J. A., article by 41
Bellamira scalaris 97
Bethune, C. J S., articles by 54, 127
Birch Skeletonizer 37, 41, 76
Blackberry soft scale 85
Blenocampa inhabilis 100
Blethisa Julii 96
II multipunctata 96
II Oregonensis 96
II quadricollis 96
Blissus leucopterus 58
Bombomelecta thoi >cica 99
Bombus frigidus 99
II juxtus 99
II mixtuosus 99
Bombycia improvisa . . 94
M semicircularis 94
ti Tearlii 94
Brachylobus lithophilus 96
Brephos infans 96
Brown tail moth 35, 93
Bruchus pisorum (fig.) 4, 64, 81
Bucculatrix Canadensisella 37, 41, 76
II pomifoliella 107, 109
Buffalo carpet beetle 42 (figs.), 87
9 EN. [
Buprestis beetles 115 (figs.)
Cabbage butterfly 38, 39 (fig), 40
Cacoecia rosaceana . . . 104 (figs. )
Calamenta trimaculatus 100
Calathus advena 96
Callida punctata 57, 96
Callosamia promethea 113 (fig.)
Calocampa curvimacula 25
Calochromus dimidiata 97 .
Calopus aspersus 98
Canker worms. .16 (figs.), 104, 107 (figs.)
Canthon simplex 97
Capis curvata 96
Carneades fumalis 94
M pleuritica 94
II reuda 94
M Ridingsiana 94
II titubatis 94
M velleripennis 94
M vetusta 94
II vulpina 94
Carpocapsa pomonella 39, 108
Carterocephalus mandan 93
Cassida viridis 97
Caterva catenaria 79
Catocala elda 96
II parta 25 (fig.)
II hermia . 95
Cecidoptes pruni 84
Cerambycidse, 115, 1 6 (figs.)
Cercyon indistinctum 96
Cereal crops, insects affecting 64, 80
Chalcophora fortis 115
II liberta 115
II Virginiensis 1 15
Cherry aphis 40, 113
M insects, key to 112
Chionaspis furfurus 103 (fig.), 109
Chionobas jutta 93
Chrysochus cobaltinus 97
Chrysophana placida 97
Chrysophanus dorcas 35, 93
Chytonix sensilis 94
Cicada septendecim .... .26 (fig.)
Cicindela f ormosa, var. Manitoba 96
II montana 96
II scutellaris, var. Lecontei.... 96
II venusta 96
Clisiocampa Americana. .39. 105, 106 (fig.),
Clover moth 41 (fig. )
Clover seed midge 64 (figs. )
Clover seed weevil 44
Coccinella monticola 96
Coccotorus scutellaris 110 (fig.), Ill
Codling worm 39, 42, 43 (fig), 108
Coenonympha inornata . . 35, 57, 92
Coleophora Fletcherella 104, 105, 108
,1 malivorella, . 104, 105 (fig.) 108
Coleoptera, list of collectors 91, 92
Colias philodice 38, 39 (fig.)
Collectors of insects in Canada 90, 92
Conotrachelus nenuphar 110 (figs.)
Copablepharon absidum 96
Cordyceps melolonthae 85 (fig.)
Corphyra inconspicua 98
129]
130
INDEX.
No. 83
PAGE.
Corymbites hamatus 97
II medianus 97
Cossus Centerensis 26 (fig.)
Crioceris 12-punctata 41 (tig.), 42, 59
11 asparagi 42 (fig), 59
Crocigrapha Normani 35
Culex Fletcher! 101
Cupes capitata 97
Currant saw-fly 40 (figs. )
Cut worms 107 (fig), 108, 110
Cychrus viduus 57, 96
Cyphon concinnus 97
Danais archippus, notes on .1 61 (fig.)
Datana contracta 93
Deidamia inscripta 58, 93
Desmocerus cribripennis 97
Diapheromera femorata 24 (fig), 118
Diaspis rosse 85
Dicerca divaricata 113, 115 (fig.)
Diptera, collectors of 91. 92, 101
II new Canadian species 101
Doryphora 10-lineata 41
Dryomyza aristalis 101
Dyseidopus Vancouverensis 100
Eagle Lake mining region 53
Egg stage of insects, length of 26
Empretia stimulea caterpillars . ... 78 (fig.)
Encyclops coeruleus ... 97
Ephemera simulans 27 (fig.)
Epicserus imbricatus 104 (fig.), 112
Erebia disa 35, 93
II epipsodea 35
Erebus odora. 96
Eriocampa cerasi 85 (fig.), 112, 113
Euphoria inda 108 (fig.)
Eupogonius vestitus 97
Euprepia caja, nar. Utahensis 35
Euproctis chrysorrhoea 35, 93
Evans, J. D., article by 38
Exoristoides Harringtoni 101
Expansive Tree-protector 43, 67
Farm crops, insects injuring 64, 80
Feralia major 94
Fisher, G. E., on Injurious Insects. ... 15
" on San Jose' Scale. .18 (figs.)
Fletcher, J., articles by 80, 87
II on the Pea Weevil 3, 81
Fruit crops, insects afiFecting 66, 83
Fyles, T. W., articles by 23, 69
Galerita janus 57, 96
Gaurotes Cressoni 97
Geoderces melanothrix 98
Gibson, A., articles by 74, 79
Gliiphisia severa 93
Goes debilis 97
II oculata 97
Grape-vine Leaf-hopper 84 (fig. )
Grapta gracilis 92
Grass-hoppers, remedy for 81
Grass-pea 7, 10, 80
Gryphidius equiseti 98
Gymnusa brevicollis 96
PAGE.
Hadena aigens 94
1 1 binotata 94
1 1 cariosa 94
n claudens 94
II nigrior 94
II plutonia 94
Harpalus laticeps 96
II pleuriticus 96
Harrington, W. H., articles by, 99, 101, 114
Harrisimemna trisignata 78
Heliothis phlogophagus 95
Hemileuca maia, var. lucina 35
Hemiptera, collectors of 91, 92
Hepialus montanus 93
II mustelinus 94
Hessian fly 64
Hister coarctatus 96
" semiruber 96
Homoeoneura 14-punctata 100
Homohadena badistriga 76
Hormaphis hamamelidis, life-history . . 30
Hydroecia cerussata 95
II inqusesita 95
It mar^inidens 95
Hyleo?etus lugubris 97
Hylotoma rubiginosa 100
Hymenoptera, collectors of.... 91, 92, 99
II records of captures .... 99
Hyperchiria lo caterpillar. . . .78 (figs.), 113
Ibalia maculipennis 100
Ichneumon viola 100
Idechthis ephesti?e 86
Insects of the year
15, 37, 38, 39, 41, 64, 80, 87
Ipimorpha pleonectusa 95
Ips obtusus 97
Ithycerus noveboracensis ........ 114 (fig.)
lulus multistriatus 25 (tig.)
James, C. C, remarks by . .10, 21, 22, 31
Kelley's Island, glacial markings on . . . 52
Lace-winged fly .29 (tig)
Lachnostema fusca 108 (tigs), 110
Lathyrus sativus 80
Leaf-hoppers 24 (fig), 41
Lecanium Fitchi 85
Lepidoptera, list of collectors 90, 92
M notes of captures 92
Lepidopterous larvje, habits of 74
Lepisesia ulalume 93
Leptura lineola 97
II sanguinea 97
II tibialis 97
II vagans 97
II vexatrix 97
Lime and sulphur treatment for San
Jose scale 19
Limenitis disippus 110 (figs), 111
Lixellus filiformis 58, 98
Lixus rubellus 58, 98
Lochhead, W., articles by.. . .13, 31, 64, 101
II on the Pea weevil 4. 13
Lucanus dama 112 (figs)
i9o;$
INDEX.
131
PAGE.
Lycjena pseudargiolus var. argentata, . . 35
II II var. nigrescens. . 35
Lyda atrata 100
Lyman, H. H., article by 61
Macrodactylus subspinosus 110 (fig)
Macronoctua onusta 94
Macrophya albilabris 100
M fuliginea 100
M Oregona 100
Mamesfcra anguina 94
' ' obscura 94
^ M picta 37 (fig)
n rectilinea 94
Mediterranean Flour Moth 86 (fig)
II parasite of 86
Melanoplus Bruneri 98
M Dawsoni 98
Melaporphyria ononis 95
Melitaea Harrrisii ... 26, 92
Merodon equestris 101
MetopiuspoUinctorius 100
Microrhopala excavata 97
Moflfat, J. A., articles by 58, 117
Momophana Comstocki 94
Monohammus confusor . 116 (fig)
II scutellatus 116 (fig)
Monoxia puncticollis 97
Mordella borealis 98
II serval 98
Mydsea flavicornis. . . 101
Myodites scaber 98
M Zeschii 93
Myzus cerasi 40, 1 1 3
Nemeophila petrosa : . 35
" Selwynii 35
Neoclytus caprsea 97
Nerice bidentata 76
Noctua atricincta 94
I' jucunda 94
II rubifera 94
Obriuna rubrum 97
Odontomerus bicolor 100
Odynerus arvensis 100
Oedemasia concinna 105 (fig)
Oestrophasia calva 101
Uncocnemis Barnesii 94
M riparia 94
Orchard insects, key to 101
Ormenis priiinosa 41
Orthoptera, collectors of 91, 92
Osmoderma scabra 104 (6g), 112
Oyster-shell Bark-louse 84 (6g), 102 (fig)
Pachyprotasis nigrof asciata 100
Pamphila Manitoba . , 26
II metacomet 75
II pawnee 93
Pantographa limata 77
Papilio cresphontes 59 (fig), 93
" nitra 93
II turnus, larva 76 (fig)
Pea Weevil Conference 3
" Life-history 5, 15, 82
Pea Weevil Remedies for 7, 14, 81
" Resolution respecting 12
Peach insects, Key to 114
Peach-tree borer 67 (fig)
Pear insects, Key to Ill
Pear-tree Psylla 17, 111
Pear-tree Slug 85 (fig), 112, 113
Pempelia Hammondi 106 (fig)
Perdita 8-maculata 100
Peridroma occulta 37
" saucia 74
Perigrapha transparens 95
Peritelopsis globiventris 98
Petrophora truncata 35
Philampelus pandorus . 93
Phlyctaenia ferrugalis 77
Phobetron pithecium 57, 93
Phyciodes Hanhami 35
Phycis indiginella 104 (fig), 108, 114
Phytonomus punctatus 44, 98
Pieris napi, var. bryonise 93
II protodice 60 (fig)
n rapse 38, 39 (fig), 40
Pines, insects injurious to 114
Pistol-case bearer 104, 105 (fig), 108
Pityophthorus coniperda 117
Platynus anchomenoides 96
" excavatus 96
1 1 nigriceps 96
II 4-punctatus 96
Plum Curculio 110 (fig), HI, 113, 114
Plum Gall-mite 84
Plum Gouger 110 (fig). 111
Plum insects. Key to 109
Plum Rot, treatment for 83
Plusia sereoides 76
1 1 alias 95
11 diasema 95
II excelsa 95
II formosa 35, 95
" mappa 95
II metallica 95
II mortuorum 95
II rectangula 95
II rubidus 95
II variana 95
Podapion gallicola 117
Polistes pallipes 73 (fig)
Polybia flavitarsis 100
Polystichotes punctatus. 27 (fig)
Porosagrotis mimallonis 94
Potato beetle 41
Potato Stalk-borer 66 (figs.)
Prionocyphon discoideus 97
Prionus laticollis HI (fig)
Procris Americana 75 (fig)
Promethea caterpillar 113 (fig)
Protoparce celeus 36 (fig), 37
" cingulata 93
Pselaphus Erichsonii 96
Pseudolimacodes littera .... 96
Psilocephala grandis 101
Psylla pyricola 17, HI
Pteronus magus 100
Pyrgota Chagnoni ' 101
132
INDEX.
No. as
Quedius vernix .... 96
Raspberry Geometer 77 (fig)
Rhinomacer pilosus 98
Root Crops, insects aflecting 82
Rose Scale 85
Samia cecropia 107 (fig), 109 (fig)
San Jose scale 18 (figs), 84, 103
II remedies for 19
II resolution concerning. .. . 22
Saperda Candida 103 (fig)
Sarrothripa columbiana 93
Schizoceros plumiger 100
Sciophila subcoerulea 101
Scopelosoraa devia 95
ti tristigmata 35
Scolytidse 116
Scolytus rugulosus 104 (figs), 109
Scotogramma inconcinna 94
II sedilis 94
Scurfy Bark louse 103 (fig), 109
Semiophora elimata 39, 94
.1 Youngii 79,94
Sesia albicornis 93
Shade-trees, insects injuring 68
Simulium fulvura 101
Smerinthus ophthalmicus 35
Snout-beetles 116
Sphseridium scarabseoides 96
Sphinx caterpillar 77 (tig)
II gordius 107 (fig)
Spilomena pusilla 100
Squash bug 37 (fig)
Stag beetle. 112 (figs)
Stevenson, C, article by i . . . . 57
Synchlora rubivora 77 (fig)
Syrphus flies 29 (figs)
Tachyporus jocosus 96
Tseniocampa culea 95
M oviduca 95
It subterminata 95
Taxonus nigrisoma 86, 100
Telea polyphemus 76, 107
Tent caterpillars 39, 105, 106 (fig)
Tenthredo eximia 100
II nigrisoma 100
Tephronota Canadensis 36, 101
Terias lisa 93
Thalessa Nortoni 100
Theclairus 93
" spinetorum 93
Thyreopus latipes 100
Tipula decora 101
Tomato worm ; 36 (fig), 37
Tortoise beetle, green 28, 97
Toxotus obtusus 97
Trichiocampa gregarius 100
Trichotaphe Levissella 28
Tussock moth 39 (figs), 40 (fig), 107
Tylonotus bimaculatus 97
Vegetable crops, insects injuring 66
Vespa, Quebec species of ... .67, 71, 72, 73
Walker, E. M., article by 39
Walking-sfeick insect . .' 24 (fig), 118
Wasps, Paper-making 69 (figs)
White Grubs 85
II M fungus 85 (fig)
White Rose-scale 18
Wire-worms 64 (figs)
Woolly Aphis 102 (fig), 104
Xestobium elegans 1 . . 97
Xiphidium saltans 98
Xylina Baileyi 95
" fagina 95
II ferrealis 95
II Formosa 95
1 1 gausapata 95
" holocinerea 95
II Thaxteri 95
Xyloryctes satyrus 97
Young, C. H., article by 37
Zebra caterpillar 37 (fig)
SPcL ^jS 35i-6 C2 f^7S-3 \f02.