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BROCK UNIVERSITY
REPOR^RARY

OF THE

FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION

OF

ONTAKIO,

FOR THE YEAR

1870.

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PRINTED BY HUNTER, ROSE & CO.,

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1871.

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CONTENTS

Annual Meeting of Fruit Growers' Association for 1870 5

Directors' Report 7

President's Addre°s 9

Autumn Meeting, 1869 16

Fruit Reports ■ 19

Nova Scotia Apples 22

Circular to Members of the Association 23

Winter Meeting, 1870 26

Pear Blight 26

Thinning out, Keeping and Packing Fruit. . . . 29

Shipping Fruit 30

Report on Seedling Apples 30

Report on Crabs 31

Summer Meeting, 1870 , 32

Raspberries, best and most hardy varieties 32

Bees — Are they injurious to Fruit Blossoms ? 33

Plum Curculio, Blackberry, Protection from Mice 34

The Grape Flea i 35

Extracts from Letters on Fruit Culture 36

Eumelan Grape, Report on 40

Autumn Meeting, 1870 41

Grape Yine, best method of Pruning and Training 41

" " best methods of Grafting 42

" " best method of Manuring 43

" winter protection. Insects affecting 44

Pear Trees, their Cultivation, Manuring and Pruning 44

Reports on Fruits, 1870 45

Report on Plum Curculio, W. Saunders ' 50

Prize Essay on the Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry and Currant, W. Saunders 56

First Annual Report on Noxious Insects : —

Introductory 66

Insects affecting the Apple, Rev. C. J. S. Bethune 68

Insects injurious to the Grape, W. Saunders 94

Insects affecting the Plum, E. B. Reed 113

List of Prizes for 1871 129

K E P 0 E T

OF THE

OF ONTARIO,
FOR THE YEAR 1870.

To the Honourable the Commissioner of Agriculture: —

Sir, — I take much pleasure in submitting for your consideration the Eeport of the
Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, for the year 1870, embracing full details of the
discussions had at the meetings of the Association held in October, 1869, and in February,
July and September, 1870. These discussions are eminently of a practical character, and
set forth the experience of the members in the cultivation of the several fruits under
consideration.

Appended thereto will be found the excellent Prize Essay on some of the Small
Fruits, written by W. Saunders, Esq., of London; and Mr. Saunders' Eeport on the
rewards offered by the Association for the capture and destruction of the Plum Curculio,
an insect that destroys the plum crop in nearly all parts of the Province.

The Report of the Directors, accompanied by the Treasurers' Report, was submitted
to the Association at the Annual Meeting, held in the City of Toronto, pursuant to the
statute ; which, with the President's address, are hereto appended.

It will be gratifying to you to learn that the membership of the Association has been
nearly doubled since my last report, and that its usefulness has been thereby largely

extended.

St. Catharine's,

November ISth, 1870.

I have the honour to remain,

Your obedient Servant,

D. W. BEADLE,

Secretary of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario.

FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO.
Annual Meeting.

The annual meeting was held in the Agricultural Hall, Toronto, on Tuesday evening,
October 4th, 1870, Rev. R. Burnet, President, in the chair.

The Directors submitted their Annual Report, and the Treasurer a detailed state
ment of receipts and disbursements.

The President read his annual address, which was received with great satisfaction.
A

Mr. Saunders, of London, seconded by Mr. Ross, of Goderich, moved that the thanks
of the meeting be tendered to the President for his very interesting and able address, and
that he be requested to furnish a copy for publication in the proceedings of the Associa-
tion. Carried.

An election or officers for the ensuing year was then held, which resulted as follows^
viz. : —

President — Rev. R. Burnet, of Hamilton.

Vice-President — J. C. Rykert, Esq., M.P.P., of St. Catharines.

Secretary-Treasurer — D. W. Beadle, Esq., of St. Catharines.

Directors — Messrs. James Dougall, of Windsor j Warren Holton, of Hamilton ; Wil-
liam H. Mills, of Hamilton ; Wm. H. Boulton, of Toronto ; A. B. Bennett, of Brantford ;
Geo. Leslie, Jr., of Toronto ; Wm. Saunders, of London ; A. M. Ross, of Goderich ; Charles
Arnold, of Paris.

Auditors — Messrs. W. L. Copeland and W. J. McCalla, of St. Catharines.

After the election of officers, the meeting took up the consideration of miscellaneous
business.

Mr. Hammond, of Credit, asked how the Association classed the Ribston Pippin,
whether as a fall or winter apple?

Mr. Dougall, of Windsor, replied that its season of maturity depended upon the
place where it was grown ; that in the varied climate of our Province — embracing the long,
warm summers of the South of Essex, and the short, cool seasons of the Muskoka Dis-
trict— the Ribston Pippin was in the former an early fall apple, quite dry and mealy now,
and in the latter was a winter apple, keeping well until March.

Mr. Leslie, of Toronto, said that it varied much also with the warmth of the summer,
in some seasons ripening up early, and in other and cooler seasons ripening more slowly
and keeping much later.

Mr. Caldwell, of Gait, stated that the apple kept well until March in that section,
and was truly there a winter apple.

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, asked what are we to do in judging when the apple is entered
both in the fall and winter varieties % and suggested that the method of classification now
in use should be abandoned, and that prizes should be offered only for the best samples
of particular kinds, without reference to their season of ripening, so that the judges would
have to determine which was the best sample of Ribston Pippin, or Snow Apple, or Green-
ing, and not which was the best fall apple or winter.

Mr. Beadle stated that, thanks to the efforts of the President and Vice-President, a
beginning had been this year effected in this direction, which, it was to be hoped, would
be carried out in all the departments of the fruit list.

Mr. Rykert stated that as soon as the Board of Agriculture should place sufficient
prize money at the disposal of the Committee having in charge the Horticultural depart-
ment of the prize list, this much needed reform would be effected.

Mr. A. M. Ross, of Goderich, wished to know the cause and cure of the rot in the
fruit of the plum. He had suffered much from this rot during the past season, much more
than from the curculio, and deemed the rot a far more serious obstacle to the successful
culture of the plum than the little turk.

Mr. Saunders, of London, had also suffered severely from this rotting of the fruit,
but could not suggest any remedy.

Mr. Dougall, of Windsor, had taken pains to have all the rotting plums carefully
gathered and thrown on the ground, and then covered them and the ground under the
plum trees with quicklime, also dusting quicklime freely through the tops of the trees, and
thought he had in this way been successful in putting a stop to all further spread of the
disease. He believed that this rotting was caused by minute fungi fastening on the fruit
and developing there, and that the quicklime destroyed the fungus. The rot could not
have been caused by the weather, for there had been no rain there for three months.

Mr. Mills, of Hamilton, thought that the rot was not caused by a fungus, but that the
rot having begun, and the state of the atmosphere being favourable to the growth of this
fungus, it found in the rotting portion of the plum a favourable place for its growth and
development. He thought the rot was caused by warmth and moisture occurring at a

certain stage of the growth of the plum ; and when this did not occur at that particular
stage the rot did not occur, hence the plums in some seasons escape the rot altogether.

Mr. Ross said that last season was very wet, and the fruit on only two of his plum
trees was affected by the rot, and these were shaded by other trees ; this year the rot
spread from those affected last year to the trees adjacent, while the trees in another part
of his garden wholly escaped ; hence he thinks that the rot is infectious in some way, and
that if once introduced, if no way of stopping it can be discovered, it will continue to
spread until the fruit on all the trees in the vicinity is affected.

Mr. W. H. Boulton, of Toronto, said that the fruit on trees standing in the open
ground in his garden was not affected, but on trees at the south side of a board fence the
plums had rotted very considerably.

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, believed it to be an infectious fungus, which under favourable
conditions grew upon the fruit, causing it to rot.

Mr. Saunders, of London, asked why some of the plums on his trees should be rotten,
and others near not at all affected, if the cause of the rot be an infectious fungus 1

Mr. Arnold replied that he had not observed such a state of things, but that the rot
spread to the plums adjacent.

Mr. Mills, of Hamilton, did not think that the rot is caused by fungi ; and that the
reason why some plums on the tree escaped while others rot, is in the difference in the
texture of the skin of different plums on the same tree, and that those having a skin whose
texture resists the influences of moisture and heat escape the rot.

[Note by the Secretary. — Gentlemen in this discussion made use of the term "in-
fectious fungi f but they did not mean to be understood as using that term in the usual
sense of the word, " infectious." Fungi increase by means of minute spores, which are
perfected under favourable conditions in a very short time, and in countless millions.
These spores are very minute, float in the air, and are carried about by the lightest cur-
rents, and these falling on a surface suited to their growth, under conditions of moisture
and heat favourable to their germination, soon develop into a perfect plant, again perfect-
ing its spores, to be in turn carried by currents of air and deposited upon some spot where
they may germinate and perfect themselves.]

Director's Report.

The Directors, in submitting their Annual Report, beg to say that, since the last
Annual Meeting, there have been four General Meetings of the Association — one in
October, 1869, at Brantford j the Winter Meeting in February, 1870, at Hamilton ;
another in July, 1870, at London; and the last in September, 1870, at St. Catherine's.

At all of these meetings some very fine fruit was exhibited, and the discussions were
of a very practical and profitable character. These discussions have been preserved by
the Secretary, and will be printed in our Report to the Commissioner of Agriculture.

The Directors thought it advisable to offer a reward for the destruction of the Plum
Curculio, an insect that destroys our plums, by feeding upon them in the worm or larva
state. The insects that were taken were sent to Mr. W. Saunders, Entomologist to the
Association, who will submit a report thereon.

The Directors also distributed a vine of the Eumelan Grape to each member of the
Association, on the condition that the member receiving it should report to the Secretary
for five years the result of the trial. This grape was attracting considerable attention, as
being early, hardy, healthy and productive. The Secretary will cause a summary of the
returns he may receive to be printed with our report.

We have determined to distribute among the members next spring, upon the same
conditions of reporting to the Secretary annually, for five years, the results of their
experience, a youug tree of the Beurre d'Anjou Pear, a variety that gives promise of being
well adapted to our climate, and of superior quality. Those members who may chance to
have this variety already, will be allowed to select another from any one of the following
varieties, viz. : — Tyson, Howell or Jaminette.

It is believed that, in this way, the Association will be the means of disseminating
widely through the Province fruits that promise to be valuable, and of testing their
adaptedness to the different soils and exposures.

As any person may become a member of the Association at any time, by the annua1
payment of one dollar, there is every reason to hope that by the increase of members by
the 1st of April next, the Beurre d'Anjou Pear will have a very wide dissemination.

A list of the prizes offered by the Association for the year 1871, accompanies our
Report.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

R. BURNET, President
D. W. BEADLE, Secretary.
Auditors' Report.

Abstract of receipts and disbursements of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario,
D. W. Beadle, Treasurer, from February 24th to September 20th, 1869.
To members' subscriptions, received since last audit, February 14th,

1869, to date $120 00

Less — Commissions paid in Hamilton for collecting $30, at 8 per cent. 2 40

117 60

To Legislative Grant 350 00

467 60

By Balance due Treasurer last audit 18 51

" Printing, postage, stationery, &c 30 45

" Secretary-Treasurer's Salary 100 00

" Balance in Treasury 318 64

467 60

To Balance in Treasurer's hands 318 64

Also, to credit of Association in N. D. Bank 350 00

Total Assets 668 64

We certify that the foregoing is a correct statement of accounts for the year 1869, as
shewn by Treasurer's books, with vouchers for all disbursements.

(Signed) W. J. McCalla, ),-,■,

St. Catharines, Sept. 20th, 1869.

Treasurer's Report.

Balance in Treasury on 20th Sept., 1868, as appears by the Auditors'

Report hereto annexed 318 64

Received from Members since 20th Sept., 1869 381 00

Legislative Grant, August, 1870 350 00

Total receipts to date, 4th Oct., 1870 1049 64

Disbursements.

Directors' and Secretary's expenses 89 64

Expenses connected with purchase and distribution of "Eumelan" vine 327 96
Travelling Expenses of delegate sent to meeting of the Pomological So-
ciety of the United States 51 00

Postages and express charges 25 66

Stationery and incidentals 5 65

Printing 35 50

Prize Essays 45 00

Curcul io Bounties 105 00

Secretary-Treasurer's salary 100 00

Total disbursements to date, 4th Oct., 1870 785 41

Balance in hand 264 23

1049 64

President's Address.

When a traveller has left his home for a season, and has a definite object in view by
his journeyings to distant lands — when he imagines that he is nigh its accomplishment,
he begins to think of counting the miles that he has traversed, and the multitude of
incidents that has contributed to the successful issue of his plan. When one of our mer-
chants has been long and sed^ously engaged in the prosecution of an extensive business,
he finds it to his advantage to balance accounts — to take a survey of the means employed
to foster and extend his prosperous pursuits. So ought it to be with those who, like the
members of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, are diligently endeavouring to
impress upon their fellow-men the importance of fruit culture. It is our duty, from time
to time, and especially at our annual gathering, to catch up the threads of our sayings and
doings, and bid them go and accomplish our objects in every county, township and home-
stead of our land.

Associations for commercial purposes seem to understand the importance of keeping
past progress and attainment carefully before the public supporters of their respective
institutions. An Insurance Society, for instance, recommends its advantages by constant
appeals to its past successes, and in every annual statement, contrasts the past with the
present. Statistics furnish the grand criteria of such comparisons, and inspire the general
public with confidence. To such an extent has this become the case, that rival Institu-
tions place their claim to favour on the amount of business which they have successfully
accomplished. This is just as it should be. And if our Association is to take a forward
place among the beneficial agencies of our Province, we must endeavour to lay claim to
the appellation of benefactors, by presenting a careful exhibit of our good doings.

With us, at present, not having in the past employed systematic effort, it is more
difficult than many would at first suppose, to give a vidimus of past progress. No
general statements have ever yet been made of the rise and progress of fruit-growing
among us. Here and there, indeed, enthusiasts have appeared, who have by their
influence and example disseminated fruits, and a taste for their cultivation, but no
statistics of the amount of acres under cultivation, the best sorts cultivated, have ever
yet appeared from the press cf <^ur country.

It has occurred to your President that it may not be an altogether unsuitable
subject of address on the present occasion,to take up the subject of "the progress of Cana-
dian fruit culture in our Western Province, and the best means for giving it an increased
impetus."

My distinguished predecessor in office, Mr. W. H. Mills, in one of his annual addresses,
presented a summary historical account of our Society, and in several other of his papers of
a philosophical and practical bearing, has greatly exhausted the field of observation on
our favourite and interesting cultivation.

There can be little question that our fruit culture owes much to the taste and experi-
ence of the United Empire loyalists. These men, who are fast disappearing from among
us, live among us still by their works. Their zeal not only brought with them from the
States, their cherished political opinions, but also the arts and industrious habits which
characterized them on the other side. With a hard struggle for existence for some years
in their new locations, they did not neglect the means of securing future comforts and
profits.

The late Colonel Land, who settled in Hamilton in 1784, told me years ago, that
when he went to Grimsby carrying his wheat on his back to get it ground, he greatly
prized a few scions of grafted trees obtained there from older settlers than himself. To
prepare for grafting, he sowed the seeds of apples obtained from any quarter, and in due
time planted them out as orchard trees, and top grafted them as opportunity presented.
Orchards of seeding fruit are not rare in several parts of the country even now. Not to
mention orchards, a great proportion of whose fruit trees bear natural fruit even in the
neighbourhood of Niagara, there are the remains of large orchards of natural fruit along
the shore of Lake Erie, from Simcoe westward.

Francois Baby, Esq., brought up from Montreal, in 1796, the following varieties,
which are pretty generally distributed in the south-west : Fameuse, Pomme-grise (two
varieties), Red Colville, Roseau, another called Long Roseau, the Borrassa, and one called

10

White Colville, a sample of which the Fruit Growers' Association had from Nova Scotia
a year ago. It was, however, Mr. James Dougall says, "the Winter Pearmain."

In the year 1835, Mr. Dougall, one of our most esteemed Directors, and a veteran
horticulturist, began to disseminate the finer varieties. Some years after, the late Dr.
Beadle, St. Catharines, and Mr. Leslie, of Toronto, introduced new and valuable sorts.

The advance of our horticulture from small beginnings to its preseut eminence, is
altogether within the memory of "living men." The premier Horticultural Society of
the United States, (I refer to that of Cincinnati) dates only back to 1843 ; and the gentle-
man in whose house it was formed, Eobert Buchanan, Esq., still lives to grace the Horti-
cultural Society of that city, and to urge forward by his enthusiastic example all kinds
of fruit culture.

Niagara and District have been long famous for their fruits. As the Old Capital —
a military and trading post — its position brought many casual visitors and residents of
varied tastes. The late Hon. James Crooks was in the habit of speaking in enthusiastic
terms of the Count de Flahault, who introduced into Niagara both apples and pears from
France. From his stock much of the best fruit in the Niagara and Hamilton Districts
has arisen. Indeed some of the best apples we have, were brought into notice by the
Count. There is an apple of superior excellence which ought to be mentioned in this
connection, and which unfortunately is not so well distributed as its merits warrant, I
mean the Swayzie pomme grise. It was first introduced into the Niagara District by
Colonel Swayzie, and is one of the best, if not the very best apple known. Its eating,
cooking, and keeping qualities attest its excellence.

Mr. Crooks brought with him on his removal to Flamboro' all the best sort of apples
grown at Niagara. From Flamboro' as a centre, the finer and then rarer sorts were
quickly disseminated. Mr. Crooks told me that people were in the habit of coming long
distances to obtain cuttings, of which he was no niggardly distributor. In any mention
of these early times, we ought not omit the tribute that is due to horticulturists on the
other side of the line for their enthusiastic and acute prosecution of the trade in fruit
trees. Settlers from that country in almost every corner of our land, brought the taste
and desire for fruit trees with them, which had an early development in the Old Dominion
and throughout the New England States. This fact is yet apparent among the descendants
of Americans now naturalized in Western Canada. As a class they are still pre-eminent
for their fruit-growing and taste for horticulture.

The progress of fruit-growing, of late years, among all classes is wonderful. West-
ern Canada is now looked to as one of the great sources of supply for the Province of
Quebec. It is an undoubted fact that we are beginning to compete with them, even in
their own market, for apples. Large shippers forward great quantities of apples to Mon-
treal and to the City of Quebec. This season I had an advantageous offer from a fruiterer
in Montreal for any variety of pears that would take the market, while the Bartlett was
especially mentioned. Horticulturists from the States declare that the apples grown by
our farmers in the Niagara district will successfully compete with any grown in any part
of New York State. This is as flattering as it is remarkable, if we take into account the
advanced state of fruit culture in Rochester, Lockport, Canandaigua and the other fruit
centres in that State.

It cannot be denied that the art has received a great impetus by the means employed
for that purpose by the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario. Their records show the
painstaking efforts made in this direction. The list of apples and fruits best adapted to
the different districts of our longitudinal country is valuable, and might be made the
means of greater good. The soil and climatic influences are so varied, that it is only by
frequent comparisons that we can arrive at the knowledge of which fruit trees are best
adapted to any particular locality. For example, varieties of fruit trees that do admirably
well in Hamilton, Grimsby and Niagara, often produce poor and stunted fruit at no
greater distance than Toronto and further east. Our Greenings are greatly superior to
those grown on the north shore of Lake Ontario. The Baldwins and Spys of Wellington
Square and Stoney Creek can scarcely be equalled anywhere.

This principle of adaptedness to a particular locality must yet form an important
phase in future operations of this Association.

11

Pear culture, perhaps, has even made greater strides than that of apples, because it
is more recent. It is true indeed, that there is no want of individuals, who have been
for years touched with the fever of pear culture. Mr. Dougall, of Windsor, years and y ears
ago, went to the expense of importing new and rare varieties from France. Here and
there his efforts and example have borne fruit. There is some fine fruit grown on the
northern shores of Lake Erie, which, in many instances, can be traced to his nursery.
St. Catherines and Niagara have been, perhaps, far ahead of other parts of the country in
the cultivation of the older and finer varieties of pear. Pears excel on alluvial deposits,
both in the Old and New Worlds. Windsor and Niagara are striking examples of the
remark. The old pear trees in and about Windsor are the wonder of visitors, and there
are some specimens of pear trees at and near Niagara, not much behind the former
in growth and size.

The cultivation of the peach of late years has not kept pace with apple and pear
culture. Owing to the open and unsteady nature of the weather in winter, and the
ravages of the curculio, peach trees have suffered severely. Eighteen years ago — which
is the extent of my experience in the country — there were few finer sights to be presented
anywhere, than a journey from Hamilton to the Falls, by the macadamized road, in the
month of May. In that month the blossom was exquisite. Now all is changed ; whole
orchards have disappeared, and few cultivators of that luscious fruit can be found. It is
all but impossible to raise a peach or a peach tree.

We are satisfied that on the western borders of Lake Ontario, the northern of Lake
Erie, and the ridges of " Long Point/' parts of Essex and Kent, and the shores of Lake
Huron — as Bayfield, Goderich and Kincardine — will yet raise peach culture to an enviable
eminence in our Province. Nectarines flourish well in gardens, as standards, at Goderich
and along Lake Huron from Sarnia to Kincardine. The inroads of that little Turk, the
Curculio, is blamed for the almost total neglect of apricot, nectarine and peach culture ;
but as " Eternal vigilance is the price of good fruit," perhaps the blame ought to be laid
at the door of our neglect. Many fruit-growers have overcome the unwelcome " Turk,"
and, once got rid of, a good crop is ensured.

Should any one hear me who may desire to enter upon apricot and nectarine cultiva-
tion, I strongly recommend, from my experience, that the trees be planted in a western
exposure, of a house or other building, as the day is far gone before the sun gets round to
shine on that aspect, when a frosty night has rendered the branches and their sap-vessels
liable to injury by the sun shining on and bursting them.

Plums have come into very general cultivation of late years. They have always been
considered a most desirable fruit, and are highly esteemed by the public. It is not many
years since no variety was to be found in our markets, except the common blue plum.
Now the finest sorts are generally cultivated, and bring large prices, five dollars a bushel
is no uncommon price for them in the Hamilton market, and all that can be produced find
a ready sale at $3. Public taste is being educated for finer varieties. It is a remark
often heard among purchasers, who have patronized the best varieties once, my taste is
spoiled for anything else than the best. Duane's purple, Bradshaw, McLaughlin, Guthrie's
apricot, and Reine Claude de Bavay, are leading varieties, and all these are productive
bearers. Plum culture will amply repay all outlay.

We have never had any great liking for the cultivation of the cherry. There are so
many slips between the tree and the lip, that often much labour is lost. What with un-
certain crops, bird depredations, and other enemies, such as the cherry curculio, very often
the smallest share remains to reward the grower. The advance in the cultivation of the
cherry is quite on a par with that of the other fruits before mentioned.

Perhaps the advance on the whole is greater. Most of us remember the rows of
never-failing Kentish that used to grace the farmer's snake fence or garden border. These
have been in great measure replaced along our frontier townships by the Black Tartarian,
Black Eagle, Elton and Napoleon Bigarreau. The improved modes of canning the smaller
fruits, has given quite an impetus to the production of the various sorts of cherries. The
tree itself has fewer enemies than most other fruit trees. It is, however, liable to gum on
heavy clay soils.

The peach and quince and grape do well wherever you find the chesnut flourish.

12

They delight in a white, soapy, clay loam, and wherever the circumstances are favorable,,
large crops reward the producer. It has often occurred to us that the absence of the
Medlar is to be deplored. We have made frequent attempts to secure a specimen tree,,
but have hitherto failed. We don't despair, however.

Small fruits follow in the wake of any advance in horticulture in any country. In
newer and more backward districts, the cultivation of the smaller fruits is almost un-
known. The want is supplied by the abundant crops of wild native raspberry and straw-
berry. Hamilton and the Niagara and Erie districts are almost too far south to admit of
the profitable cultivation of gooseberries. Currants do well and bear very prolifically.

Grapes are rapidly becoming a specialty in cultivation. Marvellous advancement
has been made with respect to grape culture. It seems as if we had become inoculated
with the mania from the other side. Visions of fortune-making and good wine-making
have been for years so industriously circulated of the Catawba, and of grape-growing in
California, that we, too, have been seized with the desire for improvement. Vineyards
are springing up in many sections of the Provinee. Enterprising farmers have begun to
think that it is as profitable to produce grapes as wheat, and that a few acres are more
profitable under grape culture than the same amount under cereals. Mr. William Lot-
tridge, of Stoney Creek, has this year sold his grapes at 6 cents a pound. This rate will
pay. Grape growing in Canada has not undergone the fluctuations usually characteristic
of any new introduction of a similar kind of production. Advantage has been so taken
of the trials and experiments of others in the United States, that, Minerva-like, it has al-
most sprung into maturity from the first. Fine varieties are only planted now. The
best, perhaps, in point of excellence, hardiness, productiveness, for table and wine making,
are the following, named in order of their quality. I am indebted to my friend, Mr. Wm.
Haskins, of the City Water Works, for the following information, which may be relied
on, regarding the best hardy varieties of grapes : —

The Delaware, which always ripens here ; the Hartford Prolific, the first grape for
the million ; the Concord, which always ripens and is prolific. These three have been
tried, and found to succeed beyond a doubt. Rodgers' Hybrids follow in order. The
Salem and No. 4 exhibiting all the excellence of Rodgers' Hybrids. Classed with these
is No. 15.

Dr. Grant's Iona and Israella are really superior to any other where they will suc-
ceed and mature. The Israella (black) ripens anywhere, comes in soon after the Hartford
Prolific and the Iona, when it will ripen, and has no superior in the country. These are
all excellent table grapes.

The Clinton stands A 1 for the making of red wine. The Americans who once dis-
carded the Clinton now speak of it with great favor, and say that its excellence has been
overlooked. The Delaware and Diana stand next for white- wine, and Ives' Seedling will
always ripen well to make a good claret. The Creveling makes a superior wine, and the
Adirondack progresses in public favor.

In entering on the question, " How are we, as fruit-growers, and especially members
of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, to advance fruit culture 1 I crave your pa-
tient indulgence and generous criticism. The views are entirely my own, and to be re-
ceived and acted on with caution, on account of my limited experience in fruit-growing.

The first, and one of the most important influences for the advancement of our in-
terests and those of the country, is the proper outlay of the means placed at our disposal
by the Act of our Provincial Legislature. If private means and enterprise have so much,
benefited horticulture, how much more the intelligent disposal of public money? Many
of our members, some years ago, were taken with the idea of an experimental farm. This
useful, old and stereotyped notion has been productive of much good in its day, in older
and more advanced countries than ours. But what we desiderate, is the formation of the
whole Province into an experimental farm, for the propagation and testing of old ahd new
fruits. Our Province is so varied in its climate and height that what suits one quarter
seems to be the very reverse in another. Even at short distances the most singular con-
trasts appear. An apple does well at Windsor, but it fails at Toronto and Kingston. We
require, therefore, to know not only the best fruit, but also the locality where it will sue-

13

ceed the best. We are aware that soil has much to do in this case, but we will reserve
this, question for a distinct paragraph. The plan adopted last year is a good one, and has
borne the test, and nothing could have been more successful. I mean, the issuing of a
plant or fruit that is of superior excellence, asking for its cultivation, and annual report of
its success. The dissemination of the Eumelan grape has largely benefited the Society in
the way of additions to the membership — not far short of 30 new subscribers were ob-
tained in the city of Hamilton alone, and large accessions throughout the country in
general.

It is not to be expected, indeed, none of the promoters of this movement for a moment
suppose that the fruit trees distributed will prove wholly suitable — that is not to be ex-
pected, but it is no little gain to intending purchasers, for the Society to be able to say
such and such a variety has been tried in your neighbourhood, and under similar circum-
stances it will not succeed.

We are satisfied that attention has not been sufficiently directed to tie geological
strata of our country, and the question of the influence of the different strata on fruit
growing. Some years ago I was incidently led in this direction, by the observation of the
fact that the finer varieties of fruits flourished well in a friend's garden at Goderich. I
tried to account for it, and passed in review before my mind the moderating influence of
Lake Huron, and the height above the sea, but to the discomfiture of all my notions, I
further found that the same fruits were only produced in certain localities, and not through-
out the length of the district, — Kincardine, Goderich and Bayfield. In looking at Sir
William Logan's geological map, I saw that a certain formation cropped out at these places,
and from the fact that the varieties of fruit did not appear to do well at certain interme-
diate localities, where they had been tried and where a different stratum prevailed, I was
forced to the conclusion that the geological formation of a country has much to do with good
fruit raising, and that the question of soil, now as of old, is of paramount importance to us as
encouragers and directors of fruit growing. So impressed was I with this idea, when Mr.
Beadle and I prepared your last fruit report, that I then proposed a new distribution as a basis
of comparison, viz. : — A geological one instead of one into districts. It has often hap-
pened that you get a report from two members living a stone's throw from each other in
the same district, in the same valley, on the same plateau, with similar exposures. Such
reports are contradictory and unsatisfactory. Mention may be made of the same fruit
trees, doing badly in one case and well in another. Such reports are not only puzzling to
compilers of statistics, but worthless as data on which to build up any practical plan and
direction for local fruit growing. We would suggest that our Society should bring out
the views of members on this point, give a premium for the best essay on the different
geological strata best adapted to fruit culture. It would ventilate this important subject,
and nothing loses but mustiness by ventilation.

Let me also notice the question of the utilization of fruit when it has been raised.
I do not refer to its consumption by the immediate producers and their immediate neigh-
bors, but as to the mode of dealing with it, that others at a distance may also be induced
to enquire for it. Exhibitions are most commendable, and I could not, I would not lift
up any derogatory word against their usefulness. Our presence here, on this occasion,
would be a living rebuke to any such rash censure. It seems to me, however, that we
have got beyond the day of exhibitions, pure, and simple, these being accomplished facts.
What we now want is the utilization of our exhibited fruits.

The Hon. George Brown, at a recent meeting of the Local Committee, suggested that
subjects of discussion, arising out of the articles exhibited at our Provincial Fairs, should
be fairly and temperately canvassed on the different evenings of the Exhibition week.
The benefit likely to accrue from this, if undeitaken, is so apparent, that it requires only
to be put to commend itself to every exhibitor. Publicity is the grand desideratum of
our exhibitions. Competition involves publicity. The fact of our having goods or
products better than our neighbour, and more deserving of public confidence, requires to
be known. What I would urge would be, that not only should our Association order its
Directors to prepare questions for discussion connected with our specialty, but that they
should be so widely disseminated through the press, that intelligent and practical farmers
interested in the Horticultural branch of their profession, should come up to the place of

14

exhibition and to the meetings for discussion, prepared to take an active and prominent
part for the general good.

The question of utilization does not end here, though it may well begin with the
former suggestion. We would like to see the samples of our exhibited fruits at our Pro-
vincial shows, more widely distributed, to catch the eyes of as many beholders as possible.
Let the Provincial Ascociation pass a rule, that all prize, farm, and garden products are to
be considered as the property of the Association, and a difficulty is obviated in these not
being the property of the Association. Something similar is done by the owners of
stock and machines. Why not with fruits 1 The same bull that took the prize to-day
may be exhibited next week in a distant county, and carry off golden opinions and some-
thing else from a different body of exhibitors. So with machines, let it also be with
fruits. Let means be established whereby others can derive benefit from our fruit
growing. Believing, as I do, that our more immediate districts of Toronto and Hamilton,
Niagara and Erie, are yet destined to become the great fruit growing districts of our
country, it becomes us not to let our light be hid under a bushel. I would also send
samples of our fruit to Newfoundland, and thus show them what we can do so far west,
but I would also send to the township and agricultural fairs in the remoter districts where
fruit is scarce, and where there is, or rather ought to be, a demand for it, the products
that could be put in their way, if only they desire them, as a healthy addition to their
food and comfort.

The exportation of fruit ought also to be encouraged. Similar means as the fore-
going ought to be used to accomplish so important an object. Our Association should
attempt to open up means of communication with the Royal Society of England, the Royal
Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, and with the Dublin Horticultural Society,
and enter as competitors as fruit growers in their exhibitions ; such intercommunication
would do more to develop provincial export than even the reports of our Provincial Exhi-
bitions would do for years. It may be remembered, for I do, that some years ago speci-
mens of our Canadian grown apples were forwarded to the Royal Society, which created
quite a surprise among the members. These means must be reiterated, and like efforts
made at short intervals. We must make more of our advantages than we have yet done.
Good will redound, not only to the country generally, but to the farming class particularly.

In close connection with this subject is the question of the best varieties. This has
been somewhat authoritatively settled by some of our savans, in the pages of our publi-
cations. With due deference to the extensive knowledge of the practical horticulturists
among us, I would suggest the propriety of a double division of " Fruits desirable to be
cultivated." First and foremost, market varieties claim our first attention, but the con-
ditions of fruit-growing are far from being served by furthering the production of market
varieties ; we want another class of fruits to suit a large, and, I am happy to say, an
influential class in our Association — I refer to the amateur class. Men who cultivate for
pleasure and beauty, as well as for profit, such apples as the Pomme Royal, Summer Rose,
Mother, Autumn, Strawberry, Tetofsky, and many of a similar class, and they are many,
ought not to be discarded from even general cultivation, although for profit they cannot
be compared to the old market varieties. Greater and greater attention is being given
by an increasing number of amateurs to these superb varieties. The Pomme Royal — an
apple not enjoying that eminent position its merits ought to command — is one of the best
summer apples. The same may be said of the Swayzie Pomme Gris as a winter apple.
In exhibitions for prizes this distinction ought to be kept steadily in view. At a late
competition for excellence in fruits, we saw a plate of Mother apples entirely overlooked,
and a poor but common variety carrying off the palm in its stead.

This leads us to notice a distinctive feature of the prize catalogue of the present Pro-
vincial Exhibition, and that is the classifying the different kinds of pears and apples, and
only bringing varieties of the same kind into comparison. We write in anticipation of
the event, but we venture to augur that the display will exceed the most sanguine ex-
pectations of its promoters. The change, we believe, will work well, and simplify the
labour of the judges. It is scarcely fair to ask a man to decide between a plate of
Seckels and a plate of Bartletts. By the new mode the difficulty is obviated, and the
decision is not left to individual taste. We would like to see our Association introduce

15

to general practice some discrimination between market varieties of apples, pears and
plums, and those of higher flavor probably, but not so common on account of not carrying
so well, or from some other such cause. Such discrimination in our prize exhibitions
would go far to introduce a very general cultivation of apples and pears, which at present,
for several reasons, are in abeyance We might surely blend the profitable, the beautiful,
and the pleasant, the interest of the nurseryman — the adornment of the orchard and
table both of the farmer and professional man.

Another point of attention in fruit culture that is to advance its best interests, is the
inculcation of the more general practice of thinning the fruit. Being myself one of the
greedy sort, I am perhaps the last man who ought to lecture other growers on their failure
in securing good fruit. I am so impressed, however, from various reasons, of the urgent
propriety of thinning out, that I cannot but make brief mention of it.

We have all noticed the fine fruit on our trees in the season when it is not bearing
heavily. This year, for example, I had a Seckel that bore a heavy crop last year and was
allowed to do so. The tree did its own thinning this last season, and only produced a few
specimens : the consequence is, that the crop is exceedingly large and handsome — in fact
the largest Seckels I ever produced — good results to the tree as well as to the fruit — the
tree will bear more generally year after year — the fruit is infinitely finer — and the amount
in weight is not far short of a great crop of poor fruit. By a judicious system of thinning,
I have also noticed — in having it practised on one tree — that we get rid, to a large extent,
of the apple and pear moth worm. This is not a small advantage, for if the thinning out
be done just when the moisture of late spring and early summer begins to fail, the tree is
much helped in maturing the good fruit, and pests are prevented coming to maturity, and
so strengthened to bury themselves for future depredations.

The preserving of fruit and lengthening out its period is an important question to
the fruit producer. Much talk, trouble, and money has been expended, but much, almost
everything, remains to be done. We believe in burying them in the earth. In the pre-
servation of grapes, we have heard of charcoal water being employed, the stems of the
fruit-bearing vine being put into bottles containing the water. The expense and trouble
connected with such a process will ever go far to prevent its common use. Our neigh-
bours across the lines have come nearest obviating the difficulty by the use of their pre-
serving cans. Ingenuity, however, will yet discover cheaper and more common means for
preserving grapes beyond the season.

Mr. Reid, of Port Dalhousie, has produced a grape that seems to me in advance of
any other, as admirably suited for a raisin grape. When exhibited at St. Catharines last
week, it seemed to me to have all the characteristics of a good drying grape. The pro-
duction of such a grape may be of no pecuniary advantage to the producer, but assuredly
the country will profit by its general introduction and cultivation.

The fostering of the labour of the Hybridizer has received attention from this Asso-
ciation. This branch of the art of gardening has been long known and practised by the
nations of antiquity. What an endless store of observation and production is opened up
to us through this wonderful process. We are believers in natural selection as well as
in the nicest manipulations of art, and fine seeding are to be looked for from both
sources.

An Act of Parliament to enforce the destruction of moth-eaten fallen fruit is much
needed. The insect pests are making rapid strides among our crops of fruit. We trust
that the Commissioner of Agriculture will give this subject the attention it demands, and
should the present Agricultural Act require amendment get a clause inserted, making it
imperative on all fruit growers to destroy fallen fruit.

I cannot close without thanking you, gentlemen, for your kind indulgence throughout
my year of office. I shall always look back with honest pride to the uniform urbanity
with which you treated me, and in retiring into the ranks of our Association from which
your distinguished consideration elevated me, will only feel too happy in furthering, to the
utmost of my ability, the best interests of your Association.

With devout thankfulness to the Giver of all good for permitting us to prosecute the
arts of peace — having driven the ruthless invader from our border — and to enjoy the peace,
happiness, and plenty which crown the labours of the agriculturist and horticulturist

16

throughout our large and growing country, while others are engaged in deadly strife. I
bid you all a kindly and hearty farewell.

AUTUMN MEETING OF THE FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION OF

ONTARIO, 1869.

The Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario held their regular autumn meeting in the
Town Hall, Brantford, on the 7th October, 1869 ; the President, the Rev. Mr. Burnet, in
the chair.

The Secretary, D. W. Beadle, read the minutes of the previous meeting of the Asso-
ciation in London. The minutes and resolutions were confirmed.

Mr. Arnold and Mr. Leslie were appointed a committee on apples ; Mr. Holton and
Mr. Woolverton on pears ; Mr. Saunders and Mr. Mills on grapes and other fruit ; to ex-
amine and report.

The President then proposed the discussion of the first question, namely, "the benefits
of planting trees for shelter, and the propriety of offering a prize therefor"

Mr. Saunders stated that he had no experience ; but he had planted a number this
year, and would be able, in a few years, to have something to say in the matter.

Mr. W. H. Mills, of Hamilton, had planted shade trees on his place, and found that
he could plant fruit trees successfully where they would not thrive before. He attributed
this result to the shade trees protecting the tender fruit trees from the wind.

Mr. Bennett corroborated the last speaker, with respect to grapes, and approved high-
ly of trees for shelter.

Mr. Russel Smith thought they were an advantage to fruit trees and vines.

Mr. Woolverton spoke favourably, as far as his experience, which was limited to
hedges, went.

Mr. Aaron Slaght, of Waterford, lives in a comparatively new country, with many for-
est trees ; thought wind and storm very disastrous to fruit trees, especially peaches, un-
less sheltered ; strongly recommended a large portion of pine trees as a protection, ever-
greens sheltering in winter as well as summer ; suggested the propriety of planting fruit
trees more closely, and recommended a prize for the best essay on the subject.

Mr. Hamilton thought trees a great protection, provided they are not too near. In
that case he considered them a detriment ; thought east worse than north wind.

Mr. W. A. Smith had planted a hedge on the north-west side, which he considered a
benefit.

Mr. John Hatch, Woodstock, thought fruit trees, as well as cattle, required protection.

Mr. Moyle said that his children planted peach trees under some vines, and they have
done better than any others ; they survived the winter better, and he strongly advised
protection to them.

Mr. Chisholm has an orchard well protected by forest trees ; his neighbours complain
of their fruit being blown off, while he cannot complain on that score. He has never
planted trees for shelter, owing to a sufficiency of natural forest.

Mr. Ball said there could be but one opinion as to the planting trees on east, west or
north sides ; but vines did not require to have trees on the south ; suggested legislation
to restrain persons from cutting down all the trees on their farms ; thought pine and other
evergreens made good shelter, and grow well ; the yellow locust is very good ; planted his
trees two deep, and not too closely ; transplanted his evergreens in May, or early in June.

Mr. Woolverton did not approve of the locust, as being liable to the borer.

Mr. Holton thought shelter desirable to fruits, likes the white cedar, but had had no
extended experience.

Mr. Bauer disapproved of the locust, but approved of the maple.

Mr. Hart suggested cedar or pine as shelter ; thought the winter hurttrees more than
the summer.

The President spoke of Lombardy poplars as being used in France for shelter. They
diverted winds to the higher strata of air, and were close in their foliage. He suggested a

17

prize either for the best essay on the subject, or for the best laid out trees for shelter on
farms.

Mr. Holton feared the Lombardy poplar might become a nuisance, as they sprouted
up from the root very fast, and were very hard to keep down.

Mr. Bennett did not approve of the poplar ; said that it was too tall, and produced
vorms ; but spoke, from practical experience, most favourably of the white cedar.

Mr. Holton spoke well of the silver maple.

Mr. Arnold spoke of the Norway spruce ; recommended them above all others ; and
said that the Lombardy poplars were very injurious to his orchard.

Mr. Saunders corroborated Mr. Holton's remarks, as to the silver maple.

Mr. Chisholm spoke highly of beech hedge.

The Secretary favoured the Norway spruce, saying that it could 'be regulated better
than any other, and throve in any soil.

Mr. Bennett also spoke well of spruce, but thought they were expensive.

Mr. Holton corroborated Mr. Bennett, and was also of opinion that the Norway spruce
grew slowly.

Mr. Smith thought that half of the white cedars which were transplanted died, while
he Norway spruce were stronger.

Mr. Hamilton thought the white cedar was easily raised.

Mr. Bennett thought the spruce took too long to grow.

Mr. Mills thought the variety of trees should be chosen by parties about to plant,
-with regard to the nature of the soil and other circumstances.

The following resolution was then adopted :

Resolved, — " That in the view of this Association, there is no question but that the
planting of shade trees for shelter to orchards and farms, from the cold prevailing winter
winds, is of the greatest benefit, and this meeting recommends to the Directors to offer a
premium for the farm which, within the next five years, shall be most thoroughly and ad-
vantageously planted with trees for shelter." Carried.

The Committees appointed to report on the fruits exhibited, presented their reports,
which are appended.

The report of Mr. Arnold, delegate of this Association to the Pomological Association
of Philadelphia, was then read, and ordered to be printed. This is also appended.

The second question then came up for discussion, namely, "The best and most economi-
cal system of vineyard culture."

Mr. Saunders recommended Mr. Fuller's plan of keeping the bearing wood near the
ground.

Mr. Russell Smith said he had adopted the plan of planting in rows, ten feet apart,
preparing the soil first. He runs the vines along trellises, and thinks they can be raised
in this way on almost any soil. He attends to underdraining, and sets the vines in prepared
ridges, training them six feet high, tied to trellises. The fruit seems to ripen better if the
vines are trimmed ; besides, trimming gets rid of mildew. He trims in the fall, immedi-
-diately after the grapes are gathered.

Mr. Bauer thought the trellis should run north and south, and the vines be kept
down to six feet, the wood being renewed. Laterals should be cut off, and plenty of air
allowed to circulate. The leaves are requisite to shade the fruit. The first year, he said,
cut down plants to two eyes, the second year to three eyes, and the third to four. He
sulphurs the plants three times a year, by a bellows with a curved nozzle. De la Vergne's
system of sulphuring will suit a garden, but not a vineyard. The sulphur is put into the
bellows. Sulphur, Mr. B. said, prevented mildew, but would not cure the rot, nor did he
know of anything that would.

Mr. Grace said that he adopts Fuller's system of culture.

The third question was then proposed, namely, " The best varieties oj vines for making
wine."

Mr. Burnet thought the Clinton too acid for wines, but recommended a mixture of the
Isabella and Clinton — half and half ; thought the Delaware made the best wine ; but the
Catawba was very good, as was also the Iona.

Mr. Bauer thought nothing better than Clinton and Delaware. For white wine, the

18

Delaware was as good as any grape raised in Europe ; it had all the properties for the
best and most solid wine, and if carefully made, the wine would compete with any in the
world. The specific gravity of Hartford was 50 \ Delaware, 75. Arnold's No. 5 was
very heavy in the saccharine matter.

Mr. Smith made his best wines by a mixture of various kinds.

Mr. Bennett thought a temperature of 62° or 64°, during fermentation, was essential
to good wine.

Mr. Bauer was of the same opinion, but preferred 60° all the year round. The equal-
ity of temperature made the wine more pure and fine.

The Secretary thought that, for red wine, the Clinton, and for white, the Delaware,
were the best.

It was then resolved that, " Whereas a number of parties have brought fruit, especi-
ally apples, here, to be named by the Association, a committee be appointed to name such
fruit, and that the President name the committee."

Messrs. Beadle, Arnold, Holton and Leslie were appointed.

The meeting took a recess.

Evening Session.

Subject for discussion : "The best variety of grape for table use."

Mr. Bennett thought Delaware best for this climate \ Iona, Creveling, Adirondac and
Israella would be next, and could be cultivated with success in this section.

Mr. Bull thought that no one grape would fill the gap — that they must have a succes-
sion ; thought those named by Mr. Bennett were very good ; thought the Rebecca very
good, and the Diana the best keeper.

Mr. Bennett thought the Rebecca did not break well in spring, but the Diana kept
very well.

Mr. Saunders would place the Delaware first on the list ; liked the Adirondac, Iona
and Israella. These were so good, he did not know which to choose for next best ;
liked the Diana very well.

Mr. W. H. Mills would qualify his statement in regard to those grapes just named, as
they might be good locally, but not so generally. The Delaware was the best in his own
ground, but it does not do well everywhere. The Diana did well with him, but did not
ripen evenly, and had to be thinned to get good bunches ; would add to those mentioned
Rogers' No. 4 ; thought a great deal of it ; thought the Creveling a very fine grape, but it
did not set well unless grown with other grapes.

Mr. Saunders thought Mr. Arnold's No. 5 much superior to the Rebecca, and thought
it would compare very favourably with the Golden Chasselas and Sweetwater, grown un-
der glass.

Mr. Arnold said the Delaware would succeed in Paris, but it required too much care ;
with high culture it did admirably. The Iona was a very delicious grape, but it killed to
the ground every winter. If confined to a single grape, he would choose Rogers' No. 15 ;
it was the best flavoured grape he had, but not a perfect flower. Rogers' No. 4 was a good
bunch ; Diana did not bear, was perfectly useless, though it kept well. But he would pit
his No. 16 or 2 against the Diana for keeping. Creveling was tender with fum. Adiron-
dae, he thought, lacked character — nothing but sugar and water.

Mr. Chisholm thought the seasons, as well as the localities, had a great deal to do
with grapes.

Mr. Beadle said, the best table grape was the first ripe grape he could get. The Adi-
rondac and Rogers' No. 3 ripened the earliest ; then the Creveling came in, and was very
fine. After that, some more of Rogers' came in, Nos. 33 and 44 ; then the Delaware. He
liked the Delaware very much ; it required a porous soil ; it did not do well on stiff clay.
The Delaware was the best. He found that Rogers' Hybrids, when fully ripe, did not
improve ; but the Delaware got better the longer it was kept. He had kept it to Christ-
mas. Took Concord next, and found it to ripen better than the Isabella.

Mr. Hislop would enquire if the Association had adopted or appointed a committee for
the identification and classification of fruit, and thought it would be a benefit to fruit
growers to do so.

19

Mr. W. H. Mills would suggest that the classification of summer, autumn and win"
ter did very well, and that any closer classification could not be carried out.

Rev. Mr. Slaght thought the Association should pass a resolution, recommending the
various agricultural shows to have fruit correctly classified, and named in all the classes.

Mr. Bennett thought it very important to have all fruit correctly named.

Mr. Beadle then read the report of the Committee on seedling fruit. (See report.)

The report was adopted unanimously. Discussion on the "grape-vine flea-beetle" was
next in order.

Mr. Saunders, of London, said this beetle was easier managed in the larva state. In
the beetle state it was very active ; while it was destructive in both the larva and
beetle states.

Mr. Arnold knew enough of the destruction caused by it, but did not know how to
get rid of it.

Mr. Bauer thought a lot of chickens would make a clearance of them.

Mr. Beadle found them easily killed in the larva state, which would be the best time
to get rid of them.

Mr. Saunders thought hellebore would be effectual in killing the larva.

Mr. Arnold had not found the hellebore of any use ; thought the Virginia creeper a
nursery for them.

Mr. Saunders thought the same insects that fed on the grape would also feed on the
creeper.

Mr. Bauer said, a wash of tobacco Stems, boiled in water, with soap and sal soda ad-
ded, would be very effectual.

Mr. Saunden, thought Mr. Bauer's remedy very good.

Mr. Bauer promised to furnish the exact proportions to the Secretary, by letter, for
publication.

The pear blight discussion was postponed until next meeting.

Mr. Mills gave notice of a motion for amendment of the constitution.

The next meeting was ordered to be held in Hamilton, at the call of the President,
and the Society adjourned.

At the Directors' meeting, held immediately after, it was resolved that the following
subjects should be submitted to the next meeting for discussion, namely : —

1. The Pear Blight.

2. The best varieties of Winter Pears.

3. Does close summer pinching in or heading back produce bearing fruit
spurs 1 — If so, is it done without injury to the life of the tree 1 When is this
pinching to be done, and how %

4. What effects are produced by thinning out Fruit, both as regards the
Fruit and the Tree 1

5. Can Fruit be kept for any length of time beyond the natural period of
ripening, and how ?

6. What are the best varieties of Apples for shipping %

FRUIT REPORTS.

Report of Committee on Apples.

Your Committee find a number of seedling apples, namely :

Shown by C. Arnold, Paris, five varieties.

Shown by A. Forfar, Scarborough, three varieties.

Shown by S. M. Durkee, Wellington Square, two varieties.

Shown by James Cowherd, Newport, seven varieties, and six of crabs.

Shown by Thos. Chisholm, one variety.

In Cultivated Varieties.
James Heaslip exhibits King of Tompkins County.

20

Mr. Woolverton shows Cranberry Pippin, King; of Tompkins County, Cooper's Mar-
ket, Baldwin, and Yellow Bellflower.

Mr. Russell Smith sends Northern Spy, Baldwin, Seek-no-further, Ribston Pippin,
Greening, Rambo, Swaar, Spitzenberg, Talman's Sweet, Sweet Bough, Fall Pippin, Fallo-
water, and several varieties for name.

Mr. James Grace shews about twenty varieties, for which he wishes names.

W. A. Smith shews twelve varieties of apples.

W. H. Mills, Hamilton, exhibits a fine sample of Alexander, King of Tompkins Coun-
ty, R. I. Greening, Gravenstein, Autumn Strawberry, and three crabs.

Mr. James Cowherd, Newport, shows a fine collection of forty-three varieties of
apples. The largest apple amongst them is the Flower of Genesee.

Thomas Spencer shows an exceedingly fine sample of King of Tompkins County.

T. Turnbull shows twenty good varieties of apples, and three varieties for name.

Many of the specimens shewn are very creditable ; but of the cultivated varieties, no
new ones are noticed, except such as have been on exhibition before. Not having tested
the seedlings, we can say nothing of them, more than that some are of fine appearance.
The testing them comes under the jurisdiction of another committee.

Geokge Leslie. )
Charles Arnold, J

Report of Committee on Pears.

Your Committee, appointed to examine the Pears upon the table, beg to report that
they find the following :

From President Burnet, fifteen varieties, among which they find — very fine — Beurre
Bosc, Duchesse and Flemish Beauty, — a specimen of the latter weighing one pound.

F. M. Bennett, 30 varieties, including Winter Nelis. Sheldon, Easter Beurre, and
Belle et Bonne, of superior excellence.

From Mr. Woolverton, eight varieties, among which fine Swan's Orange, and Kingses-
sings were noted.

From Mr. Whitlaw, fifteen varieties, including handsome specimens of Triomphe de
Jodoigne, Kingsessing, and Louise Bonne de Jersey.

From Mr. Arnold, three varieties.

Prom Mr. R. Smith, three varieties.

From Mr. Grace, one variety.

From Mr. W. A. Smith, eleven varieties, among which were noted good specimens of
Stevens' Genesee, Yerte Longue, and Louise Bonne de Jersey.

From Mr. Holton, fifteen varieties, including handsome Howell and Napoleon.

From Mr. W. H. Mills, ten varieties, among which we note fine Duchesse, Belle Lu-
crative, and Yicar of Winkfield.

From Mr. Turnbull, three varieties.

From Mr. Ball, one variety of seedling Pear, small size, not ripe, for further examin-
ation.

Your Committee have to express great satisfaction at the splendid display, as a whole.

All of which is submitted.

W. Holton. )

C. E. Woolverton. J

Report of the Committee on Grapes.

Your Committee on Grapes, Plums, &c, beg to report as follows :
We find, placed on the table by the Rev. Mr. Burnet, of Hamilton, three varieties of
grapes, namely, the Hungarian Princess, better known as the Zinfindal, grown in the open
air, weighing one pound and over, a grape very compact, but not of high flavor, which
may be owing to the extremely wet season ; the Riessling, and the Chester Seedling, No.
1, of very fine flavor, grown in open air, by the Rev. Dr. McMurray, of Niagara.

Mr. William Saunders, of London, exhibited some fine Pond's Seedling Plums, meas-
uring six inches in circumference, and Smith's Orleans, 5 J inches.

21

Mr. A. B. Bennett, of Brantford, showed Delaware and Creveling grapes, fine, and
quite ripe, and Ionas.

Mr. Hislop, of Ancaster, showed Fox Grapes, very large.

Mr. Woolverton, of Grimsby, showed Allen's Hybrid, Iona and Diana.

Russell Smith, Esq., of Fairtield Plains, exhibited Black Hamburgh (under glass),
Concord (open air), also Hartford Prolific, very good, and Delaware.

Mr. W. H. Mills, Hamilton, some fine Dianas, weighing ten ounces in the bunch,;
Delawares, 4 J ounces ; Isabellas, 9A ounces ; also, a very poor grape, called the King ;
Rebeccas, Rogers' Nos. 1 5 and 4, Concords, very good and large, and well ripened ; Ionas,
nearly ripe ; Black Hamburgh (under glass) ; also, Bo wood Muscat, a single bunch weigh-
ing 1 lb., 6 1 oz. ; some very fine Plums, namely, Pond's Seedling, Reine Claude de Bavay
and Bingham.

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, exhibited some fruit of fall-bearing raspberries, namely, the
Yellow Canada Raspberry, Arnold's Red, and the General Negley.

A variety of Peach, called the Smock Freestone, a late, large, fine Peach for preserv-
ing, was placed on the table by Mr. Woolverton, of Grimsby.

We would not feel justified in closing this report without taking special notice of
some very fine Seedling Peaches, placed on the table by Mr. James Cowherd, of Newport
— six varieties, some of which, we trust, he may put more prominently before the country
by inviting a committee from the Association, next season, to examine and report upon
them.

W. H. Mills. )
Wm. Saunders. ]

Report on Seedling Fruit. — Apples.

Mr. Cowherd's Collection :

No. 1. — Fall Apple, large, conical, striped, acid, only fit for cooking, and has no dis-
tinctive merits to make it worthy of dissemination.

No. 2. — Said to be a seedling of the Ksopus Spitzenberg, possessing, in appearance,
much of the characteristics of that fruit, but much larger. A very promising apple, which
the Committee would like to test when fully ripe.

No. 3. — Fall Apple, medium size, pleasant, sub-acid, but not equal to other cultivated
varieties of same season.

No. 4. — Medium size, sharp acid, without flavour.

No. 5. — Very fine, medium size, promising to be a good keeper \ very acid, but the
Committee would like to see it when fully ripe.

No. 6. — Fall Apple, sweet, medium size ; no particular merit.

No. 7. — A pretty Apple, but very tart, without flavour.

Mr. Chisholm's :

One variety, medium size, conical, green, with a red cheek, very acid, and no im-
provement.

Mr. Forf air's :

No. 1. — Fall Apple, medium size, flattish, pale yellow ; said to be grown on a tree
seventy years of age ; mild, very agreeable flavour, and fine grain ; a very promising table
Apple, not to be overlooked.

No. 2. — Fall Apple, sweet, flat, red, striped j no merit.

No. 3. — Winter Apple, flat, green, with a red cheek, and covered with numerous
white dots ; firm flesh, of a peculiar and rich flavour \ an Apple to be looked after by the
Committee.

Mr. Durkee's :

No. 1. — Conical, red, striped, but no merit.

No. 2. — Good size, very handsome, flat, very red, striped; an early winter apple; in
the estimation of the Committee, only fit for cooking. Mr. Durkee has, however, prom-
ised to lay the Apple before the Committee during the winter.
B

22

In the collection of Seedling Crabs, by Mr. Cowherd, there are none of anything like
the quality of the Transcendant, consequently can not be recommended for dissemination.
One of them (No. 2) has more the appearance of a small Apple than a Crab, and is quite
sweet.

In Mr. Cowherd's selection of Seedling Peaches, the Committee are of opinion that
those marked Nos. 4, 7, 9 and 10, are the best, and should not be lost sight of. The
Committee hope to see the Peaches numbered above laid before them or the Association
another year.

Nova Scotia Apples.

The Directors of this Society held a meeting at the City of Hamihon on Wednesday,
the 8th December, 1869.

The occasion was made more than usually interesting by the reception of a collection
of apples from Nova Scotia, sent by the Fruit Growers' Association of that Province, with
their cordial greetings, and the expression of a desire on their part to make exchanges of
scions, specimens of fruit, and information concerning the culture of fruit. The collection
embraced forty-nine varieties of apple, many of them being well known sorts, which are
generally cultivated in this Province, such as th3 E. I. Greening, BAbston Pippin, Graven-
stein, Northern Spy, Baldwin, &c. According to the letter received from the Secretary
of the Society, they sent one hundred and sixty-one apples, but only some one hundred
and forty could be found in the barrel when it came to hand. The barrel had been opened
in the course of its transit and plundered. In consequence of this the apples that did
reach their destination were very badly bruised. The fruit was sent from Halifax by
steamer to Portland, and thence by Grand Trunk Railway to Toronto, and the Nova
Scotia Society paid the freight through, including the bonding charges at Island Pond, so
that no Customs Official nor any one else had any right to open the barrel, much less to
plunder it. It is a shame that a small parcel of fruit cannot pass from one part of the
Dominion to another without being thus molested. The Nova Scotia friends had taken
much pains to paste a numbered tipket upon the fruit to correspond with the list for-
warded by mail, but nearly all these numbers had been rubbed off in consequence of such
unauthorized disturbance, so that the value of the specimens was mostly lost.

It is very interesting, however, to see the samples of fruits well known to our culti-
vators, and easily recognized even without any numbers, to compare them with the same
varieties grown here, and likewise to know the estimate in which they are held in Nova
Scotia.

The R I. Greenings were what would be here considered as a fair sample of that va-
riety, not quite such as would be selected to exhibit at a County Exhibition. They say
that it does well there on warm light soils.

The Ribston Pippins were a very fine sample, and their remark is that it ranks high
as a market apple.

The Gravensteins were a fair sample, not extra. This Sort is esteemed by them, as
by us. a first-class apple for market, for the table, and for profit.

The samples of Yellow Bellflower were very fine indeed, and they say that it is first-
class on light, dry soils.

The Northern Spy apples would be considered of medium size by us, and not very
well coloured. They say that this variety has been scarcely tested yet, and seems tardy
in bearing.

The Alexanders were doubtless very fair samples when put up, but they reached us
in exceedingly bad order. This variety was at first condemned in Nova Scotia, but is
now considered profitable. N

Their Snow Apples were very fine, and they report them to be prolific and hardy, but
apt to spot and mildew. This is the character of this apple in the warmer parts of On-
tario, but in the more northern sections it is much less liable to be spotted.

The Pom me Grise would be here considered an inferior sample. They speak of it a3
good, but too small for profit.

The samples of Westfield Seek-no-further were very fine, and evidently confirm their
report of it that it does well there, even better, we judge, than with us.

23

Their Baldwin was a very good sample, and according to the report, is one of their
standard sorts.

The samples of the English Golden Pippin were very fine and well grown, and it is
reported by them to do well there, and sell readily at high prices.

They report the Talman Sweet as a long keeper and a good cooking variety ; Lyman's
Pumpkin Sweet as a first-class baking fruit, that sells quickly where known ; the Hub-
bardston's Nonsuch as prolific and good, and ^Esopus Spitzenburg as good, but variable.

From this, our reader will be able to form some idea of the apples of Nova Scotia,
and the capabilities of that Province for their successful cultivation.

A number of local varieties were sent, but owing to the labels being rubbed off, it
was quite impossible to identify, save a very few of them. There was one, however, which
was called the Iron Apple, that came in an excellent state of preservation, and seemed to
be a very fine apple, having a fine grain and a rich and somewhat aromatic flavour.

The Secretary of the Association was instructed to acknowledge the receipt of tho
apples, with many thanks, and to express to our Nova Scotia brethren the appreciation by
this Society of their kindness, and the readiness of the Society and officials at all times
to reciprocate in any way that may be of service to them, this expression of their fraternal
regard.

Circular to the Members of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario.

At a recent meeting of the Fruit Growers' Association a resolution was unanimously
passed that the President and Secretary should be instructed to prepare a prospectus of
the objects contemplated by the Society, for gratuitous distribution among the members
and others.

In pursuance of this appointment, the following synopsis is respectfully submitted to
the consideration of our Provincial fruit growers.

Article II. of the Constitution comprises the following summary : — " Its objects shall
be the advancement of the Science and Art of fruit culture, by holding meetings for the
exhibition of fruit and for the discussion of all questions relative to fruit culture ; by col-
lecting, arranging and disseminating useful information, and by such other means as may
from time to time seem advisable/'

A wide field is thus opened up to us by the framers of our constitution — room enough
on the one hand for the discussion of abstract and speculative principles, and on the other,
verge for the most acute, or it my be, the most prosy performances in practical gardening.

The aim and ambition of our Fruit Growers' Association is, directly and indirectly,
to lead the votaries of horticulture' to the study of vegetable physiology. The highest
delights of horticulture are to be derived from a knowledge of the growth of the different
species of fruits, and the functions of the various parts of plants ; of the principles that
govern and regulate growth and maturity, the formation of wood and the production of fruit.

Meteorology, too, looms up as a necessary adjunct to the success of the gardener.
Pomologists and fruit-culturists in the United States fully realize the importance of this
branch of science as materially modifying the circumstances of weather — heat and cold,
drought and moisture — which affect the labours of the horticulturist. The philosophical
discussions on this subject in horticultural assemblies or conventions in the United States
are worthy of our imitation. It may not perhaps be amiss to hint to our members, that a
free discussion on the benefits of scientific study, whether of chemistry, botany, or meteor-
ology, might not be out of place alongside of our animated assertions about "pear blight,"
"frozen sap," or "fungous growth." What profitable discussion might arise from the simple
but prevalent principles of light, moisture, heat, or its negation, cold. How much know-
ledge is requisite for the adequate discussion of any one of these subjects, and yet how
absolutely necessary is such knowledge to the would-be successful horticulturist ? We may
here direct attention to the fact that Professor Kingston, of Toronto, will furnish, at a
small expense, the necessary instruments of observation, and provide (gratis) directions
for the use of the observer.

Our Association is also designed to promote the Art of fruit-culture. The first grand
pre-requisite of this art is to know "a good soil." A clayey loam is the best for fruit-

24

growing, although different varieties of fruit require different soils ; some doing well on
stiff clay, others on sandy or light texture.

Draining will also come under this division. It is essential to all soils. If the inferior
strata be retentive, draining must be executed with the greatest care to carry off the super-
fluous moisture. In "The Essay on the Philosophy of Drainage" it is shewn that "the
thermometer in drained land rose, in June, 1837, to 66° at seven inches below the surface,
while in the neighbouring water-logged land, it would never rise above 47°." The reason
why drained land gains heat consists in the well-known fact, that heat cannot be trans-
mitted downwards through water. It is melancholy to see the effects of wet land in our
Province, or indeed anywhere. Witness the swamp between St. Catharines and Niagara;,
the level land in the neighbourhood, east and west of Komoka, and elsewhere. How
desirable for townships to club together and clear main or leading drains, so as to allow
individuals along the line the opportunity of draining their lands. The stunted, under-
grown, moss-covered fruit trees, the poor stubble, the over-rank grass, all cry out for agri-
cultural and horticultural societies to do their duty, and urge men to benefit themselves
and their neighbours.

Manures. — The proper application of manures to fruit trees also requires our atten-
tion. In manuring an orchard, shall we apply the manure to the surface, or let it do the
double duty of mulching and enriching'? The object of this Association is to ascertain
and disseminate correct views of this and kindred questions.

Shelter for fruit trees, and even for land, is a consideration every year becoming more
and more necessary for us on this high table plateau. As the country is getting denuded
of its timber, the remark is frequently made, how changed our seasons are now from what
they were five-and-twenty years ago. Doubtless, this is a fact not to be gainsayed. From
observations by Professor Kingston, Toronto, the rainfall of this district is gradually decreas-
ing. The planting of trees for shelter for land and crops has been proved productive of
abundant rain ; what rain would do for this country, if sufficiently copious, every summer,
is known to every farmer. The climate becomes ameliorated, and many blessings flow in
the train of attention to this one of the most essential items of successful agriculture and
horticulture. Let only municipalities vie with each other in arboriculture, and an incalcuable
amount of good would accrue to themselves and to the country at large. To elicit and dis-
seminate information on this important subject will come within the aims of this society.

Fencing is also pressing itself on the attention of farmers, gardeners, and others.
Why should not the members of the Fruit Growers' Association strive to indoctrinate their
neighbours and friends with better views than have as yet prevailed on this subject 1 As
lumber becomes scarce, a substitute must be found and employed. In Westminster, the
Messrs. Macpherson have miles of thriving quickset thorn hedges round their fields. The
Thorn of the country is not winter-killed, and the benefit to the fields is great by the hedge
having an open drain, or as it is called, a sunk fence, accompanying it in its length and
breadth. We are to ascertain by experiment and discussion what plants are best adapted
to hedging in this country.

Fruits.

The Apple. — As regards the art of fruit-culture, it remains for us to notice the great
staple of Canadian fruit-culture — the apple, and its varieties.

The Province has, unfortunately, been flooded with all sorts of apple trees. A class
of middle men, who make a trade on the ignorance and credulity of our farmers, has been
of incalculable damage to fruit-growing. Any name is easily attached to the trees after
they are got from the nurserymen, and it is only after years of anxiety and labour in rais-
ing them, that experience finds out that they are a worthless variety. A local tax oi
the vendors of such trees is the only means we see of successfully putting an end to this
kind of traffic. Every member of our Fruit Growers' Association is invited to lend a help-
ing hand to suppress this evil. In presenting to our present and future members a list
of varieties to be cultivated and recommended for general trial throughout the Province, wt
cannot do better than quote from the prize essay on the apple, which will be found in th<
Report of the Honcurable Commissioner of Agriculture and Arts of the Province of Ontaric
for 1869, and in the Canada Farmer for November, 1868.

" It will usually be found that an orchard for family use, comprising the following

25

varieties, will give good returns in fruit, and furnish a supply throughout the season, viz. :
For summer, the Early Harvest and Red Astracan, as sour apples ; and the Sweet Bough.
For early autumn, the Duchess of Oldenburgh, Gravenstein, Primate and Jersey Sweet.
For late autumn and early winter, the Ribston Pippin, Hubbardston Nonsuch, Fall Pip-
pin, and Snow Apple. For midwinter to March, the R. I. Greening, Northern Spy,
Esopus Spitzenburg, Pomme Grise, and Tolman Sweet ; for spring, the Golden Russet, and
Roxbury Russet.

For market, the most profitable varieties are Red Astracan, Duchess of Oldenburgh,
Gravenstein, and Hubbardston Nonsuch, ripening in the order in which they are named,
for a near or home market ; and for shipping, the R. I. Greening, Baldwin, Golden Russet,
and Roxbury Russet, will yield the largest pecuniary returns."

The Fear. — For pear Culture we are persuaded that the most profitable varieties for
home use or for market are very few, and we would strongly recommend the Louise Bonne
de Jersey, Bartlett, Beurre d'Anjou, Beurre Clairgeau, Flemish Beauty, Duchesse d'An-
gouleme, Graslin, Sheldon, and Winter Nelis.

The Plum. — The following varieties of plum are recommended after trial throughout
a large portion of the Province : — Lombard, Washington, Huling's Superb, Jefferson,
Smith's Orleans, Coe's Golden Drop, G uthrie's Apricot, and Green Gage.

The Cherry. — Most of the varieties of cherry succeed well in warm and sheltered
localities ; such as Black Tartarian, May Duke, Black Eagle, Elton, and Napoleon Bigarreau.

Strawberries. — Strawberries of all sorts do well. Wilson's Albany bears the palm,
and is by far the most productive of all the varieties. For cultivation the Association
recommend Wilson's Albany, Triomphe de Gand, Jucunda, Trollope's Victoria, Agricul-
turist, Nicanor, and Russel's Prolific.

Small Fruits. — For an exhaustive list of small fruits, their mode of cultivation, in-
sect pests, market value, planting, soil, etc., we would unhesitatingly 7-ecommend the prize
essay on this subject by Mr. William Saunders, of London, published in the April number
of the Canada Farmer for 1870, and in this report.

Grape Culture is yet in its infancy in Ontario. Mr. Underhill, the veteran vine cul-
turist, recently paid us a visit, and declared to several of our members, that he had seen
no part of the North American Continent so suitable for vine culture as the western
portion of the Province of Ontario. The leading varieties which have been long tested,
are Clinton and Concord, Delaware and Adirondac, Creveling and Rogers' Hybrids.

Meetings for the Exhibition of Fruit.

Our Association holds an annual meeting at the place where the Provincial Exhibition
is held, at which the office-bearers for the season are chosen Three other general meetings
are held in different localities, where exhibitions and discussions on old and new varieties
of fruit give interest to the meetings and profit to the members.

Collecting, arranging and disseminating useful information. — The Honourable the Com-
missioner of Agriculture issued queries to the several agricultural and horticultural soci-
eties ; which, having been answered, were condensed and arranged by the Secretary and
President of our Association, and appear in a collected form in our Report for 1869. A
copy of this compilation is placed in the hands of all our members.

The Association has also from time to time offered and awarded prizes for the best
essays on subjects connected with horticulture. Such essays have been published, and
other papers of a similar kind, and these publications are known to have given an impetus
to horticulture among the yeomanry of our Western Province.

The Council of the Association has also offered prizes for collections of insects pre-
judicial to agriculture and horticulture, and at this moment several of the most learned
and enthusiastic entomologists in the country are members of our Association — ever ready
to hold their ability and knowledge at the disposal and for the instruction of our Associ-
ation. Nor ought mention to be forgotten of the efforts the Agricultural Board are mak-
ing in the same direction, it having recently contributed a handsome sum for a similar pur-
pose. Prizes for the encouragement of hybridizers, and producers of new aud valuable
fruits, have been held out as inducements for members to enter the arena, and contend

26

with enthusiastic producers on the other side of the line. The future is big with wonders,
through the efforts of such men as Wilder, Dana, Hovey, Grant and Arnold.

Correspondence, too, has been opened up with the neighbouring Provinces, and an in-
terchange of fruits for exhibition has been the result. Our reports are thus widely cir-
culated, and only the other day we received a valuable gift on agriculture from Sir William
Young, through the Board of Agriculture of Nova Scotia. We desire others to share in
the advancement of the common good of this and the other Provinces of Canada.

More recently we have entered upon another means for the advancement of fruit cul-
ture, in that we have unanimously agreed to present to every member a specimen of some
new vine or fruit tree. This year "the Eumelan," a new vine highly recommended, was
placed in the hands of every member desiring it, on condition of reporting to our Soci-
ety of its success or failure during the next five years ; a condition we hope to see generally
complied with.

Nor does the Association leave the horticulturist at a loss what to do with his fruit,
and how to keep it, after he has raised it. We have had profitable discussion on the
marketing and preserving of fruits. We desire generalization on both matters, and anx-
iously look to the old and new members for expressions of their experience on such matters,
in order to a wide circulation for the public benefit.

There is just one desideratum that we would like to mention, and that is the enlist-
ment of the middle class of society in this good work — the encouragement of the amateur
who has only his quarter or half an acre. The study and practice of horticulture has an
elevating and humanizing tendency. To the wearied artizan on his return from a heavy
day's work, there is nothing so refreshing as the tending of a few fruit trees in his garden
patch. Indeed, wherever this taste has assumed the form of enthusiasm, comfort, content,
health and happiness, have almost invariably been the concomitants. With the increase
of fresh members, intent on the accomplishment of the grand objects of the Association,
we may look for fresh successes and triumphs on new and unbroken ground.

ROBERT BURNET, President
D. W. BEADLE, Secretary.

Fruit-Groweks' Association of Ontario.

The regular winter meeting of this Association was held on the 3rd of February, 1870,
at the Court House in the city of Hamilton. There was a very good attendance of mem-
bers, and considerable interest manifested in the subjects discussed.

The meeting was called to order by the President, Rev. R. Burnet, and after reading
of minutes,

Mr. Rykert called attention to the Fruit Prize List of the Agricultural and Arts
Association, and suggested the desirability of having it extended and better classified.

Mr. Mills stated that he had no doubt the Agricultural Association would alter the
Prize List to meet the views of this Society, as they had made many changes last year
upon his recommendation.

This subject was left in the hands of the President, and the meeting proceeded to the
discussion of the first subject,

The Pear Blight.

Mr. A. P. Farrell, of Cayuga, had tried iron filings, applied to the roots by mixing
them with the soil, and at the same time carefully and thoroughly cut out the blighted
and affected portions of the trees, and they had grown very thriftily since.

Mr. Bennett, of Brantford, had tried the same application and treatment, and thought
he had found it to be very beneficial until this year, when very many of his trees blighted,
and there seemed to be nothing left but to cut off the diseased portions as often as they
appeared.

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, was entirely at a loss what to say or do concerning this disease.
It had baffled all his skill, and set at nought all his attempts to devise a remedy, and he
had none to offer.

Mr. Morse, of Smithville, had but little experience with the pear blight. (Fortunate

27

man.) It was only when trees made a very luxuriant growth that he had found them
liable to be killed back, probably by the effects of the winter. He mentioned an experi-
ment that had been tried by some gentleman, who gave some of his trees very high
cultivation, and some very little care. Those that were highly cultivated were all of them
more or less affected, while those with but little cultivation were all good and sound.
He was inclined to believe that the trees suffered most from sudden changes from heat
to cold in the early part of the growing season. He thought that the application of
ashes, and perhaps, of a little lime, was of the greatest possible benefit in the culture of
the pear, both as regards the blight and the general growth and vigour of the tree.

Mr. W. H. Mills, of Hamilton, thought there were three causes of blight in the pear
tree: — First, frozen sap blight; second, summer blight, arising from different causes; and
third, a blight caused by fungoid growth. He thought that if evaporation is rapid during
the growing season, and the tree is not well supplied, and this condition is followed by a
few days of warm rain with a close atmosphere, then the tree become^ gorged with sap,
the over-strained sap-vessels burst, turn black, and are in a fit state to be attacked by
some fungus, which finds in this condition of things just that which is most conducive to
its own rapid growth.

Judge Logie, of Hamilton, had applied coal ashes, mixed with wood ashes and a little
well rotted manure, and has never known the trees thus treated to become blighted. • He
thought the soil had much to do with the blight, and that in soils in which lime is deficient,
the application of a moderate quantity was highly beneficial.

Mr. A. M. Smith, of Lockport, N. Y., said he had much faith in the use of lime and
wood ashes. He also washes his trees with soap and lime water, and does not cultivate
very highly.

Mr. Holton had watched with much interest the progress of a pear orchard belonging
to Mr. Lewis Springer, who had made an incision into the bark of the trees, running from
the limbs down the trunk to the ground. This cut was made just through the outer bark,
but not down to the wood, in the month of June. Thus far, this orchard had escaped
the blight. He has also been seriously troubled with a blight in his crab apple trees,
especially in the Montreal Beauty, which is not a very rapid grower, and thought the
disease to be the same as the pear blight. It usually began in the tops of the trees and
worked downward.

Mr. Arnold asked if any one had seen a pear tree blighted, the cultivation of which
had been wholly neglected.

Mr. Rykert replied that he knew of an orchard of dwarf pear trees in the vicinity of
St. Catherines which had been totally neglected, was allowed to grow up with weeds and
grass that nearly hid the trees from sight, and a large part of that orchard had been killed
with blight.

Mr. Mills said he had for several years past been in the habit of making longitudinal
incisions in the bark of his pear trees in the manner mentioned by Mr. Holton, and had
not found any of his trees to be affected with the blight since he had tried this plan.

Mr. Saunders, of London, stated that he had an orchard of pear trees in a light,
hungry soil, and one of those trees was killed by the blight. That one had made the least
growth of any.

Mr. Bennett remarked that the frozen sap blight which appeared in trees making too
rapid growth was easily understood, but the other blight, which he thinks is quite distinct,
known as the fire-blight, is a puzzle.

Dr. L. Cross, of St. Catherines, has noticed a form of blight which is indicated by the
bark turning black in spots, and that the trees which are attacked in this way always die.

Mr. Freed, of Hamilton, thought that the blight was more prevalent after a severe
winter. He was disposed to believe that the severe frost was the first cause of the blight,
the hot summer finishing the evil then commenced.

Mr. Beadle thought there was only one disease, which was varied in its manifesta-
tions, and that it was well known by the name of fire blight. He had seen this disease in
seedling pear trees that had never passed through a winter, and known them killed
entirely by it. He had known charcoal used, and for a time it seemed to have the effect
of preventing the blight, none having been seen among the trees so treated for some eight

28

or ten years. But all at once the blight broke out again, and many of those trees were
killed by it. He had seen trees growing in clay soils, in sandy soils, and in gravelly soils,
alike suffer from this fire blight ; had seen them blighted when growing wholly neglected
in a fence corner, as well as when well carefully cultivated in the garden. He trusted,
however, that further and protracted experiments would be tried, in hopes of yet finding
some remedy or preventive of this disease.

On motion of Mr. Morse, seconded by Mr. Rykert, leave was granted to introduce at
this meeting a memorial to Parliament, in effect praying that our Government would impose
upon fruit trees coming into Canada from the United States the same duty that is
imposed by that Government upon the same articles, when sent there from Canada.

The meeting then took a recess until two o'clock p.m.

Afternoon Session.
»

Messrs. Holton, George Leslie, junr., and C. Arnold were appointed a committee to
examine and report upon the seedling apples and other fruits on the table.

There was a very fine collection of many varieties of winter apples and late keeping
pears on the table, brought together by the members from different parts of the country.
The reports- of the Soeiety for the year 1869 were distributed to the members present.
Members entitled to them who were not present received them by mail.

Mr. Morse introduced the memorial to the Legislature, stating that he was a free
trade man, and felt that if our Government would impose upon the products of the United
States the same duties that they impose upon our products, they would soon see the folly
of attempting to drive us into annexation by the course they were now pursuing, and
would be very glad to return to a more liberal policy.

Considerable diversity of opinion was expressed, and an animated discussion was
maintained for some time, which we omit, as throwing no light on the cultivation of fruit.

It was at length resolved, by a vote of seventeen to ten, to send the memorial
introduced by Mr. Morse, to the several branches of the Legislature, and that the President
and Secretary sign the same.

Nothing new was elicited on the subject of winter pears. The President spoke very
highly of the Beurre Millet, had found it a very fine pear, and thought it well worthy of
trial

The Beurre Millet, of Angers, is a very vigorous and productive tree. The fruit is
of medium size, having a greenish skin, covered with russett, and thickly sprinkled with
minute russet dots. The flesh is whitish, somewhat buttery, juicy, melting, with a brisk
vinous flavour. In use in December and January.

Summer Pinching

Was the next subject discussed. The President stated that for eight or nine years he had
pursued the system of pinching in the growing shoots. This should be done in dry
weather, and on no account is it to be done in wet weather. The effect of this summer
pinching was to increase the quantity of fruit and induce the trees to fruit earlier. This
pinching should be done in the end of June or beginning of July.

Mr. Townsend, of Hamilton, said he had a large number of pear trees under his care,
always summer pinched in the manner described by the President, and was fully satisfied
of its beneficial effects.

Mr. Saunders agreed in the main with the President, but had found that you could
not always depend upon obtaining greater fruitfulness by summer pinching. He had a
plum tree which he had summer pinched most thoroughly, in the hope of making it fruit,
but it had spent its whole force in making wood, in despite of all his pinching.

Mr. Beadle was of opinion that the tendency of summer pinching was to arrest the
wood growth and induce the tree to form fruit spurs. There may be occasional excep-
tions, owing to some peculiar counteracting cause, but in the main the effect may be re-
lied upon.

29

Thinning out the Fruit.

Mr. Morden, of Halloway, County of Hastings, thought there could be no question
but that the thinning out of the fruit was very beneficial both to the development and
perfection of the fruit that was allowed to remain, and to the tree.

Mr. Mills had had considerable experience in thinning out the fruit, and found it to
be exceedingly beneficial. He instanced a dwarf apple tree, of the variety known as the
Alexander. He commenced to thin this out when the fruit was quite young, about the
size of a walnut, and removed about half of the fruit. Later in the season he became
satisfied that he had left too much fruit on this tree, and he thinned it out again, and
finally left about half a bushel on the tree, and as the result of this thinning, every apple
was perfect, they were of uniform size, and perfect beauties. He takes off the smaller
and imperfect fruit, and is confident that the value of the crop thus obtained is decidedly
greater than if the entire crop set were allowed to remain on the tree.

Mr. Morse and Mr. Freed confirmed what had been said, believing that both size and
quality of the fruit were improved by proper thinning out, and that the price realized
from the fruit of an orchard would be greater than if the whole were allowed to grow.

The President stated that if only the proper quantity of fruit were allowed to grow,
which, of course, varied with the size and vigour of the tree, plenty of fruit spurs would
be formed by the tree for the production of fruit the following year ; but if all the fruit
was allowed to grow and ripen, the tree would not form fruit buds for the next year, so
that there would be always fruit only every other year. By judicious thinning a crop of
fruit is secured every year.

Mr. Beadle believed from actual experience that it would pay to hire a good hand at
a dollar and a quarter per day to go carefully through the orchard, and thin out the fruit
from those trees that had set too much.

Keeping Fruit.

Mr. Mills said that while in attendance upon the American Pomological Society at
Philadelphia, he saw fruit that had been kept ior a year in a fruit house, without change
or deterioration, and thought it was very desirable to adopt such a plan. He kept his
own fruit in an ordinary cellar, lined with water-lime.

Mr. Saunders said that it would be very easy to try the experiment of keeping fruit
in an atmosphere of carbonic acid gas, which prevents the action of the air upon the fruit,
and suggested that members make the trial.

Mr. Bauer, of Hamilton, said that he had kept currants and grapes in cans charged
with sulphurous acid gas, if put in a cool place. He had tried to keep them in this way
in a warm place and had failed. This gas had no effect on the flavour. He had kept
cherries nicely until Christmas, and should experiment further,

Mr. Saunders had tried sulphate of soda, but found it to give a strong nutty flavour,
which was not satisfactory. Carbonic acid gas, on account of its great specific gravity,
was very easily tried. Sulphurous acid gas escaped easily.

Dr. Cross said that sulphurous acid gas absorbed oxygen from the fruit, arid kept it
in a fresh state without fermentation or decay, while carbonic acid gas only excludes the
oxygen of the atmosphere.

Packing Fruit.

The President said he would recommend to pack fruit in nice, clean, washed sand.
It would keep plums and cherries for a considerable time beyond their natural period of
ripening. A cold room of even temperature would keep fruit much longer than one
where the temperature was constantly varying. Pears placed in a close drawer kept in
perfectly good condition for a month or six weeks longer than those exposed in the open
air of the room. Pears tied up in paper bags keep much longer and ripen better than if
exposed to the air.

Mr. Mills said he put some Belle Lucrative pears in clean washed sand. They kept
for three weeks after the others were ripe, and were then not ripe, but on being taken up-
stairs ripened in a few days, but lost their flavour.

30

Mr. Hatt, of Dundas, headed up tightly in a barrel some snow apples, and kept them
in a cold cellar, almost at freezing point, and they turned out exceedingly well.

Shipping Fruit.

Mr. Ball, of Niagara, said that any clean-looking, well-flavoured apple, can be shipped
if properly packed. The chief point was the packing. He had shipped with sweating
and without. Only first-class apples should be used. Each basketful of apples, when put
into the barrel, should be carefully shaken down, and the barrels filled nearly even with
the top, the heads put on and pressed to their places. He had shipped several varieties
— Russets, Ribston Pippins, &c. Apples required to be of good flavour and colour to sell
well in Europe, and to be of uniform size, never more than two sizes in the same barrel.
He did not think it advisable to press more than an inch and a half.

Mr. Mills described Mr. Springer's mode of packing apples. He does not shake them
down as he puts them into the barrel, but after he has filled the barrel he puts on a cone
of inferior apples to receive the crushing and then presses them down. Mr. Springer is
very successful.

Mr. Keating thought that when the apples had to be transported over rough roads it
was necessary to press more than when they need to be taken only a short distance in
wagons over smooth roads. He is in the habit of pressing the fruit down about three
inches. Only the top ones are bruised.

Mr. Ball recommended that each shipper should put his name and mark on each bar-
rel of apples he sends out. In this way the fruit and shipper become known and obtain
a character in the market, and a price suited to that character. He also remarked that the
Green Newtown Pippin sold for the highest prices in England, and if it could be grown
clean and free from spots on a favourable soil, would be a profitable variety to ship to
Europe.

Mr. Beadle said it was an utter waste of time and money to grow the Green New-
town Pippin for shipping from this country. It does not grow anywhere in this country
in good order with certainty ; it spots badly, and the tree fruits sparingly. It will not pay
to grow it.

Mr. 0. Hammond said he grew it in good order, but it did not bear so well as other
varieties.

A resolution was passed recommending to all growers of fruit to mark their packages
with their names, or some distinctive mark, by which they shall be known readily in the
market.

The subject of holding an autumn exhibition of fruit was laid over for consideration
at the next meeting.

It was requested that the "Pruning of Fruit Trees" might be discussed at the sum-
mer meeting.

The committee appointed to examine the new seedling apples and other fruits on the
table made their report, and the Association adjourned, to meet in London at the call of
the President.

Report of the Committee on Seedling Apples and other Fruits.

Seedling apples shown : —

Mr. James Best, Toronto, a pretty, medium sized, red cheeked apple, much resembling
the Wagner, but inferior to it in flavour.

W. J. Marsh, Clarksburg, two seedling apples, both past their season, one resembling
the Holland Pippin, but not equal to it ; and one resembling the Rambo in appearance,
but earlier, and not having, in our opinion, any distinctive merits.

W. E. Coleman, Lyn, two seedlings, one a small to medium apple, mild flavour, no
merit ; the other a very large, exceedingly showy, red apple, very much dotted, rather
over ripe, evidently a late Fall apple, flavour mild sub-acid ; worthy of trial.

Mr. Attwood, London, shows an apple of large size, supposed to be a seedling, in
flavour and appearance very much resembling the Ribston Pippin ; if proved to be a seed-

31

ling of Canadian growth, we consider it to be the best that has been brought before our
notice.

D. Hammond, Toronto township, one seedling apple, conical, with a red cheek, hand-
some, flesh almost white, rather coarse, mild flavour, core large ; worthy of trial ; also
one called Andrew's Kusset, a flattish, medium sized Russet, with a very red cheek, flesh
white and of good flavour, specimens past their season.

E. R. Morden, two seedlings, small fruit, both past their season.

In apples of cultivated varieties, the display was very large and fine. Amongst the
best, we note Swayze Pomme Grise, Cayuga Redstreak, King of Tompkins County, Melon,
Swaar, Wagner, Northern Spy, and Lady Apple.

The display of pears, comprising some twenty kinds, was, for the season, very good;
but many kinds were past their season, and nearly devoid of flavour. Well preserved
specimens of Beurre Diel, Beune d'Anjou, Vicar of Winkfield, Duchesse d'Angouleme,
Winter Nelis and Verte Longue, were noted.

Mr. Cross, Oakville, exhibited samples of a strawberry basket that seemed to your
Committee to combine cheapness with durability to a very desirable degree.

CHAS. ARNOLD,
W. HOLTON,
GEO. LESLIE, Jr.

Meeting of Directors.

A meeting of the Directors of the Fruit Growers' Association was held in the Court
House, Hamilton, on the evening of the 3rd of February, 1870.

After the transaction of some routine business, the Secretary laid before the Board
the three essays which he had received in competition for the prizes offered by the Associ-
ation, and the Board appointed the President, Mr. Mills and Mr. Holton a Committee to
read the essays and award the prizes.

After hearing Mr. Freed's report on some crab apples —

A resolution was passed, thanking Mr. Cowherd, of Newport, for his exertions in
producing superior varieties of the crab apple.

Mr. Rykert gave notice that he should, at the next meeting of the Directors, move
a resolution that a Fruit Show be held by this Association in the fall.

The auditors' report was read, and the Secretary instructed to obtain sufficient vines
of the Eumelan grape to give one to each member, and to each person who shall become
a member before the first day of April, 1870, and who notifies the Secretary of his willing-
ness to make the report thereon required by the Association.

Adjourned to the call of the President,

Report on Crabs.

I examined and tasted the two varieties of fruit left at my place for my opinion, and
beg to say : —

No. 1, from Sarnia, is of very fair size for a crab, and although past its best, I would
say it is a desirable fruit for a crab, particularly on account of its good keeping qualities.

No. 2, from Brantford (Mr. Cowherd's variety), is a very handsome fruit, of medium
size, and very pleasant flavour, losing all the harsh and austere flavour of the crab, for
the higher and finer flavour of our best apples, approaching very near to the Scarlet
Pearmain, which is a very good early dessert fruit.

To call it a crab, I think, surely, is a misnomer, and one that I think should engage
the attention of the Society for a more suitable definition.

And here I would beg to remark that I know nothing of its parentage, but under-
stood it to be a cross effected by Mr. Cowherd. This success of Mr. Cowheid in breaking
down the harshness of the crab for the better qualities of the apple deserves encourage-
ment, and a special vote of thanks by the Directors of the Association.

And I trust the Directors will offer good inducements for the best six or any other
number of cross seedlings, raised from our best varieties of crabs and Russian varieties
of apples, in the hope of raising hardy fruits of good size, and suitable for cooking and

32

dessert. Fruit that can be raised in our far northern counties, of good second quality-
only, would confer a great boon on them, and one which I think the Association should
keep in view.

JOHN FREED.

P.S. — My remarks are meant to apply to our northern .counties for the fruit in ques-
tion, thinking that in our more favoured locality more crabs are not required.

Hamilton, December 29, 1869.

J. F.

FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO.

SUMMER MEETING.

The summer meeting was held at London, July 13th, 1870. A telegraph having
been received from the President, stating that he was unavoidably detained, the Vice-
President, J. C. Eykert, Esq., M.P.P., took the chair. Minutes of last meeting were
read and approved.

The Chairman stated to the meeting, in reference to the matter of the prize list of
the Agricultural Associasion, that the revision of the Fruit Department had been en-
trusted to the President and Vice President of the Association, and that two hundred
dollars had been added to the prize list.

The first question was then discussed, viz. :

What Varieties of Raspberry are Best and Most Hardy 1

Mr. Chas. Arnold, of Paris, named the Philadelphia, Mammoth Cluster, and General
Negley. The latter is of the Black Cap family, being equal to the Mammoth Cluster in
size and flavour, but he thought it on the whole to be more productive, it being a per-
petual bearer. The Mammoth Cluster ripens later than the Doolittle. The Philadelphia
is an immense bearer, medium in flavour. All these are perfectly hardy. He spoke also
of the Orange King, a seedling raised by himself, which is perfectly hardy and of superior
flavour, quite thornless, not as large a berry as Brinckle's Orange. He has grown it for
seven years ; has about an eighth of an acre ; the fruit is too soft to ship to distant
market.

Mr. Holton, of Hamilton, named for market use the Doolittle, Davison's Thornless
and Miami, and for home use the Brinkle's Orange.

Mr. James Dougall, of Windsor, said that his soil is rather heavy, and with him the
Black Cap varieties do best. He named the Doolittle and the Philadelphia as being very
prolific, while for flavour he esteemed the White and Red Antwerp.

Mr. Saunders of London was much pleased with the great productiveness of the
Philadelphia. The Mammoth Cluster is also very productive ; ripens later than the
Doolittle.

Dr. Francis of Delaware, had found the Antwerps all too tender. The Philadelphia
is an immense bearer, but too soft to be sent away to market. Doolittle is hardy, and the
berry quits firm.

Mr. McColl, of Stratford, had thought that it did not pay to raise raspberries for
market in Canada, there was so much competition from the wild raspberries, and the
common red cherries.

Mr. A. M. Smith, of Grimsby, was pleased with the Davison's Thornless ; it ripens
two or three days earlier than the Doolittle ; thought it is not quite so productive, but
that is more than overbalanced by the ease with which the fruit can be gathered, because
the plants have no thorns. The Clarke raspberry promises well.

Mr. Farrell, of Cayuga, spoke of the White Antwerp, which, when not too highly
cultivated, bore abundantly ; but if it was largely manured, produced leaves, but not fruit.
The Brinckle's Orange had failed with him.

Mr. A. Leslie, of London, said that the Philadelphia was the hardiest red raspberry
lie had grown. The Black Caps are hardy and do well.

33

Mr. Chas. Ridout, Clinton, said that the Red Antwerps did not require any protec-
tion in the County of Huron ; the snow giving the plants all the protection they required,
so that any and all varieties could be grown there.

Mr. Beadle, of St. Catherines, said that he had found the past season very severe
upon the raspberry canes. The Franconia canes had been nearly all killed to the ground,
so that he had very little fruit of that variety. Yet he thought that variety very valuable,
usually passing through our winters without much injury, and bearing good crops of fruit.
The berries are of good size and flavour, and sufficiently firm to bear transportation to mar-
ket. Has known them to have been sent by rail from Lockport to New York City, arrive
there in good order, selling readily for twenty-five cents per quart. The yellow Antwerp
is often much injured by our winters, and the berry quite too soft for market use. The
Philadelphia is the most hardy of all the red or yellow raspberries ; it passed through the
past trying season without injury, and is bearing an immense crop ; is the most produc-
tive of them all. The berry is not of the largest size, but is above medium, and suffi-
ciently firm for a near market. The flavour is not the highest, but is sufficiently good to
make the berry quite acceptable to buyers. Davison's Thornless is a decided acquisition ;
the fruit is of fair size, of good flavour, and ripens early, while the canes are tvithout
thorns, and bear an abundant crop of fruit. The Mammoth Cluster is late in lipening,
very productive, fruit of large size and good flavour. Is valuable by reason of its extend-
ing the season of raspberries. Brinckle's Orange is a very fine variety for family use, of
excellent quality, and continuing to ripen over a period of six weeks. It is tolerably
hardy, usually passing through our winters without suffering very much.

A vote was now taken in order to ascertain the position which the different varieties
held in the estimation of those present.

FOR MARKET.

The Philadelphia had the highest number of votes.

Doolittle's Black Cap received only one vote less than the Philadelphia.
Mammoth Cluster had three-fourths of the number cast for the Philadelphia.
Davison's Thornless had nearly half as many.

For Home use.

Brinckle's Orange had the highest number of votes.

Franconia had half the number cast for Brinckle's Orange, and so had Orange King,
Mr. Arnold's seedling.

FastolfT and Yellow Antwerp had each one less than Franconia.

On the subject of Insect Enemies of the Raspberry, members had not much to say.
It would seem that on the whole this fruit is remarkably free from the ravages of insects.
Mr. Saunders referred to his essay on small fruits as comprising the results of his inves-
tigations up to this time, and remarked that this season there had not been as much of
the raspberry saw-fly as last year.

Mr. Arnold had seen a small bee boring out the pith of his raspberry canes.

Are Bees injurious to Fruit Blossoms?

was the question then discussed.

Mr. Attwood, of Van neck, said that some corporation had enacted a by-law forbid-
ding the keeping of bees within its limits, on the ground that they caused the loss of the
fruit. He was of an opposite opinion, believing that they and other insects helped to
carry the pollen so as to fertilize the fruit producing organs, remarking that if wet weather
prevails while the fruit trees are in blossom, the bees not being able to fly about, the
fruit does not set well.

Mr. Saunders remarked that it was true that fruit did not set well if cold wet
weather prevailed during the time of flowering, and it was also true that the bees did
convey the pollen from one flower to another, but that he thought the failure of the
setting of the fruit in wet weather was not wholly to be. attributed to the absence of the
bees ; but the pollen being da~r\p in wet weather, did not float in the atmosphere, and
hence was not carried by the currents of air, as it is in dry weather.

34

Mr. Dougall spoke of the necessity of fertilizing melons by hand which are grown
under glass, and felt confident that bees were useful rather than injurious to fruit.

This appearing to be the general opinion of the meeting, the next question was then
taken up.

The Plum Curculio, how to catch and kill?

Mr. Saunders read a very interesting report on the curculio, based upon the infor-
mation he had received from those who had sent collections of this insect to him for the
prize offered by the Association. Mr. Saunders asked leave to extend and complete his
report, and when finished it will be published in full. A vote of thanks to Mr. Saunders
was then passed for his very interesting report, and his service to the Association in
receiving and counting upwa. Is of ten thousand curculio which had been sent to him.

Mr. Arnold stated, in reply to an inquiry, that he had found his plan of white-
washing the ground under his plum trees to be of great service, and believed that the
insect did not lay its eggs on his plums, knowing that the young larvae could not pene-
trate through the crust of lime, and must therefore perish.

Mr. Shedd had also tried this plan, but the curculio had failed to see that the larvae
would be unable to penetrate into the earth, and had continued to sting his plums and
deposite their' eggs the same as they had done before. He had fancied it to be a good
plan to bore a small auger hole into his plum trees, and insert a bolt of iron just fitting
the hole, and to strike smartly on that. The jar thus made caused them to drop off at
once, and the blow did no harm to the tree. This was better than to drive a spike into
the tree, as had been done by some, for each blow on the spike drove it farther into the
tree, and there was danger in the end of splitting the tree.

Mr. Dougall had found that jarring apricot and nectarine trees brought down the
fruit. His plum trees, some two hundred, are enclosed with a high board fence ; in this
enclosure he keeps his fowls, and they catch the curculio for him. Young pigs were also
suggested as good to eat up the fallen fruit, and with it the larvae of the curculio in the
fruit. Large pigs sometimes would gnaw the bark off the trees.

The method of jarring the trees and catching the curculio on a cotton sheet as they
fall, had been most tried, and had served a good purpose. It was also remarked by Mr.
Saunders that the plan of laying shingles, chips, pieces of bark, and the like, under the
plum trees, and seeking for the curculio under these, might also be employed in connec-
tion with that of jarring the trees, and that by these combined methods a most destruc-
tive war could be waged against them.

The Blackberry — Best and hardiest varieties.

Mr. Saunders had found the Kittatinny to winter-kill the past season, but the Sable
Queen had passed through without injury.

Mr. Farrell had succeeded well with the Lawton.

Mr. Arnold had tried Wilson's Early, Missouri Mammoth and others, but found
them all to be quite inferior to the common wild sorts.

Mr. Schoff had not been success iul in growing the blackberry at all.

Mr. Holton found the Dorchester to do well ; it was good flavoured, not so large
nor as acid as the Lawton.

Mr. Smith had found the Dorchester the hardiest variety ; thinks the Early Wilson
the best in flavour. The Dorchester berry is rather small, and the plant not a very
heavy bearer.

Protection of Orchards from Mice.

Mr. Saunders had saved his apple trees by raising a mound of earth about them.
He had learned by experience that the mice would destroy spruces and other evergreens.

Mr. Schv,ff I ad found banking up with earth a preventive.

Mr. Dougall had known small trees protected by placing a couple of horse-shoe tiles
so as to enclose the tree.

Mr. Attwood had known the mice to build their nests inside of pieces of bark that
had been put around the trees with the view of protection.

35

Mr. Slaglit recommended, besides banking with earth, to tramp the snow hard
around the trees. Had known Horse-Chestnut trees girdled with mice.

Mr. Saunders thought that if the trees were washed with a strong decoction of
quassia, the mice would not gnaw the bark, because of the very disagreeable bitter taste
of the quassia.

Mr. Weld had found banking with earth in the fall would prevent the mice from
girdling the trees.

Mr. McBeth had placed pieces of stove pipe around his, and in this way had saved
them.

Another had strewed poisoned corn about his trees, and killed off the mice. He had
found that in most cases the trees could be saved after the mice had girdled them, by
immediately, as soon as the snow went of, banking fresh earth around the tree, so as
completely to cover the part that had been gnawed. Had also saved trees by inserting
scions so as to keep up the circulation of the sap across the girdled portion.

Mr. Saunders had applied a mixture of sulpher and cow-dung to his evergreens,
covering the girdled part ; some of them seemed to be doing well, others died.

Mr. Attwood had tried inserting scions according to the plan recommended in the
Canada Farmer, and had succeded admiiably. If the inner bark is not all eaten off, the
tree can usually be saved by covering the girdled part with earth sufficient to keep it
moist all the time. This needs to be done before the girdled part has been exposed to
dry winds or the sun, and become dried.

Messrs. SchofF, Dougall and Farrell had all tried the inserting of scions after this
manner, and had succeeded.

Mr. Smith had poisoned the mice, and so got rid of them.

Mr. Arnold spread butter and arsenic on bread, and placed it in old tin oyster cans,
and laid them in the way of the mice, and saved trees by thus poisoning the mice.

A communication was read by the Chairman from Mr. D. Noxon, of Allisonville, on
the Flea-Beetle that infests the grape vine.

The following is the paper : —

The Grape Flea.

" Its habitation will be found at the root of the vine, scattered some three or four
inches from the stock, leading down into the ground. After removing about an inch of
earth you will begin to find them, even down on the large roots leading off. This
examination is presumed to be at the time of opening or uncovering the vine in the early
spring, when they will be found in a partially dormant state.

" Their Destruction. — Presuming the earth has not been pulled away from the root of
the vine — take of common wood ashes from two quarts to one gallon, more or less as the
vine may be large or small, spreading the ashes at the stock of the tree, an inch thick,
gradually thinning them for a foot each way. This will effectually kill every flea that
may be beneath the ashes.

" Let the ashes remain undisturbed around the vine for fourteen or fifteen months —
for this plain reason. In the month of May, June, and probably July, the full-grown
flea lays her ova, in the earth around the stock of the tree. When incubation takes
place they subsist upon the sap and juices of the root, and remain there until their age
or maturity furnishes them with the necessary means of preying upon the buds and
foliage of the tree. As the ova will not incubate in the ashes — and I presume sawdust
would answer quite as well in this case — the plan of allowing them to remain for so long
a period, completely cuts off the possibility of the next year's generation.

" These are the results of several years of unwearied and vexatious trial, and search-
ing examination against that little destroyer of the grape vine.

" In regard to the slug or grub found on the under side of the grape leaf, I am not
able to say anything of its habits ; whether they burrow at the root of the vine — which
I am inclined to think they do — for they were equally troublesome to my vines. I saw
no more of them when I discovered the habits of the flea, and destroyed them as above.
My discovery, if it may be called such, has its date from the spring of 1869, and since
that time I have not discovered half a dozen of the flea, and not any of the slug."

36

Some gentlemen present suggested that the Flea-beetle in the larva state fed on the
leaf of the grape vine, and that the slug mentioned in the communication was doubtless
the larva of the Flea-beetle ; that the larvae probably went into the ground to pass into
the pupa state, and that the alkali of the ashes caused the death of the insect at that
time.

On motion of Mr. Saunders, it was resolved that Messrs. Beadle and Rykert be a
committee to draft a series of questions to be submitted to members.

On motion of Mr. Saunders, it was unanimously resolved that the sum of fifty dollars
be appropriated for the purchase of electrotype plates of insects, for the illustration of
that part of the entomological report which related to fruits.

Miscellaneous business being in order, Mr. Schoff inquired if other members had
lost their grape vines during the past winter. He had lost many, varying from two to
fourteen years of age. Had lost three or four each of the Adirondac, Hartford Prolific,
and Delaware ; some five or six Isabellas, and one Catawba. Some of the Isabellas and
Catawbas were killed down, but are now starting from the ground or near the ground.
The ground is well underdrained, and the vines are on a trellis. He did not lose any of
his Clintons. Does not cover his vines in winter. When he used to cover them he got a
crop of grapes one year out of three, but since he ceased to cover them he has had good
crops every year until this. He regards this year as very exceptional, and attributes the
death of the vines last winter to the want of sufficient heat last summer to ripen the
wood.

Mr. Saunders said that he had lost none in his garden but one Diana ; in the field
he had lost a few of the Rebecca, Delaware and Hartford Prolific.

Mr. Peters and Mr. Attwood had not lost any.

Mr. Slaght wanted a cheaper remedy for the currant worm than the white hellebore.

Mr. Saunders thought that the hellebore was not very expensive, that it was sold at
forty cents a pound, that an ounce mixed with a pailful of water was quite sufficient for
twenty bushes.

Inquiry was made concerning the best method of killing the pear tree slug.

Mr. Saunders had tried sand, also unleached wood ashes , and though they were well
coated with it, the slugs merely crawled out of their skins and came out quite sleek and
fierce, and went to eating again as if nothing had happened to disturb them. He then
tried the solution of hellebore, and it killed them.

Mr. Schoff had used fresh slacked lime, and it killed them.

Mr. Arnold had killed them with unleached wood ashes.

Mr. Dougall said, if they are quite young the lime and wood ashes will kill ; if old,
they crawl out of their skins and go to work again.

There was a collection of many varieties of raspberries on the table, some cherries,
gooseberries, plums, apples of last year, and ripe Doyenne d'Ete pears, the latter brought
by Mr. Dougall from Windsor.

Mr. Attwood also exhibited some jars of very fine honey, taken from the combs this
season by the revolving comb separator \ a part gathered from the white clover, and
some from the basswOod flowers. At the close of the meeting the members seemed to
resolve themselves into a tasting committee of the whole, and fruit and honey were laid
under considerable tribute.

The meeting was very pleasant and profitable ; the London Directors did everything
possible for the comfort of members from a distance, and we can only regret that there
were not more from abroad to enjoy the occasion.

Extracts from Letters to the Secretary on Fruit Culture.

Winona, Sept. 22nd, 1870.

I use a good deal of leached ashes about my vines, and think they improve the
sweetness of the grapes. The grape crop is very good in this locality, I never saw them
better, large, and free from mildew or anything else. The apple crop very good and fair.

37

The peaches almost a failure, but the trees are uncommonly thrifty, nothing troubling
them. The pear crop is a failure here, the trees are free from blight and growing well,
the pear blight does not seem to be so prevalent in this neighbourhood as it is in many
places, there is an orchard of some three hundred trees just near to me having been
planted some six or seven years with very common culture, and I don't think there
is a single blighted tree among them, growing well, too ; some of them had a few pears
last year but none this year j my own old trees or young have never suffered but very
little from blight. The plum crop is a failure here too, the trees of some of the good old
kinds are gone, the knot and curculio have finished them, but we hope for a good time to
come yet for the plum.

Levi Lewis.

Sebringville, Oct. 3rd, 1870.

I herewith give you my experience of apple grafting this summer ; June 29th, I put
in nine apple grafts, four in two old trees, and five in young seedlings, only one failed ;
longest growth, 13 inches ; shortest, 5 inches. I again grafted, July 23d, growth 4|
inches. An apple tree here was loaded with fruit and this fall was also in blossom at the
same time. I send this information, believing that it will be acceptable to the Association.

Robert Moore.

Delaware, Sept. 19th, 1870.

I send you, by express, a specimen of a seedling apple growing in this vicinity, I J"
close receipt. The tree is about twenty years old from the seed, and is in possessir ?*
the grower. It is of fine form, vigorous growth, and upright habit. The fruit, as joW1^-
see, resembles the early strawberry. I do not think that it has any particular exc/ence
of quality to recommend it, except its appearance, but it is distinguished as an (v» a
constant and an ENORMOUS bearer. It is now loaded to such an extent that wr no^
that the' wood is tough it would break, and the owner tells me that it has borne / ^verage
of 10 bushels a year for quite a number of years, and has never missed yielding, . C?"0P
since it came int ) bearing. The tree has had no particular care bestown upon ! as ^ °
fight its way against adverse circumstances, and has managed to live ancyri^? where
less hardy varieties have starved. For these reasons, T take the liberty of (^es !.n£ 70n
to submit it to the inspection of the association. Should they consider it / ^ being
placed upon the list for trial, I can furnish cuttings at the proper seasor *

Owen Sou^ 3' 187°-
Fruit in general is poor in this Section. Many trees injured >j ha W G
of last winter and the imperfect ripening of the wood. The mi^-jj , , on.e &™™
injury. Only the hardier varieties are bearing. The Baldv^ , r.0,,111 ,\1S
Section even on the border of the Lakes, there is a few trees.s ±i em dle

out. I planted 150 trees of them that grew well for threely' yet ^h^f %fVerfe
winter and swept all except about G or 7 trees, the roots are J^ ' 1C graft

low on some of the stronger shoots, for they are always kill^unc| ^ ™ ' >, "R

Pears will only succeed in very limited varieties. I h^yate a])0ufc «miS .ea.ufc^
perfectly hardy and bears regular it is the best. ^number, al] dwarftne^
varying from 5 to 20 of each kind, the Louise Bonne m^rre%Q]a: * j ■, r»

standards are Flemish Beauty, Winter Nelis,* Lawrencet{ this wint^ pa^ D 7°
Easter,* dauiaged; Winter Nelis* and Lawrence* sfo Louisp Pnnno * u ^.i
White Doyenne Glout Morceau,* Beurre Diel, annot namV *U% Bajctle^*
Oswego BeLe, Vicar of Winkfield * several other, ^ ^onfb eW "££
with a star are mmred. Manv of the Louise lost ailuo> except

injured. Many
f, this year.
Plums poor in quality and quantity, and mr

Flemish Beauty, this year. . ^ Jured from the aWe ^^

John McLean.

38

Brantford, Sept. 16, 1870.

I have a new Tomato, that I thimk is going to be an improvement, if any one is
coming down from here I will send one to the meeting.

James Woods.

Dundas, Sept. 21st, 1870.

I have sent a half dozen apples from one of my neighbours, who asserts it to be a
seedling, the trees have been planted about 40 years. I was sure at first they were the
Colverts, but now think they are not. They are famed for their cooking and drying pro-
perties. They are not so acid as the Colverts of mine, and become quite mellow when
fully ripe.

Jas. Heslop.

Hamilton, 6th Sept., 1870.

Being desirous of giving some of Mr. Arnold's hybrids a trial, I resolved to plant
two or three in the same plot of ground, in the same soil and exposure, and subject them
to the same training as the Eumelan, so that a fair comparison could be instituted between
them. I accordingly wrote to Mr. Arnold, and he sent me No. 1 Othello, (two vines),
3To. 2,the Cornucopia, and No. 16, the Canada. They arrived late in the season, and
with the exception of the Cornucopia, they had few roots. The Cornucopia has made a
gTowth equal to the Eumelan. The Canada met with an accident, the first shoot having
been broken off when about four inches in length. It was some time before another bud
started, and the growth it has made is about 18 inches. Both vines of the Othello were
late in making a start, one has grown about two feet, the other about 15 inches.

Thinking it might be interesting to the members of the Association, I purpose send-
ing in a report of these grapes of Mr. Arnold's with my annual report of the progress of
the Eumelan.

• A. Logie.

Barrie, Sept. 20th, 1870.

A further experience with the cultivation of the grape vine generally will, I hope,,
enable me next year to speak of future prospects in this part of the country. This year,,
however, bids well so far, the following grapes having ripened with me : — The Adirondac
and Delaware, 5th September. Rogers' Hybrids, Nos. 3, 4, 15, 19, and the Concord and
Diana, perfectly ripe on the 10th September. The Clinton on the 15th September. The
Isabella is well coloured, and even the Catawba is colouring ; but as I think this, as well
as 1868 and 1869 are exceptional years in their way, I would add a fortnight more to the
times of ripening here.

Thos. D. Lloyd.

Toronto Nurseries, Sept. 19, 1870.

I send you to-day, by express, a sample of apples — seedling Fall — grown by Mr.
Chas. Cameron, Credit P. O., and on which he wishes a report of the Fruit Committee.
One of the apples he would like you to keep for a month or so until fully ripe. He
names it "Prince of Orange/'

Geo. Leslie, Jr.

Sheridan, Sept. 20th, 1870.

I send by express a sample of seedling fall apples, for comparison or otherwise, as
you may direct respecting the prize offered by the Association. You will remember, per-
haps, my sending a sample of winter (seedling) apples to Hamilton last February, I have
none at present. The tree had some on, but a feAv weeks ago there was a very high wind
one day, and they every one blew off the tree, it standing in a very exposed place, con-
sequently I have none of that variety to exhibit this year. If the trial for the fall apples
is at some other time and place, it will be necessary, as the fruit is ripening earlier than

39

common this year, to have it at the earliest convenience possible. I also send, for your
investigation, a limb bearing two kinds of fruit. I have shown it to different persons,
and told others of it, but none can account for it in any way. You will see what variety
of fruit the tree is of, the large apple being the kind it bears — the russet being the
mystery. If the Association can explain in any way the cause of its bearing the russet,
without human agency (which it certainly is), you will confer a favour. I send this last
as a fact of interest, as requested in circular, having fallen to my experience. You will
please excuse any essay or paper to be read at the meeting, other than the above. Any
information in connection with any of the foregoing will be thankfully received by your
obedient servant.

0. Hammond.

Lindsay, I9th Sept., 1870.

I am anxious to obtain all the information I can with reference to the culture, modes
of training, &c„ of the grapevine, although I have as yet but a few vines planted, say
about 150, which comprise about 25 varieties, but principally the Clinton which appears
to be about the hardiest, but have found the "Delaware," "Rogers' Hybrid" No. 3,
"Israella" and "Telegraph" somewhat the earliest j next to these the "Sherman," "Clin-
ton," "Chippawa," "Adirondac" and "Hartford Prolific;" the latter I find is very subject
to drop its berries just before ripening. I have adopted three modes of training, which
all seem to answer. One is the one in the form of a long arbour, similar to the system
practiced at Cooksville ; the second, the long arm laid horizontally on the trellis ; and
the third, trained to single stakes from 8 to 12 feet apart, the vine (in some cases one,
and in others two to a stake) twisted spirally round the stake. The Clinton seems
to do well on the stakes.

Our climate here is far from being as favourable as yours. Last year I had a very
full crop from my few vines, but they did not fully mature, at least the later varieties, and
more than that the wood did not fully ripen, consequently owing to the winter setting in
earlier than usual, I failed to cover a single vine of any variety ; the result was that most
of the wood which should have borne fruit this season was winter-killed, therefore I have
little or no fruit, say a bushel at the most, and these principally Clinton, Sherman and Chip-
pawa, which seem to be all equally hardy. My soil is a strong clay with a large mixture
of small round stones. What few inferior bunches I have of Delaware, Rogers' No. 3,
Telegraph, Israella and Hartford are now pretty fairly ripe. I have found the "Iona" the
least hardy of any. The Concord, Ontario and Diana I find too late in most seasons. As
I have no good specimens of any variety, I concluded not to send you any.

With regard to plums, they have been a great crop in this section of the Province,
and seem better adapted to our soil than any other orchard fruit. I had some fine speci-
mens of different varieties, but they ripened so much earlier than usual that I have not
been able to preserve a single one to send to the meeting, or would have done so. We
know nothing of Curculio or Black Knot in this part of the country. Of apples I had
not a bushel from 30 trees, and these so affected by the apple moth, that not one-third
could be used. I cannot account for the failure of the crop, unless it was occasioned by
a hail storm which passed over the trees when in blossom. What was unusual, I may
also observe, was the winter setting in so early last fall, before the wood fully matured.
The leaves remained on the trees all winter.

J. Knowlson.

Berlin, County of Waterloo,

20th Sept., 1870.

This County has been blessed with a wonderful Fruit crop this season — nothing hiherto
to equal it. The apples, however, are seriously injured with Curculio or Codlin moth.
The plums are not affected, and they are most abundant. I hope to exhibit 12 varieties
at the Provincial Show, though late in the season. I succeed well with them and apples
in very heavy clay soil, with which I have mixed great quantities of stable manure, saw
dust and old bark from the tannery. I find the bark good to keep open the soil, and
more lasting than chip or other manures. I use considerable old iron filings around my

40

trees, and even drive spike nails in them. I cannot say I see any advantage, yet I have
most abundant crop every year, and little or no black-knot. I approve of grafting the
tame plum on the wild stock a foot or so above ground, but not in the root, and prune
from the top, so to keep the tree low and limbs near the ground. The only protection I
have is a single row of ornamental trees along the outer north edge of the garden.

The only insect with me this season is in the apple. I burn or bury in ashes all small
fallen fruit. This season all fruit seems much earlier than usual, and rot more on the trees.

I raise too few pears to say any thing about them, they do not seem plentiful about
here this season.

I raise the crab apple as an ornamental tree, having five varieties on the one stock.

M. C. Schofield.

Campbellford, Sept. 20th, 1870.

I consider the Delaware the very best of the following vines which I fruited this sea-
son : — H. Prolific, Concord, Clinton, Isabella, Bloods Black, Hydes Eliza, Ontario, Laura
Beverly (same as Creveling), Rodgers, 3 and 15 — the two latter are next in quality to
Delaware. J. W. Johnston.

Report on the "Etjmelan" Grape Vine.

The number of vines distributed by the Association to members, was four hundred
and twenty. Of the recipients, some two hundred and seventy-five have acknowledged
the receipt of the vine.

The reports received thus far have been very favourable, very few deaths having
been noticed, and usually a fine, healthy growth. Those reported from the County of

Brant — Have grown from 2 to 6 feet ; one had mildewed considerably, the others were
healthy.

Bruce — Have all been healthy and done well.

Bothwell — Also healthy, and made a fair growth.

Elgin — Generally healthy, and ripened the wood well ; one says the leaves mildewed
some, and another that they mildewed badly.

Frontenac — Complaint is made of long drouth, and consequent small but healthy
growth.

Grey — Healthy all, and ripened up well.

Haldimand — All healthy.

Halton — One dead ; the others are healthy.

Huron — One failed to grow, another made twenty-three feet of wood ; generally
strong and healthy.

Kent — One mildewed badly, remainder healthy.

Lincoln — Two dead ; grew from 2 to 4 feet, no mildew.

Lambton — Grew from 3 to 15 feet; all healthy but one that showed some mildew on
the leaves.

Middlesex — Grew from 2 to 10 feet ; one failed, two mildewed some in August.

Northumberland — Made moderate growth ; healthy.

Ontario — Grew from one to two feet, and ripened up well.

Perth — Grew about four feet ; healthy.

Peel — Grew well, some five feet ; very healthy.

Russell — No mildew ; one made 20 feet growth.

Simcoe — Grew well ; seem to be perfectly hardy.

Victoria — Made a moderate growth ; no disease.

Waterloo — Grew from 2 to 7 feet ; no mildew, one dead.

Wentworth — Grew from 2 to 5 feet ; one showed some mildew, one dead.

Welland — Grew well ; all healthy.

Wellington — Made fair growth, as good as Concord ; all healthy.

York — From 10 inches to 4 feet growth : one dead, no mildew.

D. W. BEADLE,
St. Catharines, 8th November, 1870. Secretary.

41

AUTUMN MEETING, 1870.

The Association held its regular autumn meeting in St. Catharines, on Thursday, the
22nd September, 1870. There was a very full attendance of members, and a very fine
display of fruit. The collection of grapes was very extensive, embracing a great number
of varieties, and many of the newer sorts, including the Eumelan, which latter sort was
exhibited by Mr. John Brown, of Thorold, and Messrs. Merrell and Coleman, of Geneva,
N. Y.

The meeting was called to order by the President. The minutes of last meeting were
read, and the following Committees appointed :

Committee on apples and pears — Messrs. Dougall, Morse and Bennett.

Committee on grapes — Messrs. Read, Taylor and A. M. Smith.

Committee on other fruits — Messrs. Mills, R N. Ball, and Saunders.

Committee on wines — Messrs. Farrell, Logie, and White.

Committee on seedling fruit — Messrs. Cross, Arnold, and Holton.

The discussion of the

«

"Best Method of Pruning and Training the Grape Vine"

was then entered upon.

Mr. M. Y. Keating, of Jordan, stated that he trained his vines on the arbour system.
His vines did not cover the top of the arbour trellis as yet, and therefore he allowed the
vines to fruit on the perpendicular part of the trellis ; but as soon as the vines are able to
cover the top, he intended to prune off the branches from the perpendicular part of the
trellis, and confine the fruit and foliage to the top or horizontal part. He has about an
acre and a half planted with the Delaware, of which one acre is trellised. He pruned in
March and April, and has three canes to each vine, but has not practised summer prun-
ing, but is of the opinion that a little pinching-in during the summer would be service-
able. The vine now exhibited by Mr. Keating, and covered with ripe fruit, has been
planted six years. He manured his vineyard two years ago by ploughing under clover,
and last spring applied a dressing of well -rotted barnyard manure. His soil is sandy loam,
the soil about eight inches deep, with a hard, yellow, sandy subsoil, having a hard pan two
and a half feet below the surface, and clay from eight to nine feet down.

John W. Ball, of Niagara, trained his vines on the arbour trellis plan, no foliage al-
lowed on the sides of the trellis, the vines are trained up the sides of the posts to the top
of the trellis, and the sides are open all around, so that he can drive under the trellis in
every direction, and cultivate with the horse every part of the vineyard. The posts are
seven feet long, not planted in the ground, but set upon a flat stone placed under the foot
of each post. The horizontal bars are nailed on to the top of the post, so that the whole
weight of the top rests on the ends of posts ; and braces run from the posts to the hori-
zontal bars. Made in this way, there is no rotting off of posts, nor strain upon a nail, nor
blowing down by the wind, nor heaving out of place by the frost. His soil is a clay loam,
about a foot deep, with a retentive clay sub-soil, well under drained. Has manured them
with leached ashes. His vines are planted twelve feet apart each way. Of course, his
vines get no winter protection.

W. H. Read, of Port Dalhousie, said that he pruned both in the all and spring, most-
ly in the fall, because it was more convenient to do it then. He vafries his pruning ac-
cording to the habit of the vine ; those of very strong growth and vigorous habit requir-
ing to be left with longer shoots than those of a slower habit of growth. He has never
seen any evil to result from fall pruning. Some of hit vines are trained to stakes, others
to upright trellises ; has not tried the arbour trellis ; thinks the best ripened grapes are
those near the ground, because they get the radiated heat of the earth. His soil is a sandy
loam, about eighteen inches deep, with a hard-pan subsoil, located on the south shore of
Lake Ontario. He thoroughly manured the ground with barn-yard manure when he
planted the vines, ten years ago, but has not given them any manure since. High man-
uring may produce larger grapes, but poorer in quality.

Jas. Taylor, of St. Catharines, prunes his vines in the fall, and finds that they do not

42

get injured by the winter in consequence. He has more leisure to prune in the fall, and
therefore prefers to do it then ; is also satisfied that grape vines are not benefited by high
manuring, and has abandoned the practice of manuring them, except by a mulch of barn-
yard litter over the roots. His soil is a lime-stone gravel, naturally porous and well drain-
ed. Some of his vines are on a side hill, with a western exposure. He has also given up
the practice of summer pruning, having become convinced that much summer pruning is
injurious, and now contents himself with merely pinching in the ends of shoots that seem
to require it.

The meeting adjourned until 2:30 P.M.

Afternoon Session.

The President called the meeting to order, and called upon Mr. Haskins, of Hamil-
ton, who remarked that he preferred the arbour system of training, and spring pruning,
especially for the free-growing sorts, such as the Clinton and its confreres. He uses as
fertilizers leached ashes, and bone dust, and stable manure. He mixes two tons of bone
dust with four tons of ashes, and four tons of gypsum or plaster, and applies it to five acres
of vines. He finds that many varieties kill back badly in the winter if fall pruned, and
therefore he prefers the spring. He has nine-and-a-half acres of grape vines in cultiva
tion, planted two 3^ears ago last spring. The vines are showing a little fruit this year
The sorts are mostly Eogers' Hybrids, with a good many Delaware and Clinton, with
about twenty other sorts for experiment. Is much pleased with the Iona, Delaware, and
Eogers' No. 4. Thinks the Creveliug one of the very best of wine grapes, but the bunches
are very imperfect, because the berries do not set well, but are too scattering. The soil
is sandy loam, clay bottom, well under-drained.

Mr. Babcock, of Lockport, New York, said that vine cultivators in the United States
were now beginning to prune longer and train higher. They have heretofore been in the
habit of cutting off too much of the vine at the winter pruning. If the vine sets too much
fruit, they thin it out, either by thinning out the branches, or by cutting off the entire
branch, fruit and all. They usually cultivate on upright trellis, composed of three wires,
fastening the vines to the wires with willow twigs or rye-straw. There is a new wire con-
trivance for fastening the wire to the trellis, known as Underbill's patent wire hook. Thej
have a machine for tightening the wires of the trellis.

Here several members described different contrivances for tightening and slackening
the wires of the trellis ; the most simple of all seemed to be one described by Mr. Barnes,
of Hamilton ; but we forbear attempting to give a description, hoping to obtain from Mr.
Barnes a full description, with illustrative drawings.

"The Best Methods of Grafting the Vine."

W. H. Mills, of Hamilton, said he had not been successful in grafting a vine that was
already established growing in the soil ; but when he dug the vine up, and then grafted it,
and planted it out again, he had met with very good success.

W. H. Eead, of Port Dalhousie, said that he had grafted in the fall, and then care-
fully protected the grafts from the frost. In this way, forty-five per cent, had done well.

C. Arnold, of Paris, had succeeded well in the same way ; it was not necessary to
have the bark of the scion and stock fit together, as in grafting the apple, but they grew
just as well when inserted in the midd]e of the stock.

Mr. Brooking, of Ancaster, planted out some old vines, thirteen in number, and then
grafted them. Of these, twelve grew. This was done in April, and the crown where the
graft was inserted was covered with earth, leaving one bud of the scion at the surface of
the ground.

Mr. Dougall, of Windsor, had tried grafting the vine, but always failed.

Hugh Smith, of Sarnia, exhibited to the meeting some samples of a method which
was a combination of layering and grafting. The branch of a tree or shrub is bent down,
so as to admit of the twigs being readily layered ; the twigs are then tongued on the un-
der-side, as for layering. A piece of root of the same species is cut about six inches long,
pointed like a wedge at the upper end, and inserted in the slit made in the twig, the bark

43

of each being fitted exactly on at least one side, and fastened to its place by tying with
basswood bark or cotton yarn, and then the root is inserted in the ground, with enough
of twig to keep the point of union moist below the surface of the ground.

The accompanying sketch may illustrate the process, a is a branch bent down to the
ground, b is a hooked peg, to hold the branch in place, c c are the twig slits on the un-
der side, d d are pieces of root inserted into the twigs at the slit made on the under side.
s shows the wedge form of the root at the end to be inserted in the slit.

Mr. Smith stated that he did not suppose that this method would be generally used,
but that it would be found to be of service in the propagation of those trees, plants and
shrubs that are difficult of propagation by the ordinary methods.

President Burnet, of Hamilton, had cut his grape scions in the fall, and kept them
in a cool place, where they remained in a dormant state until the vines were in full leaf in
June ; then he inserted a scion, of two or three buds long, in a branch of a growing vine,
in the usual manner of cleft grafting, fastened the graft by tying, and then buried the
place of union in the soil, sufficiently deep to keep it moist ; and, in order the more cer-
tainly to secure this, he covered the place of union, before burying, with a thick coating
of cow-dung. In this manner he had been very successful.

"The Best Method of Manuring the Vine."

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, would use very little manure ; and never use coarse or highly
nitrogenous manures.

Mr. Mills, of Hamilton, would manure according to the requirements of the variety.
Some varieties, such as the Delaware, required high culture, and would never yield their
best results in poor soil j others, as the Diana, required no manuring, but yielded their finest
crops and ripened them best in a poor soil, abounding in lime.

Dr. Cross, of St. Catharines, manures only those varieties which are slow growers.

Mr. Farrell, of Cayuga, would manure according to the habit of growth of the variety.

Mr. Bennett, of Brantford, thought that vines succeeded best in the natural soil ; at
least, he would not manure highly.

Mr. Read, of Port Dalhousie, uses leaf mould, cow-dung and ashes.

Mr. Taylor, of St. Catharines, top dresses with coarse stable manure, more as a mulch
than otherwise.

Rev. Mr. Campbell, of Niagara, has an old Isabella vine growing in grass in the lawn,
which fruits abundantly, and ripens its fruit well.

Mr. Mills also had an Isabella that had stood for seven years in sod, that bore fine
fruit, and ripened its fruit.

Dr. Cross, of St. Catharines, cultivates the ground between his vines, and never failed
to ripen the Isabella, except in 1869 ; and when there are no severe September frosts, his
Catawbas ripen. He prunes on the renewal system, and finds the Isabella aud Catawba
grow finer fruit, and ripen it better on young canes.

Winter Protection of Grape Vines.

Mr. Saunders, of London, said that he was of the opinion that a grape vine which re-
quired winter protection was not worth having. He had found most of our varieties suf-

44

ficiently hardy without any winter protection, though his Diana had been killed to the
ground.

Mr. Bead, of Port Dalhousie, protects by a light covering of pure soil or earth.
Other coverings are apt to afford a shelter for mice.

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, finds few varieties that succeed without winter protection. He
thinks branches of evergreens the best winter protection that can be used. • Inquiry was
made as to the hardihood of his seedlings, to which he replied that he had supposed that
they were all hardy, but that of late the white variety seemed to be tender. Brant, Can-
ada and Cornucopia were tolerably hardy.

Mr. Paffard, of Niagara, protected only those of foreign origin, as the Sweetwater,
Zinfmdal, &c.

Mr. Farrell, of Cayuga, used formerly to protect all his grape vines in the winter, but
had gradually abandoned the practice, and now only protected newly planted vines during
the first winter.

Mr Bennett, of Brantford, had been in the habit of protecting his vines every winter,
and has uniformly had good crops, but last winter he left his vines exposed, and they
were badly winter killed. He thought it quite possible that, having been heretofore pro-
tected, they were now less able to withstand the winter than if they had never been pro-
tected, and hence the injury last winter to even old canes some inches thick.

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, suggested that vines can be too much covered, especially with
soil, for if buried too deep, the wood of the vine is kept too moist, and the buds rot.

Insects on the Vine.

Mr. Bennett, of Brantford, remarked that he had been remarkably exempt ; the only
insect he had seen was one that had punctured the berries of the Diana.

Mr. Mills, of Hamilton, had been very much troubled with the vine thrips, but could
not suggest any mode of getting rid of them.

Mr. Dougall, of Windsor, had noticed that the thrips injured only the thin leaved
sorts, such as the Delaware and Clinton, but was unable to injure the thick leaved varie-
ties, such as the Concord, &c. He had been ver}^ much afflicted with a worm in the
berry of the grape, probably the same as the insect in the Diana mentioned by Mr. Ben-
nett.

Mr. Saunders, of London, mentioned that the thrips could be very much lessened by
having a man pass through the vineyard, bearing a lighted torch, while another went with
him and shook the vines ; the thrips, disturbed from their hiding places under the leaves,
flew into the blaze and perished. The flea-beetle could be easily killed in the larva state,
and it only required proper attention to keep this pest in subjection.

Members mentioned the varieties of grapes which they had found, on the whole, to
be the earliest. The four sorts which were mentioned by nearly all the members, were
the following, viz. : Hartford Prolific, Adirondac, Massasoit (Bogers' No. 3), and Creveling.

Mr. W. H. Eead, of Port Dalhousie, stated that he had some seedling grapes which
ripened in August, and which, he fully expected, would prove to be perfectly hardy, and
ripen earlier than any of those that had been named.

Pear Trees, their Cultivation, Manuring and Pruning.

Judge Logie, of Hamilton, did not give his pear trees any special cultivation ; he
supplied them liberally with ashes, and an occasional top dressing of manure ; had expe-
rienced a little blight, and some spotting and cracking of fruit.

Mr. Jas. Taylor, of St. Catharines, had not found the cultivation of pear trees very
satisfactory ; has lost a good many trees. His soil is a gravelly loam ; trees are dwarfs ;
some have thrown out roots above the quince stock, and become standards.

Jas. Dougall, of Windsor, has a heavy loam, and a strong clay loam ; had tried 350

different sorts on the quince stock. Some of these grew finely, many would not grow at

all. Had learned that some sorts were not suited to the quince stock, and should never

^be grown as dwarfs, such as the Bartlett, Seckel, Doyenne d'Et£, &c. ; on the other hand,

the Beurre d'Anjou, Duchesse d'Angouleme, Ananas d'Et6, &c., would thrive well as

45

dwarfs. He would plant a pear orchard of standards and dwarfs together, setting the
standards thirty feet apart each way, and put dwarf trees between them, so that the trees
would stand fifteen feet apart each way. Has no blight. Angiers quinces are the only
suitable stock for dwarf pear trees. In cold latitudes, strong shoots should be pruned
back to the ripe wood, early enough to heal over before winter.

A. Slaght, of Watford, had found the pear tree to be generally healthy, and prosper
best in clay soil ; they should not be too highly manured, especially with raw manures.
He named the Flemish Beauty as one of the most hardy and desirable varieties.

Thos. Keyes, of Grantham, preferred the standard pear trees, especially of the Bartlett
and Flemish Beauty varieties ; dwarf pear trees need good culture.

Mr. Arnold, of Paris, said that all young trees should receive good culture.

Mr. Saunders, of London, had just visited two distinguished cultivators in the United
States, who advocated and practised opposite systems of pear culture. One adopts the
system of no pruning — the other prunes considerably. He thought that if results were a
just exhibit of the effect of the two methods, the man who pruned his trees had the ad-
vantage decidedly. This was Mr. Qninn, whose pear orchard is near Newark, New Jer-
sey. He plants only dwarf trees, at one year old, setting the point where the bud was
inserted six inches below the surface, trains the branches low, and plants only a few sorts.
He gets from $12 to $16 per barrel in New York for the Duchesse d'Angouleme ; from
$12 to $14 per barrel for the Seckel ; $20 per barrel for Fleniish Beauty ; for the Bart-
lett, $10 per barrel ; and for the Beurre Clarigeau, $25 per barrel. He does his pruning
in the spring, about the 15th of March, and cuts the strong growers well back.

Mr. Morse, of Smithville, thinks that while the pear should have liberal culture, yet
the trees can be injured by too liberal application of barn-yard manure. He uses leached
and unleached ashes with good results, and has never yet failed of having a good crop of
pears.

The session having continued until nearly ten o'clock, p.m., at which time many of
the members were obliged to leave for the train, the Association adjourned, to meet in
Toronto at the annual meeting, to be held on Tuesday evening, the 4th of October.

Some samples of fruit that were sent by express, and intended for exhibition at the
meeting, failed to arrive in time ; among these, a branch of an apple tree which bears
small Russet apples and large smooth apples, resembling the Vandevere. This was sent
by D. Hammond, Sheridan P. 0., who writes thus : "I also send for your investigation a
limb bearing two kinds of fruit. I have shown it to different persons, and told others of
it, but none can account for it in any way. You will see what variety the fruit is of, the
large apple being the kind it bears, the russet being the mystery. If the Association can
explain in any way the cause of its bearing the russet without human agency, which it
certainly does, you will confer a favour. I send this last as a fact of interest that has fal-
len to my experience, as requested in the circular."

The several committees appointed to report on the different fruits exhibited, handed
in their reports, but there was not time to read them to the meeting.

Many reports have been received by the Secretary of the growth of the Eumelan
vine. Nearly all state that it has made a good growth, and ripened its wood well ; two
or three state that the leaves were attacked with mildew, in which cases, of course, the
wood has not been well ripened.

REPORTS ON FRUITS, 1870.

The Directors instructed the Secretary to send the following inquiries to some of the
members located in different parts of the Province, viz. :

1. What varieties of Strawberry do you value most highly, and why?

2. What price did Strawberries bring in your market the past season ?

3. What varieties of Raspberry do you find to be most desirable, and why ?

4. What is the present prospect of the Apple crop in your vicinity 1
fi. What price per barrel do Apples bring in your market 1

6. At what price per barrel can good Pears be bought in your locality ?

7. What is the price per bushel for Plums ?

46

To these the following replies were received : —

Mr. Luke Bishop, of St. Thomas, says that the Hooker and Wilson Strawberries have
done best this year, being most productive. The Hooker found readiest sale. The berries
sold during the first two weeks of the season for 20 cents per quart, but after that for 10
to 15 cents.

The Philadelphia and Naomi Raspberries do best, the former is most productive, but
the latter is more prized and a more solid berry. I have found the Naomi quite as hardy
as the Philadelphia. I would recommend the Naomi above all others.

The Apple crop was never better than this season, they are larger and finer than
usual. They sell for about $1.25 per barrel, and I don't think they will be more.

Pears are not so good a crop as apples, and sell at about $3 to $3.50 per barrel, ac-
cording to quality.

Plums sell at about $2 per bushel.

Mr. Wm. Sanderson, of Brantford, replies, that he values most highly the Wilson,
no other sort here equals it in productiveness, and it brings as high a price as any. It
produces at least five times as much fruit as any other variety. They sold at from 10 to
20 cents per quart ; the average price paid by the retailer to the grower was from 9 to 10
cents per quart, for the season.

The Doolittle Black Cap Raspberry is the only variety of Raspberry that has been
cultivated here, and that only to a very limited extent. Other sorts are being placed on
trial. The foreign varieties are only cultivated by amateurs.

Summer and Fall varieties of Apples have been a very heavy crop, and quite a drug
in the market. Winter Apples promise a crop above the average. Fall Apples are, at
present, bringing $2 per barrel for choice hand picked fruit.

Pears are too scarce here yet for quotation by the barrel. Flemish Beauty and simi-
lar sorts bring from $2 to $2.50 per bushel, according to quality.

Plums bring .from $2 to $4 per bushel, according to sort.

Rev. Robert Burnet, of Hamilton, states, that he values the Wilson, La Constant, and
Jucunda, the most highly of all the Strawberries with which he is acquainted, the Wilson
because it is best for market, the most prolific, and most profitable. The others are good
for cultivation by amateurs. They brought in the market 30 cents, 25 cents, 10 cents, and
8 cents, according to season.

He finds the Fastolff, Philadelphia, and Brinckle's Orange, the most desirable. The
Philadelphia for market, because it is productive and hardy.

The Apple crop was never better within my experience, the fruit bringing $2.50, $3,
and $4 per barrel, according to quality.

Pears are bringing $5 per barrel, and choice varieties from $8 to $10.

Plums bring about $3 per bushel.

Mr. W. Saunders, of London, values the Wilson Strawberry most highly, because it is
by far the most productive, and when well ripened the quality is good. For highest
flavour I would recommend Triomphe de Gaud, Charles Downing, and Jucunda, but these
are much less prolific. The early berries sold this year for 20 cents per quart. As soon
as the Wilsons began to come in the price fell to 15 cents, then to twelve, and for a short
time, during the period of greatest abundance, to 10 cents.

He finds the Philadelphia Raspberry to be the most desirable, because it is hardy,
exceedingly productive, and of very fair quality. I very much prefer Brinckle's Orange
for flavour, and in some seasons it is nearly as productive as the Philadelphia, the yield
being spread over a longer period, but it requires winter protection.

The Apple crop is very plentiful. Summer varie ies, such as the Red Astracan and
Early Harvest, brought, at first, $2.50 to $3 per barrel, but as the bulk of the crop came
in the price fell to $1.50. Good fall apples have sold at about $1.50. Winter varieties
are held back for higher prices.

Good Pears have been exceedingly scarce, hardly any to be had in our market. Bart-
letts were comparatively plentiful, but our supply came chiefly from Ohio, and cost about
$5 per bushel. Good pears of home growth, such as Flemish Beauty, Duchesse d'Angou-
eme, and Louise Bonne de Jersey, brought from $3 to $5 per bushel, and very scarce at

47

that. Common, coarse, seedling pears have sold from $1.50 to $2.50 per bushel. Good
plums have brought from $2 to $2.25 per bushel, the common blue plums about $1.50.

Mr. Simon Roy, of Berlin, writes that the Wilson, and Triompho de Gand are the most
valuable strawberries. The first is an excellent cropper, and the second is the best dessert
variety yet introduced. The Wilson brought 10 cents per quart this season and the Tri-
oinphe 15 cents.

Wild Kaspberries are too abundant here to warrant the cultivation of the fine sorts.

The Apple crop is the best for the past ten years. This season apples will be very
cheap, they are now (5th Sept.) selling for 25 to 37 cents per bushel.

The Pear crop is very poor this season, the trees are exhausted by overbearing last
season.

What plums I have sold brought $2.50 per bushel, and in small quantities at the rate
of $3, that is for the finer varieties.

Common blue plums sold at 75 cents to $1.12 per bushel, and sometimes a drug in
the market at that. Damsons are not cultivated to any extent here, but are being intro-
duced.

T. G Vidal, Esq. , of Sarnia, states that the Wilson and Triomphe de Gand strawber-
ries are the most valuable, being good bearers and bearing carriage. The fruit brought
15 cents per quart.

Raspberries are not much cultivated. The Apple crop is very good, bringing from
$1.50 to $2.50 per barrel, according to quality. Not many Pears to be had. Plums
bring about $4 per bushel.

D. Caldweld, of Gait, thinks that the Wilson is the most valuable because it is the
most productive. The price this year was from 9 to 10 cents per quart wholesale. The
Philadelphia and Franconia Raspberries are the most desirable because they are the most
hardy and productive.

The Apple crop promises to be above an average, and the fruit is bringing $1 per
barrel. Pears bring from $4 to $5 per barrel, and plums $2 per bushel.

Doctor A. Francis, of Delaware, says the Wilson is the most prolific strawberry and
best for market. Strawberries bring from 10 to 25 cents per quart. The Philadelphia
and Doolittle Black Cap Raspberries are the most desirable, being hardy and productive.

The Apple crop is good, the fruit fine and but little wormy or defective. They are
now (8th Sept ) selling at 25 cents per bushel. In summer they bring $1.50 to $2, and
in winter and Spring $2,50 per barrel.

Good Pears bring from $6 to $7.50 per barrel, and the price of plums is from $2 to
$3 per bushel.

A. M. Ross, Esq., of Goderich, values most highly the Wilson and Russell Strawber-
ries, because these varieties succeed much better than any other he has tried. There are
others he writes, better in quality, but none so prolific. The Russell requires to be planted
beside other varieties. The general price of strawberries this season, when the crop was
fairly in the market, was 10 cents per quart.

I do not cultivate the Raspberry, the currant worm has rendered the cultivation useless.

There is a prospect of a fair average crop of Apples on heavy soils, on light soils the
Tform has nearly destroyed all the fruit. They are now selling at 50 cents per bushel,
(15th Sept.) but good winter varieties generally bring after October, from 75 cents to $1
per bushel.

Pears have not heretofore been so extensively grown as to be offered much in market
by the barrel. A few are offered at from $2 to $3 per bushel. Plums sell from $1 to
$2 per bushel, they are extensively grown here and succeed well.

James Dougall, Esq., of Windsor, writes I value the Wilson Strawberry most highly
on account of its great bearing and carrying qualities. Agriculturist is also profitable and
bears well. Russel is large, bears well and sells high. They have averaged 12 cents per
quart in this market at wholesale.

No Raspberries are grown for market, have no experience on a large scale.

The prospect of the Apple crop is poor, the fruit is generally imperfect and wormy.
Good winter apples will bring $2 per barrel, wholesale.

No Pears grown in any quantity for market, worth from $1.50 to $4 per bushel, ac-
cording to quality. Plums range from $3 to $4 per bushel from small to large, to dealers.

48

REPORT BY W. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONTARIO.

Strawberries. The crop has been a very good one. The steady winter, with its
almost perpetual snow, was favourable for the preservation of the plants, and the spring
and early summer for their growth and ripening of the fruit. Wilson's Albany comprised
by far the greater portion of the berries offered for sale, other kinds are not much culti-
vated for profit. Although the quantities marketed were large, the sales were ready and brisk.

Cherries blossomed well, and many varieties set their fruit very finely, but in some
instances the fruit dropped, or a large portion of it, before it was much more than half
grown. The common red variety was abundant and cheap, and there were fair crops of
Early Purple, Elton, Black Tartarian, and Napoleon Bigarreau. Cherries are not cultivated
by any one here on a large scale, for, provided the crop is good, the difficulty of preserv-
ing it from birds and rot is considerable, and then the fruit is troublesome and laborious
to gather.

Raspberries of the wild sort were common enough, and sold for fair prices, but the
finer varieties were almost entirely wanting. Philadelphia is only just being introduced
to any extent ; it has, during several years' trial, stood the winter well, and borne excel-
lent crops. Most of the finer sorts were winter killed. The summer, last year, was very
unfavourable for the ripening of the wood, and the snow and frost set in so early and
suddenly that but few people managed to get them covered at all ; among my own only a
a cane here and there survived, so the crop was very light. Black Caps are cultivated to
some extent but do not meet with a very ready sale, the public do not appear to appreciate
them as they deserve to be.

Currants have been scarce and dear. The worms, so destructive to the foliage,
have been almost incessant in their labours this year — one generation succeeding another
so rapidly, that those who resolved to fight it out with them to the end had to exercise
constant vigilance, and be ever ready with hellebore in some form to give them their
quietus on first appearance. Few care to take the necessary trouble, so that by far the
larger portion of the bushes, both of currants and gooseberries, have been entirely stripped
of their foliage, some of them twice or even three times during the season. The Goose-
berry moth, too, pempelia grossularia, has been troublesome to the currant as well as the
gooseberry, the larva living on the fruit, drawing the several berries in the bunch together
and fastening them by silken threads, resides within the enclosure thus made, and its
presence is soon manifest by the withering and shrivelling of portions of the bunch ; even
the black currant, which has usually been avoided by insects, has come in for a share of
attention from this pest, and in my own garden the loss from this source has not been less
than one third of the crop. These combined evils have materially increased the trouble of
growing such fruits, and consequently enhanced their price. Gooseberries, I refer to
Houghton's Seedling, have been plentiful and cheap enough, the bushes of this variety
seem possessed of so much vital force that they ripen the crop pretty well, even if a large
proportion of the foliage is lost, and so vigorous is their growth that the leaves are soon
reproduced. Foreign varieties mildewed so badly that but few matured. Downing's
seedling produced a good crop, larger than the Houghton, and quite free from mildew.

Blackberries. The larger sorts are almost unknown in this market, and even the
wild ones are rather scarce, they command about the same price as the wild raspberries,
10 cents, and sometimes 12 cents, per quart.

Plums. The crop has been very abundant all through this section, the quality good,
and prices low. The curculio has been less troublesome than usual, but the rot has pre-
vailed to a considerable extent, dependent probably in some measure on the wet character
of the season. It is a matter of regret that those who supply the market have not fully
awakened to the advantages of growing the finer sorts ; the common blue plums have
been offered in larger quantities than any other variety. Those who have cultivated the
superior kinds have been privileged with a six weeks feast of luscious fruit in such perfec-
tion and abundance as we rarely see.

Peaches are not much in favour owing to the uncertain character of the lives of the
trees, they are so often winter killed. As a rule, those who have had any living trees old
enough, have had them well laden with fruit during the season.

Pears have borne but poor crops Some varieties which usually succeed well, have

49

partially or wholly failed, for example, Louise Bonne de Jersey. Again Osbands' Summer,
White Doyenne, Duchess, and Seckel, have done moderately well, but much of the fruit
has been imperfect. Very few good pears have found their way to our markets, and even
the common varieties have been scarce. Our Bartlett's are nearly all brought from the
United States, there being no sufficient home supply.

Grapes. This has been a favourable season for grapes — no early frosts to nip the
blossoms, and almost uninterrupted warm weather during the long season, so that almost
every variety has ripened well. The wood has also made vigorous growth and is well
matured, so that the prospects for another year are good. The crop has been on the whole
good, and prices rather lower than usual. Hartfords, Concords, Delawares, and Isabellas
have been all sold at about the same price, viz., 7 to 8 cts. wholesale, and 12 to 15 cts. retail.

Apples are very abundant and cheap. The earlier varieties, in consequence of the
plentiful crop, did not bring much more than half the usual price — the same may be said
of the fall sorts. The winter supply promises also to be abundant, but prices for these
will probably improve.

EEPOET BY A. MORSE, SMITHVILLE.

I have much pleasure in submitting the following as my Report for the year 1870: —

The season opened fair and promising for fruit, the trees having a heavy and full
bloom, especially the apple, but the setting of the fruit did not eqnal the expectations of
fruit growers, the failure is attributed to heavy showers of rain followed by strong easterly
winds at the time of blossoming. Fruits are generally about two or three weeks earlier
than last year.

Apples are somewhat below an average crop, yet the samples and flavour are quite
superior to former years, Harvest apples of different varieties, and Red Astracan, are
large and well flavoured, perhaps never better, and an abundant yield. Fall apples, such
as Gravenstein, Duchess of Oldenburgh, Janetting, Fall Pippins, Colvert, and Sweetbough
have done well. Winter apples have not done as well as earlier varieties, Baldwins and
Spitzenburgs are lighter crops than some other kinds, Golden Russetts are good. Trees
have grown well The codling moth is somewhat troublesome. No caterpillars or other
insects have been on the trees this year.

Pears may be considered a failure, the trees blossomed well, but few of them bear
fruit. The Belle or Windsor Pear, Glout Morceau, Bartlett, Sugar Pear, and White Doy-
enne, are nearly, or quite, the only successful ones this year. I know only one case of
blight. I know one man who has a good crop, and has used ashes under his trees as
manure, thinks the ashes caused the crop, while others in the neighbourhood who did not
use them have no pears.

Plums, like pears, are nearly a failure. Occasionally some Blue Plums, Green and
Yellow Gages, and Imperials are found in well-tilled gardens, the quality good, but as a
crop, quite deficient.

Peaches. This delicious fruit is yet more scarce than pears or plums. The trees
are thrifty and healthy, but little fruit on them.

Cherries were a very good crop, and the quality excellent ; nearly all the varieties
grown here have borne fruit and ripened well, and free from the attacks of curculio and
other insects.

Grapes are of good size, ripened well, and of superior flavor as compared with for
mer years ; all varieties that have been tried here have ripened well, and are free from mil-
dew. The season has been highly favourable to the growth and perfect maturity of the grape.

Raspberries and Blackberries have been abundant wherever cultivated, but this
is rather limited. The Black Cap does well. The Lawton Blackberry is grown with success.

Strawberries. The season has been favourable for the strawberry. The Triomphe
de Gand, Wilson's Albany, and the Jucunda are the kinds mostly grown here, but none
of them extensively.

Currants and Gooseberries have been good in all cases, except where the currant
worm and saw-fly worm have injured or destroyed the bushes. A large majority of people
deprive themselves of these valuable fruits by sheer negligence.

A. MORSE.

Smithville, Co. Lincoln, 1st October, 1870.

50

— a

REPORT Oil THE PLUM CURCULIO— (Conotrachelus nenuphar).
By W. Saunders, London, Ontario.

To the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario.

Gentlemen, — When the Directors of this Association agreed to offer the prizes they
did for the capture of Curculios, they did not, I apprehend, imagine the extent of the
evil. Few would have believed that so many could have been taken in Canada as have
been sent to me during the season. I have received in all 13,653.

From George Peacock, Mount Salem, Ontario 506

" Wm. W. Emery, Wellington, " 869

" D. Culbert, St. Catherines, " 1,016

" Samuel H. Cornell, Arkona, " 1,015

" George Cook, Bloomfield, " 1,040

" Miss Mary Anderson, East Zorra, " 515

" F. J. Drew, Oshawa, " 522

" R. H. Ramsay, Cobourg, " 1,073

" James Cowherd, Newport, " 1,046

" John H. Eberlee, Clearville, " 2,280

" John McLaughlin, Tyrone, " 849

" Johnson Petit, Grimsby, " 1,822

" J. F. Latimer, Port Stanley, " 1,100

13,653

The accompanying: figure shows the Curculio in its different stages a, is
the larva or grub ; b, the chrysalis ; and c, the perfect insect, all magnified. The
hair line along the side of each object shows its natural size, d, shows the
Curculio, natural size, working on a young plum, in which one egg has already
been deposited.

It was a matter of surprise to find so few other insects sent with the Plum Curculios.
I had expected to see many more beetles, resembling in size and colour the genuine
article, mixed with them, but in this there was an agreeable disappointment. The Cur-
culio is better known than I anticipated. There were a few of the pea weevil Bruchus
pisi, several of a much larger Curculio Hylobius pales, a few interesting specimens be-
longing to the family Conotrachelus, but distinct from nenuphar, and as yet undetermined,
with an odd insect or two in some of the bottles belonging to other families of Coleoptera.

I requested all the parties who had forwarded Curculios to send me notes as to their
mode of procedure in capturing them, the number of trees operated on, the time of day
in which the jarring took place, and whether experience taught that one time of the day
was better than another. I also requested details of any observations which might have
been made on the habits of the insect, with the hope of bringing something new to light.
A number of replies have been received, containing information of considerable value and
interest, the substance of which I shall here submit.

The mode of procedure does not vary much. One takes two sheets, and tacks a
framework on one side, and two ends of each, and places one on one side of the tree, the
other on the other side. Another, two pieces of cotton, six feet by twelve, with a strip
of wood at each side only, the inner one wide, with a semi-circular notch cut in the cen-
tre, so that when placed together they form a circle in which the trunk of the tree is

51

enclosed. A third takes four large sheets, without framework, and spreads two on each
side of the tree ; while a fourth buys 18 yards of cotton, out of which he constructs a
single large sheet, the centre stitched only half way up, so as to allow the body of the
tree to pass to the middle, a strip of wood is tacked to each side to enable the operator to
spread it readily. Some use padded mallets to jar with, or a bag of pea straw, or some
such material, held against the tree, and struck with a mallet ; others use nothing more
than the hand.

Mr. D. Culbert, gardener to T. K. Merritt, Esq., of St. Catharines, sends with his
1,016 Curculios, a valuable table showing the number taken each day. He jarred morn-
ing and evening, and his results point to the evening as the best time for jarring. He
says, " up to this year I have invariably found that the largest quantity was caught in the
morning, but now it is the reverse. At the commencement of the Curculio season this
year the nights were very cold and the days warm, which, I think, will account for it."

He commenced jarring on the 27th of May, taking in the

M

Drning

29

1

E\

try

'ening

n

a
«

112

302

112

99

Total

.... 141

28th

it

.... 303

30th

u

165

ti

.... 277

31st

it

0

it

99

(I

57

a

raining

11

57

3rd,

11

0

a

71

a

71

4th,

(I

0

n

25

it

25

7th

(<

did not

a

45

u

45

1,018

The number of trees Mr. Culbert operated on is not given.

Mr. John McLaughlin, of Tyrone, Ontario, sends 849 Curculios, which he obtained
from thirty trees. He jarred them at all hours through the day, but found most in the
morning, when he thinks the insect is less inclined to walk or fly than at any other time;
He spent about two hours per day at the work for the first ten days, after that it only
took him about one hour. The jarring was continued for three weeks, every second day.
He has found the Washington plum more difficult to save than any of the others, and
thinks this is a peculiar favourite with the Curculio. He is also of opinion that Prince's
Yellow Gage, Columbia and Reine Claude, are less liable to attack.

Mr. J. H. Eberlee, of Clearville, Oxford, Ontario, who sends 2,280— the largest num-
ber of any — jarred twenty plum trees, ten English cherry and thirty peach, but obtained
a large proportion of the insects from the plum trees. He began on the 24th of May,
when the blossoms were scarcely off the tree, and the fruit just commenced to set.

May 24th, Morning 25 Evening 25

" 25th, " 50 " 66

" 26th, " 66 " 76

" 27th, " 86

" 29th, " 109

" 31st, " 125

June 1st, 140; 2nd, 136; 3rd, 112; 4th, 109; 5th, 153; 9th, 210; 10th, 74; 12th,
89; 16th, 71 ; 17th, morning, 54; evening, 61 ; ISth, 96; 19th, 176. Some more were
caught after this which he dues not give details of. In this case also, as far as the record
was kept, the evening catch was the largest.

Mr. Samuel H. Cornell, of Arkona, sends 1,015. He has about 26 bearing trees,
which he operated on. He observed the Cuiculio at work as early as the 27th of May,
and thinks from the quantity of fruit stung at that time, that they commenced working
about the 25th. He jarred in the morning and caught 300 the first time, after which
they began to decrease until they were reduced to twenty or thirty a day. He says,
" after this I determined to try the evening, and caught quite a few for several evenings,
until I could get no more, when I gave up the contest, well satisfied with the result. I
found that at any time before 7 a.m. was a good time for catching, but after that they
became very lively from the effects of the sun and disappeared. We caught quite a num-

52

ber about sunset, and I have arrived at the conclusion that they commence ascending the
tree about this time, and work during the night or early in the morning, and begin to
leave again as soon as the warm rays of the sun are felt, although I have caught a few
specimens during the day." Mr. Cornell took his 1,015 Curculios in eleven days. He
says he has had no fruit on his trees for two years past, but seeing the prizes offered by
the Fruit Growers' Association in the Weekly Globe, he resolved to wage a war of exter-
mination against the Curculio, and b sides earning a ten dollar prize, he expects to save a
crop of twenty-five bushels of plums.

Mr. R. H. Ramsay, of Cobourg, who contributes 1,073, says he caught this number
of the " vile wretches" in seven days from twenty-one trees. Beginning on the 2nd of
June, he took 242 ■ 3rd, 222 ; 4th, 230 ; 6th, 72 ; 7th, 133 ; 8th, 90 ; 9th, 124. He has ■
jarred successfully at all times of the day. "When jarring he carries a phial with him half
filled with water, into which the Curculios are put as fast as caught. His work has re-
sulted in a good crop of plums, with which he is highly pleased. Some of the trees were
so heavily laden that the branches needed propping. Mr. Ramsay thinks that a united
effort among plum growers throughout the country, faithfully carrying out the jarring
process for two or three years, would almost exterminate the "little Turk." Let all try it.

Mr. F. J. Drew, of Oshawa, who sends 522, took this number in five days from fifteen
trees. The trees are seven years old this spring, and he thinks the crop will average two
bushels per tree, all saved by jarring. He prefers the evening to the morning for the
work on account of the dew. He also says that his neighbours, seeing his success, are
tapping in earnest in order to save their plums.

Mr. Wm. H. Emery, of Wellington, sends 869 Curculios. He has about 500 plum
trees in all, grafted on the wild stock, fifty of them bearing this year. Among them are
four wild plum trees, which he says set their fruit earlier than the other varieties, and on
these the Curculios first collect, and he can usually gather from 20 to 30 from each tree at
each time of jarring. In this way he decimates the enemy considerably before the more
valuable fruits can be operated on. He says his neighbours have their fruit all stung and
falling off, and if he had not attended closely to his, he should not have had a plum, for
in consequence of the neglect of his neighbours he is obliged to look after many of their
Curculios as well as his own. However, as it is, his trees are full of nice large fruit, ex-
cepting the wild plum trees before referred to, nearly all the fruit of which is stung. It
takes him about three hours to go over his trees, and his 869 Curculios is the result of five
times operating. He says he has destroyed about 1,500 altogether this season, but this is
not half as many as he killed last year. He keeps at them at odd times till the fruit is
nearly ripe.

Mr. James Anderson, of East Zorra, not having time to attend to his trees himself,
persuaded his daughters to work at them, and with the stimulus of a reward from the As-
sociation in view, they jarred bravely and vigorously till they had collected 515.

Mr. George Peacock, of Mount Salem, sends 506. He says that they have been very
destructive to his fruit this year, having destroyed all his plums. Every plum has one or
more grubs in it, peaches one, two, or three, and that his cherries are badly stung. He
usually jarred his trees during the hottest part of the day.

Mr. James Cowherd, of Newport, who sends 1,046, obtained this number by jarring
31 trees, four of which were wild plums. The principal part of the Curculios were taken
from twelve trees in full bearing. He began the jarring June 2nd, and continued it till
June 22nd. Trees in the warmest and driest situations were attacked first. He observed
one wild tree in a cold, damp place, from which no Curculios fell for the first five or six
days, but on the last day's jarring six were taken from this tree, and none from any of the
others. The result of the first two days operations, June 2nd and 3rd, were thirty each
day ; on the 5th and 6th, the weather became very warm ; on the 6th, took 250 ; 7th,
140 ; 8th, 80. Then less every day till June 21st. Several of the trees were young and
have never fruited, none were taken from these ; but a few were taken from trees which
had fruited last year, but were barren this season. He has been jarring his trees every
year but one for ten years past, and has never failed to obtain a crop. The year he did
not jar, there was so little blossom on the trees that he did not think it worth while, but
the result showed that he was in error, for after stinging the few plums which set on the

53

trees, the Curculios attacked the cherries, destroying nearly all the Napoleon Bigarreaus,
Black Heart was badly injured, American Amber a little, the Dukes about half destroyed,
and besides this, some of the pears were stung. He never could see that Curculios were
any less plentiful from yeai to year, and attributes it to the fact that they remain un-
molested on his neighbour's trees, and on the wild plums, which are very plentiful in his
neighbourhood.

Mr. Johnson Petit, of Grimsby, who sends 1,822, says that the greater part of them
were taken on some seven or eight cherry trees (common red), and a couple of plum trees,
at a distance from the house, those in the garden and near the house giving but few. The
jarring was begun in the latter part of May, before the Curculio commenced puncturing
the cherries, and kept up until the middle of June, though not very regularly towards the
last, as he got but few at a time. The greatest numbers were taken in the beginning of
June, the first three evenings he got 900, after which they gradually became scarcer.
They were all taken in the evening, as this was the only convenient time for him to
operate. Towards the last he got more from the peach trees than the cherries.

J. F. Latimer, of Port Stanley, who sends 1,100, obtained his from a few large plum
trees in his garden. By attending to the jarring regularly, he saved a fine crop of plums,
which would otherwise have been destroyed.

These packages of five hundreds and thousands coming in day after day, through the
season, somewhat astonished me. I knew that the large fruit growers in some parts of
the United States could catch the Curculio by the 500 or 1,000, but I had no idea that
they were so abundantly distributed throughout Canada. I operated in my own garden
on fifteen trees regularly, occupying me about half an hour each day, and never captured
more than eight at any one time, collecting during the season not more than 100 in all,
and this I thought was doing pretty well, but when compared with some of the results
just given, where two or three hundred or more have been taken in a day, it appears
trifling indeed, and clearly indicates that there are worse places for plum raising than the
neighbourhood of London. Probably they may be scarcer than usual with us this year.
I believe this opinion is general among our fruit growers. It would be matter for devout
thankfulness were this diminu'tion in their numbers to continue to final extinction — we
could well spare the creature, but this we need not hope for, so we must fight on. The
efforts of our Association this season have awakened a general interest in the subject all
over the country, and the j airing process has been brought prominently before the minds
of every one interested in the matter, and resulted, doubtless, in the destruction of a much
larger number of these injurious insects than we are at present aware of. Besides the re-
sults will, no doubt, be lasting, for those who have saved their crop of plums for the first
time this 3*ear, will not need the stimulus of a bonus to set them at work another season.

J shall now refer to some experiments of my own on this insect which will, I hope,
add something to our knowledge of the creature's habits. I had seen it stated somewhere
that the Curculio was active at night, and I had also seen the idea ridiculed, and being
somewhat sceptical on the point, resolved to test it. Accordingly I went out about mid-
night with lantern and sheet, and on jarring one tree down came two Curculios, and from
another tree one. Whey they drop to the ground from jarring in the day time, they
usually remain motionless for a good while, feigning death. But there was no shamming
about these creatures taken at this time of night, for they commenced to run about at once
^on the sheet, and fearing they would fly they were quickly transferred to a pill box. They
were then taken into a room where there was a lamp burning, when on opening the box
one of them at once took wing, attracted by the lamp and flew around the light. Think-
ing this activity might be due in part to the stimulus of a bright light, I placed them in
a dark room for a while, and then approached them with the faintest glimmer of light,
just enough to enable me to see them, when I observed them running about very quickly,
faster than I have seen them move in bright daylight. This ended the experiments for
that time, and the insects were closely shut up in a box for safety.

The next night the operation was repeated, and two Curculios taken from one tree
as before. These manifested just the same symptoms of activity as their predecessors,
and along with them (now five in all), were put into a box having a glass lid, with a small
branch from a plum tree having five plums on it, each one of which had been carefully

54

examined and found quite free from puncture or bite of any sort. The box was placed in
a darkened room and covered with a black cloth, so arranged that no light could possibly
penetrate until its removal. Early in the morning the cloth was suddenly taken away,
and two of the Ourculios found working on the plums, while the others were quiet or
leisurely walking around in other parts of the box. The branch was at once taken out
and examined. Plum No. 1 had a puncture at the tip, hollowed out so that the skin was
getting black ; No. 2 was in the same state, with a second large puncture in the side ;
No. 3 had two punctures on the top, one large and one small one ; No. 4 a small puncture
near the base of the stem, while in No. 5 four eggs were deposited, and it was also punc-
tured in four places, one of the punctures being very large, deep and crescent shaped, a
second quite shallow, barely through the skin. I observed that they were much less active
in the morning than at night.

Being anxious to see how they would do their work in the day time, another branch
was cut with sound plums on it a little before noon, and placed in the box with the same
insects. When exposed to the sunlight they were nearly as active as in the night, occa-
sionally flying around the box inside. They were left exposed under a slight shade
afforded by a small tree, and examined at noon, when it was found that two eggs had been
deposited, this was within an hour from the time of their exposure. Again it was ex-
amined early in the evening, when the number of eggs deposited had increased to nine,
and a great many punctures had been made on different parts of the fruit where the Cur-
culios had been feeding.

These experiments, I think, clearly prove that they work in the dark as well as in
the light, feeding and depositing eggs at night as well as in the day time — that is during
the warmer parts of the season, for it should be observed that at the time I operated the
nights were quite warm.

With regard to the best time for jarring, experience leads me to believe that the
evening is preferable, provided the work is not undertaken too early, say about sunset ;
or if it is done in the morning, the earlier the better. I will give you a little incident
connected with evening jarring. Having just observed a tCurculio drop on the sheet
where I was at work, and having a few minutes to spare, I resolved to watch to see how
long the creature would feign death. For half an hour a careful scrutiny was kept up,
during which time it did not move a muscle. How long it would have continued in this
state is uncertain, as I had no more time to devote to the experiment just then, an at-
tempt was made to pick the Curculio up, when as soon as it was touched, it began to run
vigorously. While watching this specimen another was observed on a low, outer branch
of the same tree, which the slight previous jarring had failed to bring down. It remained
quite still for a good while on the branch, then walked a few steps, stopping a while
again and so on, during the half hour it did not progress more than two inches in all. An
attempt was now made to see if shaking would bring it down on the sheet. Beginning
lightly the shaking was increased in rapidity every time, until it became quite violent,
much more so than any large tree could be shaken, but it maintained its hold on the
limb, and became more active between the intervals of shaking. Being satisfied that
shaking would not do, jarring was tried, when a single tap brought it to the ground.

A new method of capturing the Curculio has lately been brought into notice by Mr.
W. B. Ransom, of St. Joseph, Michigan, which promises to be of great service, although
not likely to supersede jarring entirely. Most of the insects, it is believed, pass the win-
ter in the ground either in the larva or chrysalis state, awaking to life during the first
warm days of spring. During several weeks, while the weather is chilly and changeable,
they are fond of taking shelter in any convenient hiding place. Taking advantage of this
habit of theirs, it is proposed to set traps for them. Having made the ground quite
smooth and clean for several feet around the base of the tree, place a few pieces of bark
or chip, or what is better, pieces of shingle close around and against the trunk of the tree.
These will afford convenient hiding places, and under them the Curculios take refuge, and
if turned over any time during the day the insects may be found attached to the under
side, when they are easily caught and destroyed. In this way Curculios have been taken
by the thousand in Michigan in a single day, and as it is a method involving much less
labour than jarring, its adoption is likely to become very general. The proper time fot

55

the employment of this method is from the opening of spring till about the first week in
June, turning over the traps once or twice every day, and picking the Curculios off and
destroying them. C. V. Riley, Esq., State Entomologist of Missouri, who has thoroughly
investigated this subject, and from whose valuable reports some of the information here
given is obtained, recommmends pieces of new shingle in preference to any thing else,
since the Curculios adhering to these would be so much more readily seen. Mr. Ransom,
however, prefers small pieces of oak bark, placed close around the tree, with the inner or
concave side to the ground. After the first of June the old jarring process should be
vigorously resorted to, indeed it might be well to commence even sooner than this, as the
heat of the weather in some seasons might predispose them to discontinue their hiding
habits earlier than in others. The use of both methods together, which could be easily
worked, would make sure work of the enemy, and would, we think, insure good crops of
plums in any and every district, no matter how badly infested with this pest.

There is still another method which I wish to refer to, and although it has been some-
times ridiculed, is worthy, I think, of further investigation. I refer to the tying of bottles
of sweetened water, or other attractive material, to different parts of the tree. I have no
personal experience in this, but I learn from a correspondent who has resorted to this
method alone for several years, that he invariably has a good crop. Different liquids have
,been recommended, such as weak vinegar and sugar, a little sweet wine of any kind, such
as myatt or currant, or a mixture of beer and water sweetened with molasses. The bottles
are partly filled, and tied to the tree with their mouths close to the main limbs, especially
where the branches fork. The theory is that the insect in crawling up the tree, which is
probably its usual mode of ascent, is attracted by the odor of the liquid, crawls into the
bottle and is drowned. My informant tells me that he has captured a great many Cur-
culios in this way, but never having had the opportunity of examining the contents of a
bottle which had been thus exposed, I cannot vouch for the correctness of the testimony.
No doubt many other insects would be captured besides Curculios, and we might possibly
destroy many of our friends as well. as foes. Still the method is worthy of further trial,
and as it is easily carried out, I should be glad to receive next season from different
parts of the country, the contents of such bottles for examination.

PRIZE ESSAY— AWARD.

To the Directors of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario.

The committee appointed to render judgment upon the essays on small fruits, have
had placed in their hands three essays, with the following mottoes, viz. :

First. " In labor there is profit."

Second. " Whatever tends to promote production, increases the wealth of any nation."

Third. " Poma mitia ;"
and now beg to report their award.

In their opinion, they are confined to the consideration of the two first mentioned
essays, since the third, bearing the motto " Poma mitia," contrary to the resolution offer-
ing a prize to the best essay on the raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and currant, treats
only of the strawberry.

After a careful perusal of the two essays first above named, the committee have de-
cided to award the first prize to the essay bearing the motto, " In labor there is profit,"
and the second prize to the essay endorsed with the motto, " Whatever tends to promote
production, increases the wealth of any nation."

The committee desire to express their opinion of the great merit and excellence of the
essay to which the first prize has been awarded, and earnestly recommend its publication,
and a careful perusal of it by the public.

We beg to submit this award.

Given at Hamilton, this 2 1st day of February, 1870.

W. H. Mills.
Robert Burnet.
W. Holton.

56

SECRETARY'S REPORT.

To the Directors of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario.

Gentlemen, — I have this day received the award of the Committee appointed to read
the essays that had been received in competition for the prizes offered by this Association,
and to adjudge the prizes ; and therefore I have proceeded to open the envelopes endors-
ed with the mottoes to which prizes were awarded, and find that the envelope endorsed
with the motto, " In labor there is profit," contains the name of William Saunders, Esq.,
of London ; and the envelope bearing the motto, " Whatever tends to increase produc-
tion, increases the wealth of any nation," contains the name of David Nichol, Esq., of
Cataraqui, Kingston.

Your ob't servant,

D. W. Beadle,

Secretary to Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario.

PRIZE ESSAY ON THE RASPBERRY, BLACKBERRY, STRAWBERRY AND

CURRANT.

BY W. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONT.
THE RASPBERRY. ■

Our improved varieties of raspberry have all originated from two or three wild native
or foreign species — the European sorts chiefly from "the European Raspberry" (Rubus
idceus) — our own from the common wild red raspberry (Rubus strigosusj, and the black
raspberry (Rubus occidentalisj. These have been improved chiefly by cultivation, selec-
tion, and hybridization, or crossing. A number of plants have been raised from seed,
and from these the most promising have been taken and cultivated ; when fruited, fresh
seeds have been obtained, sown, and subjected in turn to the same process of selection ;
or a hardy variety, lacking flavour, has been crossed with a tender, high-flavoured sort,
with the intention of raising from the resulting seeds, plants inheriting the hardiness of
the one, and yielding fruit possessing some portion of the delicate aroma of the other.

* [In pursuance of this latter method, we obtained during 1869, ten or twelve ber-
ries, more or less perfect, of Philadelphia crossed with Brinckle's Orange. The Philadel-
phia was taken as the female — the Brinckle's Orange as the male. The crossing was
attended with great care, and every precaution taken to exclude any subsequent influence
from either atmosphere or insects, so that we are satisfied that the cross is a genuine one.
The seed was sown in the fall and the plants obtained this season 46 in all, present very
marked differences in foliage and habit — some having the dark reddish wood, and com
parative freedom from thorns of the Philadelphia, while • others have the light colored
wood and thickly set thorns of the Brinckle's. Orange, and there are some with these char-
acters blended. We hope when the fruit appears, that some of them will prove valuable.]

The soil best suited for the raspberry, and indeed for all the small fruits to be treat-
ed of in this essay, is a rich, moist, deep loam, inclining to clay rather than sand, well
drained and thoroughly worked, either trenched with the spade, or ploughed and subsoil-
ed as deeply as possible. Such working, and, where the land has been at all previously
exhausted, a liberal manuring, will place it in good heart to give strong growth to the
plants placed in it. Individuals who are not favoured with such suitable soil may still
grow good crops of fine fruit, even if the soil be very light and sandy ; but in this case a
far more liberal and continuous manuring will be needed, for the raspberry is a great
feeder. It is useless to attempt to grow this, or any other of the small fruits we shall
treat of, in a cold, wet soil, for no amount of preparation short of thorough draining will
remedy this defect.

* The paragraphs enclosed in brackets, are additions to the original essay, suggested by the experience of
the past season, and added to make it more complete.

57

With regard to the proper distance for planting, a difference of opinion exists j some
advocating that the rows be placed four feet apart, others six feet or more. Where land
is abundant, six feet, we think, is little* enough, as this allows room for plenty of air and
light, and also provides for horse culture, which is a matter of considerable importance
where a large piece is under cultivation. For similar reasons, in such a case we would
advocate the placing of the plants four feet apart in the rows, rather than two, as this
would allow of horse-culture the other way j for we are satisfied that there is nothing will
tell so well on the health of the plants and abundance of the crop as a frequent stirring
of the soil. Where land is scarce, as in the garden of the amateur, and it is desirable to
crowd as much as possible into a small space, the rows may be reduced to three or four
feet apart, and the plants from one to two feet in the rows, with fair results.

The red raspberry is propagated by suckers, which usually spring up in abundance
from the roots of the plants as soon as they obtain good foothold in the soil. S^me va-
rieties sucker less readily than others — the Philadelphia, for example. Where it is wish-
ed to increase this propensity, a sharp spade should be thrust down into the soil all around
the plant, to sever the roots, say a foot or less from the base of the plant, when the
pieces of root thus cut remaining in the soil will usually throw up young plants in com-
parative abundance.

The black raspberries do not send up suckers, but are propagated by layering the
tips of the canes. In the autumn, the extremities of the canes lengthen much, become
drooping and slender, finally touching the ground, and from this point sending out a mass
of fibrous rootlets, soon developing, when undisturbed, into a vigorous plant ; this, when
well rooted, is severed from the parent by cutting the cane.

The spring is the proper time for planting ; then the well-rooted suckers or tips are
dug up, and transferred to their place in the new plantation, taking care not to expose
the roots unnecessarily to drying winds or the heat of the sun. The rooted tips require
no preparation in planting, but the stems of the suckers should be cut down within a few
inches of the ground, so as to induce a strong shoot from the base for next year's fruiting.
It is very unwise to attempt to obtain any fruit from raspberries the first year planted ;
with care, a few berries may be ripened, but the fruiting process is an exhaustive one to
the young plant, and it will often take years to recover from this foolish tax on its then
limited resources. If the plants become well established the first year, a certain amount
of fruit may be allowed the second without injury to the future prosperity of the planta-
tion, but a jull crop need not be expected until the third or fourth year.

Pruning. — Canes which have once borne fruit, bear no more. Hence, these should
be removed as soon as the fruiting season is over — cut off close' to the ground, so that the
young canes may have more room and air. At the same time, due regard must be paid
to the thinning out of the new canes, removing all that promise to be weakly or slender.
Since we depend on the strength of the current year's growth of wood for our next year's
crop, any process which will conserve the vigour, and concentrate the energies of the
young plant, is deserving of regard. Summer pruning and pinching we deem a valuable
means to this end. The young plant, when it has attained the height of about three feet,
should be pinched off at the tip ; this will cause the side branches to develope, which, in
turn, should be subject to similar treatment when from six to eight inches long, This
pinching should be repeated, if necessary, but should not be continued too late in the fall,
since it would cause a late growth of tender wood, which would suffer during winter. It
might be practised safely enough till about the beginning of September, and any subse-
quent growth not wanted might be removed by a light spring pruning. This method we
regard as much less wasteful than that of allowing the summer's growth to proceed un-
checked throughout the season, and then prune back in the spring to a proper height.
By this latter method the plant is allowed to waste its strength in the unnecessary pro-
duction of wood which must be removed, and the growth is often long and slender ■ while
in the former case all its energies are concentrated in the development of a stocky, well-
ripened cane, far better fitted to bear its destined weight of fruit the ensuing season.
This treatment is equally applicable to the Black Caps, unless where it is desirable to
raise new plants; then the natural extension of the cane, or portions of it, must be al-
lowed.

58

Manures. — It is universally conceded that stable manure contains all the elements re-
quired to recuperate the soil, stimulate the energies, and increase the vigour of growing
plants, and since this is probably readily obtainable by all our readers, we shall not enter
into the subject of special manures. Stable manure should be well rotted before being
used. If spread out in flattened heaps, about three feet deep, in fall or spring, and turn-
ed over several times during the summer following, keeping it properly supplied with
moisture, it will be in good condition in the fall to apply to growing plants, and a small
quantity thus well prepared will be found more than equal in its effect to a much larger
quantity of such as is coarse, and only half decomposed. In this latter condition, how-
ever, it often serves a good purpose, as a mulch, to protect the roots either from the severe
tax of a summer's drought, or the pinching cold of winter.

Picking and marketing fruit. — Women and children are usually engaged in picking ber-
ries, and paid either by the day or quart, most commonly the latter ; the price averaging
about one cent per quart. The pickers take to the grounds with them the quart wooden
boxes in which they are to be shipped, and when they are filled, carry them to a shed, or
other suitable place near by, where they are enclosed in well- ventilated cases, holding
from thirty to sixty quarts. The pickers receive tickets corresponding to the number of
boxes they bring in, which are produced when the time for payment arrives. All small
fruits should be gathered carefully, free from leaves and other dirt, and also free from un-
ripe berries. The pernicious practice resorted to by some, of placing a few fine specimens
on the top of a box, while below the fruit is inferior, should be carefully avoided. Such
a course disgusts both dealer and consumer ; the surface should fairly represent the inte-
rior. In some localities, where large berries are appreciated, it would doubtless pay to
select the fruit, separating what is extra fine from the small and inferior ; this applies
particularly to strawberries ; the latter would have to be sold at a reduced price, but the
selected fruit would command a figure very much above the average, and the whole might
thus be made more profitable. In all cases, growers should avoid mixing their fruits ; an
assorted package, even if some of the varieties are superior, will seldom sell as readily as
one the contents of which are uniform. All imperfect fruit should be rejected ; half a
dozen of such in a box will attract the attention of a purchaser far more readily than
twice that number of extra good specimens. The best policy is to consign such to the
pig-pen or the manure-heap ; reputation for quality is quite as valuable to the fruit grower
as to any man in any other department of business.

Varieties. — These may be conveniently divided into three classes. 1st. Such red .or
yellow raspberries as are tender, and require winter protection ; suited chiefly for amateur
culture. 2nd. The hardy varieties, including some new ones claimed to be so, but as
yet unproven in Canada. 3rd. The black raspberries.

Brinckle's Orange. — Of all raspberries we regard this as the finest. Its flavour,
aroma, and appearance are equally charming and delicious. It is large and of a beautiful
orange yellow colour, and its full and slowly maturing crop supplies the table of the
grower with a daily portion for three or four weeks. We think this variety might be
grown with profit for a near market, but it is too soft to bear shipping far. In most
parts of the country it would need winter covering; but in some of the more northern
sections, where the snow lies deep and unbroken throughout the winter, if pruned low
this would probably be a sufficient protection. In localities less favoured in this way,
the canes might be allowed to grow moderately long, bent over as closely to the ground
as possible without breaking, their tips covered with earth, and some loose litter — pea
straw or light manure-^thrown over them. The expense of covering an acre in this
way would not be very great, and we think that the additional price the fruit would
bring over any other variety, would more than compensate for the extra labour.

Franconia is a large red variety of fine appearance and flavour, and very productive.
In the milder portions of Canada, the Niagara district for example, it is hardy enough to
stand most winters without injury, but it cannot be relied on in other sections away
from the influence of the lakes. With me it has proved quite as tender as Brinckle's
Orange.

Hornet. — This is a still larger red fruit, very productive and of good flavour.
Besides these we may enumerate the Fastolff, Belle de Fontenay, Red Antwerp, French,
and Marvel of Four Seasons — all good varieties.

<

59

We now come to the second class, embracing those which will endure uninjured the
cold of winter without protection.

Philadelphia— Of all the hardy varieties this has been most widely tested, and main-
tains its character for hardiness and productiveness every where. It is dark red, medium
to large in size, moderately firm, but very deficient in flavour, not equal we think in this
respect to the wild fruit. We doubt very much whether this variety will pay for cultiva-
tion in localities where the wild fruit abounds, for although larger, it would necessarily
be brought into competition with the native variety, and would hardly sell at a much
higher price. A great deal would depend on how it was marketed.

[During the past summer, we have fruited Philadelphia on a larger scale than here-
tofore, and have found it superior in flavour and larger in size, which might partly be due
to the season, but more, we think, to increased strength and greater maturity in the
plants — we liked them well, and feel disposed to modify the views expressed above, as to
the probability of their producing a paying crop, for their yield has been enormous, and
the fruit we know from its appearance, would have sold readily.]

Yellow Canada, and Arnolds Eed are two seedlings raised by Mr. Arnold, of Paris,
Ont., which promise well. They are undoubtedly hardy, and are said to be very pro-
ductive. They deserve fair trial, and we hope they will prove to be a valuable acquisition.
Mr. Arnold merits great praise for his many efforts to improve our fruits.

Clarke — This new variety is highly esteemed in many part* of the United States on
account of its hardiness, but we believe it has not yet been subjected to the test of our
Canadian winters. The fruit is said to be large, light crimson, sweet and highly flavoured.
It is doubtless worthy of being tested.

Naomi — Much is said in favour of this new variety. In size and quality it is good,
but it is doubtful if it will sustain the character claimed for it by its originator for hardi-
ness.

Class 3rd — Black Raspberries — Tne Doolittle Black Cap has been well tried through-
out Canada, and has proved hardy and prolific. The berry is moderately large, black,
with a slight bloom, sweet, juicy, and similar in flavour to the wild black cap.

Mammoth Cluster, introduced to public notice by Purdy & Johnston, of Palmyra, N.
Y., is doubtless an improvement on the Doolittle, being larger aud more productive.
We hope this berry will be extensively tried. Its period of ripening is just after the
Doolittle.

[The Mammoth Cluster has fruited with us the past season, and we have found it
all that it has been represented. It stood the winter well, and produced a large crop of
fine fruit. The berries larger and more juicy than the Doolittle.

Negley's Ever-Bearing. — This berry has been brought under the notice of our Cana-
dian fruit growers during the past season, by Charles Arnold, Esq., of Paris, Ont. Ori-
ginally from the United States, it has proved hardy and very productive in Canada. The
fruit is large, nearly the size of the Mammoth Cluster and of good quality. It also bears
a second, though smaller crop, late in the season — we hope it will be widely disseminated.]

Davison's Thornless is another new claimant for public favour, ripening about a
week earlier than the Doolittle. The absence of thorns on the canes will be of great
advantage in gathering the fruit.

Golden Thornless is a new yellow raspberry belonging to the same family, is nearly
if not quite as large as the Mammoth Cluster, firm in texture, of handsome appearance,
but deficient in flavour.

Although we have now enumerated many varieties, all of which possess some good
points, we still feel that they all have their defects. We want a raspberry that will com-
bine the good qualities — hardy, productive, large, juicy, moderately firm and high
flavoured. Whether we shall ever attain to this degree of perfection, time alone will
disclose. We sincerely believe it to be possible, and trust that the many labourers who
are working to produce new varieties will never relax their efforts until something near
this desired end is obtained.

Dr. Asa Gray, in his Manual of Botany, speaking of the black and red raspberries,
says. " Some curious forms are known, with fruit intermediate between these." We are
not aware of any such in cultivation, but the fact of their being met with in a wild state,

60

would suggest the idea of a natural crossing of these two through the agency of insects.
Might not some valuable varieties be similarly produced by the more intelligent workings
of man ? Here is an almost unexplored field for the enthusiastic fruit grower.

[During the summer, we have succeeded in crossing the Doolittle with the Philadel-
phia, and have sown the seed thus obtained, which seemed perfectly good. Shonld they
germinate as they promise to do, we shall watch with interest the growth and habits of
the plants.]

Insects — The raspberry is not without its insect enemies. A borer, the grub of a
long horned beetle (Oberea trijpunctata ) burrows its way up and down the middle of the
cane, weakening and destroying it. The beetle girdles with its jaws the new cane not
far from the tip, in two places, one ring an inch or more below the other, and between
these, in a puncture, the egg is deposited, which soon hatches into a grub, furnished with
powerful jaws, and which at once enters upon its destructive career. The tip above the
upper ring on the young cane withers and droops, by which the presence of the enemy
may be readily detected. The operations of the parent insect begin early in July, and
continue for several weeks. By looking through the canes occasionally at this season,
and removing all the withered tops, down to the lowest ring, this insect may be pretty
well subdued, as it is never abundant. The worm lives in the cane, and undergoing its
transformation there, appears as a beetle the following June.

[A closer examination into the cause of the girdling of the cane as described above,
shows that it is not always due to the beetle referred to — viz : Oberea tripunctata. Indeed,
we now think it is doubtful whether that insect ever girdles the cane as described. We
know that it does destroy the raspberry canes, for we have found its larva late in the sea-
son boring down the middle of the stem ; but at the suggestion of Mr. Riley, State
Entomologist of Missouri, we have carefully examined a number of these examples of
girdling during the summer, and found in every case, that they were the work of an
Orthopterous insect — one of the grasshopper family, which girdling and puncturing the
cane as already detailed, deposits a single large, long yellow egg in it, which, when
hatched, produces an insect at once similar to the parent, but without wings, which works
its way out of the cane to enter it no more.]

A much more troublesome pest is the grub of the raspberry sawfly (Selandria rubi),
a green worm covered with short green spines. This eats out the soft parts of the leaves,
leaving the skeleton frame-work of tougher veins. There are two broods during the year.
The fly deposits its eggs early in spring, on the under side of the young leaves, soon after
they begin to expand, where they speedily hatch, and in a few weeks become full grown
worms, about three-quarters of an inch long. Entering the chrysalis state, just below
the surface of the earth, they appear again by the middle of summer as perfect flies,
deposit their eggs, and from these the second swarm is produced, the survivors of which
pass the winter in chrysalis under ground. Hellebore is a sovereign remedy here ; an
ounce or so mixed with a pail of water and showered on the bushes with a watering-pot
makes short work of them.

The tree cricket ((Ecanthus niveus) is another enemy — a green, active, grasshopper-
looking creature, appearing late in the . season, and chirping merrily among the
green leaves all the day. The female has a long ovipositor, which she thrusts more than
half way through the cane, and by means of which she introduces her long yellow eggs.
A row of these, placed closely together, and occupying perhaps an inch or more of space,
so weakens the stem that it readily breaks from its own weight as soon as the foliage
appears in spring, and thus the crop is lost. We know of no method of destroying these
as ready as that of cutting the affected portions out, and burning them sometime between
fall and spring. They are readily discovered, appearing as a short seam with little
raised dots on it.

The Blackberry.

Much that has been said about the raspberry applies equally well to the blackberry.
The methods of raising new varieties — the soil and its preparation, proper distances for
planting, propagation by suckers, time of planting, pruning, and insect enemies all apply
here, and need not be repeated. It remains then only to treat of the varieties in cultiva-

61

tion. These, like the raspberry, have originated from our wild sorts, of which there are
five or six species.

Law ton or New Rochelle, a very large juicy berry, moderately sweet when fully
ripe. This variety has been tried in many parts of Canada, and usually proved a failure.
The canes will not stand the winter, and their growth is too robust and thorny to
admit of their being laid down for winter protection.

Wilson's Early — A new variety, said to be hardier than the Lawton, a very large,
oblong, oval, firm, sweet berry, ripening earlier than the other varieties — will be a great
acquisition if it will endure our winters.

Kittatinny — Also recently introduced to notice, and reported to be very hardy.
Fruit large to very large, sweet and firm, a good grower, very promising, and should be
extensively tried.

Sable Queen — This fruit was first offered to the public last year; it originated in
Massachusetts, where it has stood the winters for some years. The fruit is fine looking,
and will doubtless be widely tested.

[A plant of this variety, stood the test of last winter with us, and came out per-
fectlv hardy. As we had occasion to transplant it in the spring, we could not judge of
the fruit.]

THE STRAWBERRY.

All our large and luscious strawberries, which charm the eye and delight the
palate, \\sl\ e had their origin also in the wild vines of the woods. These wonderful
changes have been brought about, too, by selection and hybridization, man assisting
nature, as it is always his happy privilege to do. New varieties have thus been multi-
plied, until now their number is almost confusing.

Soil such as has been described as suitable for the raspberry is equally good for the
strawberry, for although the wild vines are often found luxuriating in arid sandy spots,
yet no fruit shows in grateful growth a readier appreciation of generous treatment than
the strawberry. The richer the ground the heavier the crop, is a safe rule to go by, to
any reasonable extent.

The vines are usually planted in rows, two, three, or even four feet apart, with the
plants set a foot apart in the rows. The wider distances are required when it is intended
to use horse culture. The runners are cut off as fast as they appear, and the ground kept
free from weeds. Before winter sets in, it is well to cover the entire surface with straw
or other litter, removing it only from the crowns of the plants in the spring, leaving it
all on the ground until the fruiting season is over, as it will help to keep the earth moist
and the fruit clean. After the berries are all picked, it will require removal and the
ground well weeding and pulverizing, since it will have become very hard by the con-
tinuous tread of the fruit gatherers. The plants may be renewed after two crops have
been taken by allowing the runners to spread over the surface, and plough under the old
plants and nearly all else, leaving only a narrow strip of young plants every three oj four
feet. The ground after ploughing may be levelled with a cultivator.

The plants should be carefully set, not thrust into a hole with the roots compacted
into a bundle, but in a natural position. Much of the success of a plantation will depend
on proper attention to this point, Unless the vines can be got out quite early in the fall,
so as to be well rooted before the winter, we prefer spring as the season for planting.
There is not much gained in point of time by late fall planting, and the plants are very
likely to be injured by the severe frosts of winter.

Varieties. — We think it is generally conceded that there is only one variety as yet
in common cultivation which will really pay to cultivate for market purposes — that is,
the Wilson's Albany. Every large producer in the country depends on it for his main
crop. It is true, when compared with some other varieties, it is acid, and lacks flavour,
but when well ripened it is not so far behind in these respects as some would have us
believe. For our own part, we can eat Wilson's Albany, when we can get them, with-
out making a wry face, and the general public seem to regard them with equal
favour, judging from the immense quantities which ever find a ready market.

Many other varieties claim the attention of the amateur, some for their delicate

62

flavour or aroma, others for their immense size, but none of them, in my experience, come
near the Wilson for productiveness. The following list embraces nearly all of much
merit: — Jucunda, Agriculturist, Bishop's Seedling, Nicanor, Charles Downing, French,
Ida, Downer, Hooker, Green Prolific, Golden Seeded, Ladies' Pine, Russell, La Con-
stante, Trollope's Victoria,, and Triomphe de Gand.

The strawberry has not usually been much afflicted with insect pests. Occasionally
the crop will be partially destroyed in some particular field by the ravages of cutworms,
the caterpillars of some of our common moths or millers, or by the grub of the cockchafer
or May beetle. But of late two new enemies have appeared upon the scene which
demand a few remarks, since, should they become generally troublesome, the profits of
the strawberry crop would be much diminished. One of them is a leaf -roller, a small
green caterpillar which rolls up the leaves and fastens the opening blossoms into a ball
with silken threads, and living within consumes them. These are the progeny of a small
yellowish moth, who lays her eggs upon the plants quite early in the spring, so that the
caterpillars become nearly full grown, and capable of most mischief, just at the time
when the plant is coming into full flower. On one patch we examined the past season
the damage from this cause alone would be moderately computed at half the crop. We
have also observed this insect in several localities on the wild strawberry. The other is
a borer, the issue of a still smaller brown moth, who lays her eggs on the crown of the
plant late in July or early in August, wjiich soon hatch into small reddish caterpillars,
which burrow through the heart of the plant in various directions, through the fall and
winter, either killing it outright, or weakening it so much that it sends up in spring only
puny barren shoots from about the base. Late in May, when the leaf roller is active and
full of mischief, this twin brother in the work of destruction sleeps quietly in chrysalis,
appearing in the winged state about the middle of July. The following remedies are
suggested — Dusting with fresh air slaked lime, or with soot, or watering with hellebore,
mixed as for the currant worm. These would certainly be of service, but whether they
would singly or jointly entirely meet the case is a matter of doubt.

The Currant.

Of these we have red, white, and black, varying in foliage and fruit and time of
ripening, all requiring a rich soil, well worked and manured, to produce fine crops
of large fruit.

They may all be propagated by cuttings, which are best made in the fall, tied in
bundles and buried under ground during winter, and planted in spring. The young bushes
of one or two years' growth should be planted out in rows, from five to six feet
apart, and four feet in the rows. The pruning and management of the red and white
currant is somewhat different from that required for the black. The fiuit of the former
is mainly produced on wood that is two or three years old, hence in pruning the new
wood may be shortened considerably to induce the formation of strong fruit spurs ; in
the black variety the fruit is produced from, one year old wood as well as from small spur-
like shoots from the older, which should be borne in mind in pruning, so that a sufficient
amount of wood of last year's growth be left to insure a full crop of fruit. In both cases
a portion of the old wood should be removed from time to time, as as well some of the
shoots or suckers, when they are likely to become crowded, so as to keep the head open
and admit light and air to the centre of the bush. The stool or bush form is the natural
mode of growth for the currant, and is less trouble, and, we believe, far better than the
method sometimes recommended of growing in tree form with a single stock. The chief
objection to the latter is that should the currant borer visit this single stem the bush is
lost, for the small hollowed trunk would necessarily break from its weight of foliage.

Varieties — The following are some of the best in cultivation.

Red Dutch — Fruit large, deep red, rich and good, bunches long and tapering, a
rigorous grower and very productive, an old and well known sort.

Victoria — Fruit large, bright red, acid, but of good flavour, bunches very long and
tapering, very productive.

63

Cherry — Fruit very large, dark red, acid, only second in quality, bunches vary much
in size, this is the largest red currant in cultivation.

Versailles — Very closely resembling the Cherry, by some thought to be identical.

Prince Albert — Fruit large, bright red, rather acid, not rich in flavour, very produc-
tive, later than most of the other varieties, for which it is chiefly valued.

White Grape — Fruit large, yellowish white, transparent, juicy, moderately sweet
and rich, bunches medium size, habit vigorous, very productive, the best white currant.

White Dutch — Fruit very similar in appearance and quality to the White Grape,
but somewhat smaller.

Black Naples — This variety has now almost entirely superseded the old English
black. It is very large, black, sweet, with a peculiar musky flavour, bunches medium
size, loose, a vigorous grower and productive.

Insects — There are several insect enemies, affecting chiefly the red and white
varieties, with which almost every currant grower has to wage continuous battle, and so
troublesome have they become of late that the culture of these valuable fruits has been
sadly interfered with, many having given it up almost in despair. First in its destructive
powers we should place the currant borer, a small whitish grub with brown head and legs,
which lives in the stems of the bushes, burrowing up and down, making them so hollow
and weak as to be liable to break with every wind. The parent of this worm is a pretty
little clear winged moth (Egeria tipuliformis) something like a wasp, with three gold bands
across its body. The moths appear about the middle of June, flying in the day-time
only, depositing their eggs singly near the buds, where they soon hatch into small worms,
which eat their way to the middle of the stem, and there enter on their career of destruc-
tion. When mature they are about half an inch long j they live in the stems through
the winter, change to chrysalis early in the spring, appearing as moths in June again.
These can best be kept within bounds by carefully removing in spring every stem found
to be hollow, and burning it.

The caterpiller of a geometric moth (Ellopia ribearia) called a measuring worm, feeds
on the leaves, when numerous stripping the bushes bare. Its colour is yellowish, dotted
with black, with its sides streaked with white. It is about an inch long when full
grown, and has its feet placed at each extremity of its body, so that in moving it loops
itself up at every step. The moth from which this worm is produced is a delicate looking
creature, measuring about an inch across the wings, which are yellowish in colour, spotted
with pale brown ; the spots being arranged into one of two irregular bands extending
across the wings. The eggs are usually deposited in May, but sometimes later. The
worms are found during the month of June, and occasionally in July. The best remedies
are hellebore and hand-picking.

The Gooseberry Saw-fly (JVematus ventricosus) also deposits its eggs on the' currant
leaves, and proves usually a much greater pest than the measuring worm. The perfect
insect is a small fly nearly as big as a common house-fly, which appears early in spring,
and deposits its eggs along the ribs on the under side of the new leaves as soon as they
are sufficiently expanded. These speedily change to small green worms dotted with
black, which at once begin to devour the leaves. They grow rapidly and are often so
numerous as to strip a bush entirely bare in a few days. When fully grown they are
about three fourth of an inch long, and at their last moult lose their black dots, appear-
ing in uniform pale yellowish green. They spin a small, tough, papery-looking cocoon,
sometimes at or under the surface of the ground, at other times attached to the leaves
or stems of the bush, from which the perfect insect escapes early in July. There are two
regular broods during the season, and often a few odd specimens appear Qut of season,
between times, so that constant vigilance is necessary to insure successful resistance to
their repeated onslaughts. A ready means of destruction we have in powdered helle-
bore ; an ounce of this well mixed with a pail of water, and applied with a watering-pot,
clears the bushes effectually in a very short time.

A green worm occasionally affects the fruit, drawing the berries together in a bunch,,
fastening them with silken threads, and consuming their contents. This, however, is
seldom met with, excepting on the gooseberry, and needs only a passing notice. Where
they prove troublesome we can suggest nothing better than hand-picking.

64

[During the past year, this worm has been very abundant and destructive to the red
and white currant, as well as the gooseberry. It has also affected the black currant in our
own garden, where fully one third of the crop has been thus destroyed. It is the off-
spring of a small moth, Pempelia grossularia, which, when its wings are expanded, meas-
ures nearly an inch. Its fore wings are long and narrow, and pale grey in color, streaked
and dotted with brown — its hind wings dusky. The moth appears during the latter part
of April, and deposits its eggs singly on the fruit, almost as soon as it is formed. The
egg soon hatches into a minute grub, which burrows into the fruit, and as it grows larger
draws together three or four, or more of the berries, and fastening them with silken
threads — devours their substance at its leisure ; making but one hole in a berry, and
that but barely large enough to admit its body. When disturbed, it wriggles itself out
of this hole backwards and drops to the ground, or hangs suspended near the ground by
a silken thread attached to the berry. The fruit is soon discolored and withered.

When full grown, the grub measures in length three-fourths of an inch, and is of a
pale shining green color, with sometimes a yellowish, at others, a reddish tint. The head
is small, pale brown, and the next segment behind the head, has a pale brown patch above.
When ready to change to chrysalis, which is usually about the middle of June, it drops
from the bnsh, and forms a little silken cocoon amongst leaves and rubbish, on, or just
below the surface of the ground, where it undergoes the change, and remains inactive till
the following spring, when the moth again appears.]

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

ON

THE NOXIOUS INSECTS

OF THE

PROVINCE OF ONTARIO.

PREPARED FOR THE AGRICULTURAL AND ARTS AND FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATIONS OF
ONTARIO, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA,

BY

THE REV. C. J. S. BETHUNE, M.A.,

Head Master of the Trinity College School, Port Hope; and Secretary -Treasurer of the Entomological

;iety of Canada;

WILLIAM SAUNDERS,

Vice-President of the Entomological Society of Canada : and

EDMUND BAYNES REED,

Secretary- Treasurer of the London Branch of the Entomological Society of Canada.

&oxonta :

PRINTED BY jHUNTER, ROSE & CO., 86 & 88 KING STREET WEST.

1871.

INTKODUCTOKY.

The following primary Eeport on some of the noxious insects of Canada has been
prepared on behalf of the Entomological Society, for the Agricultural and Arts, and the
Fruit Growers' Associations of Ontario. The Council of the former Society, about a
twelvemonth ago, unanimously adopted the following resolution : —

" That the sum of four hundred dollars be appropriated in aid of the Entomological
Society, for the ensuing year (1870), on the condition that the Society furnish an Annual
Report, and form a Cabinet of Insects, useful or prejudicial to Agriculture and Horti-
culture, to be placed at the disposal of this Council, and that they also continue to publish
their Journal."

The Entomological Society accepted the grant on these conditions, and has endeav-
oured faithfully to carry out the different tasks thus imposed upon it. Its Journal —
The Canadian Entomologist — has been published at stated intervals, and has now reached
the ninth number of its second volume. The Cabinet of Noxious and Beneficial Insects
is being duly prepared, but owing to the amount of time and labour required for its
proper arrangement, has not yet been transferred to the rooms of the Association. The
Report — the remaining condition — is herewith presented.

In order to render this Report, and those that may follow it in future years, as
valuable as possible, it has been deemed advisable to take up a few special fruits, vege-
tables or crops, and give a complete account of the insects affecting them, rather than to
treat of a larger number in a less elaborate manner. The following pages include reports
on insects affecting (1) the Apple, by the Rev. C. J. S. Bethune ; (2) the Grape, by Mr.
"W. Saunders; (3) the Plum, by Mr. E. B. Reed; each writer is responsible only for the
statements contained in his own portion of the work. It is intended to treat of, next,
the insects injurious to the wheat, potatoe, hop, and pea crops, the strawberry, currant
and gooseberry, cucumber and squash, and cabbage ; and so to go on, if the work is
continued and Providence permit, till the farmers, gardeners and fruit growers of this
country are fully informed respecting the habits of their insect friends and foes, and
the best modes of dealing with them.

As mere descriptions of insects are seldom intelligible to the general non-scientific
reader, special pains have been taken to present an illustration of almost every insect
referred to in the following Report j and everyone will, no doubt, at once admit that any
little value these pages may have, is greatly enhanced by the excellent wood-cuts that
embellish them. Special thanks are due, and are hereby gratefully tendered, to the

67

Honourable George Brown, for his kind loan of many beautiful illustrations from the
Canada Farmer, and to Mr. C. V. Riley, the accomplished State Entomologist of Missouri,
for permission to obtain electrotypes of many of his admirable drawings, which are certainly
the best figures of the kind as yet produced in America. An acknowledgment also must
by no means be omitted of the excellent wood-cuts specially produced for these pages by
Mr. Beale, a rising artist of London, Ontario, and a member of the Entomological
Society. In order to relieve the limited funds of the Society from the expense incurred
in procuring these illustrations, a grant of fifty dollars was kindly made by the Fruit
Growers' Association of Ontario, and very recently an additional grant of more than
double that amount, by the Agricultural and Arts Association.

As these Reports have been prepared by persons who are much engaged in other
occupations, and who only devote to the study of Entomology what little leisure they
may be able to obtain, it is trusted that due indulgence will be accorded for any imper-
fections or omissions that may be apparent to the reader.

C. J. S. B.

Trinity College School, Port Hope,
December 12th, 1870.

INSECTS AFFECTING THE APPLE.

BY THE REV. C. J. S. BETHUNE, M.A.

1. The Apple-root Bark-louse (Eriosoma pyri,
Fitch.)

2. The Two-striped Borer (Saperda Candida,
Say.)

3. The Buprestis Apple-tree Borer (Chr
thris femorata, Fabr. )

4. The Oyster-shell Bark-louse (Aspidiotus

conchiformis, GmSlin. )

5. The Apple-tree Pruner (Stenocerus putator,

Peck.)

6. The Apple -twig Borer (Bostrichus bicaudatus,

Say.)

7. The Apple-tree Plant-louse (Aphis mali,

Fabr.)

8. The Rose Beetle (Macrodactylus

Fabr. )

9. Cutworms (Noctuadce.)

10. The Apple-tree Tent Caterpillar (Clisio-
campa Americana, Harris.)

11. The Forest Tent Caterpillar (<?. sylvatica,

Harris. )

12. The White-marked Tussock Caterpillar (G'r-

gyia leucostigma, Sm. & Abbott.)

13. The Yellow-necked Apple-tree Caterpillar

(Datana ministra, Drury. )

14. The Red-humped Apple-tree Caterpillar

(Notodonta concinna, Sm. & Abbott. )

15. The Fall Web-worm (Byphantria textor,

Harris. )

16. The Canker-worm (Anisopteryx vernala,

Peck.)

17. The Cecropia Emperor Caterpillar [Samia

Cecropia, Linn.)

18. The Rascal Leaf-crumpler (Phycita nebulo,

Walsh.)

19. The Codling-worm (Carpocapsa poinonella,

Linn.)

20. The Apple Curculio (Anthonomus quadri-

gibbus, Say.)

INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE APPLE.

Of all the fruits grown in Canada, none can be compared in importance to the apple,
whether we consider its almost numberless varieties, its universal distribution throughout
the country, its excellence in beauty and flavour, its commercial value, or its beneficial
effects upon the health of the community during our protracted winters ; and yet none,
probably, is more liable to suffer from the attacks of insects during every stage of its
growth and in every part of its organization — root and branch, trunk, leaves and fruit,
wood and bark, rind, flesh and core — in each and every part it has its peculiar insect foes.
To these different enemies we purpose now to direct the reader's attention, describing
'briefly their several characteristics, that, with the aid of our illustrations, he may be able
to identify the special pests of his own orchard, and, knowing who his enemies are, take
measures for their effectual repression.

69

AFFECTING THE ROOT.

1. The Apple-root Plant-Louse (Eriosoma [Pemphigus] pyri, Fitch ). — In many
parts of the Western States, especially in Illinois, young apple-trees are affected by a disease
in the roots, produced by the attacks of a woolly Plant louse. This minute creature works
under ground, and produces upon the roots, swellings and excrescences of all sorts of

Fig. 1.

shapes and sizes ; these interfere materially with the tree's supply of nourishment, and
when very numerous occasion its death. Dr. Hull, of Alton, 111., considers it "one of
the worst enemies with which our apple-trees have to contend," and states that it is much
more common than is generally supposed. In 1848 it was found so abundant in Chester
County, Penn., that thousands of young trees had to be thrown away ; and of late years
it has been very injurious in many localities. It will be well, therefore, for Canadian
fruit growers, and especially nurserymen, to be on the look-out for this creature, and when-
ever they find their trees less vigorous than they should be, and the leaves of a sickly ap-
pearance, they should examine the roots for the presence of this insect, provided there is
no trace of borer or other obvious cause of disease. Though we have never heard of its
working any mischief in Canada, it is yet as well that fruit growers should be warned of
its existence, and be prepared to deal with it when they find it.

The Apple-root Plant-louse is a little over a tenth of an inch in length, including the
closed wings, and of an opaque colour ; though so very minute it may be easily recognized
by the peculiar bluish- white cottony matter which it exudes from its body, and which is
never met with in the case of the common apple-tree plant-louse that inhabits the leaves
and the tips of the twigs. The easiest mode of getting rid of it is to drench the infested
roots with hot water, which, though hot enough to destroy the life of the insect, is not
injurious to the vegetable organization. (Amer. Ent., Jan. 1869.) In the case of young
trees that are being transplanted, these insects may be destroyed by dipping the roots in
strong soap suds or tobacco water.

AFFECTING THE TRUNK.

2. The Two-striped Borer (Saperda bivittata, Say ). — This insect and the species
that follows are among the worst foes of the apple that we have in this country, their
attacks are so insidious and the damage they inflict is so great ; they both work in the
wood of the trees, usually in the trunk, though the latter, as we have observed, occasion-
ally in the branches also. The Two-striped Borer is only found in certain districts of the
country, but it is to be feared that it will ere long spread throughout the length and
breadth of it. It is very common in the Niagara district of this Province, and in many
parts of the Province of Quebec, especially in the immediate neighbourhood of the
Cities of Montreal and Quebec (Couper, Can. Nat, mi 278); we have never met with it,
however, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, nor has it been taken in the neighbourhood
of London, Ont. It is very destructive in many parts of the United States, attacking
the quince, pear, mountain ash and hawthorn as well as the apple. Mr. Riley {First
Missouri Report, p. 43) states that he has invariably found it more abundant in trees grow-

70

Fig. 2.

ing on high land than in those growing on low land, and that it is worse in ploughed
orchards than in those which are seeded down to grass.

The accompanying figure represents the insect in its larva or grub
state, and in its perfect condition as a winged beetle. The larva when
full grown is about an inch in length, and less than a quarter of an inch
in thickness. It is of a pale yellow or whitish colour, with a brownish
polished head, and deep black jaws ; it is destitute of legs, but is
enabled to move in its burrows by the contraction and expansion of its
segments. The perfect insect is a pale brown beetle with two chalky-
white longitudinal strides running from the head to the apex of the
wing-covers; the underside, legs and antennae are also white. It makes
its appearance in June and July, but is seldom seen, as it usually
remains in concealment during the day, and flies only at night. The
females deposit their eggs upon the bark of the tree near the base of
the trunk, or collar as it is termed. Frtm the eggs are soon hatched out
tiny whitish grubs, which penetrate the bark and leave a hole so
minute that it soon closes up. For the first year the grub feeds only upon the
sap-wood, in which it excavates a round smooth cavity immediately beneath the bark,
generally nearly filled, when opened, with the sawdust-like castings of the worm.
These castings may very frequently be observed extruded from the burrow and
on the ground at the base of the tree ; whenever they are noticed search should
at once be made for the borer within. As this borer does not occur in any part
of Canada in which we have resided, we have had but little opportunity of
investigating its habits, we therefore quote the following excellent account from our
friend Mr. Beadle's Prize Essay on the Apple (Fruit Growers' Report 1868, p. 172):
" When the grub has become about half-grown it ceases to cast the dust out of its cavity,
and proceeds to fill it up, at the same time boring a passage or gallery upwards into the
heart of the tree. This gallery is continued upwards, of varying length, sometimes not
more than two inches, and sometimes twelve inches, and is gradually brought outwards
again to the bark of the tree, but not through it. When the grub has completed this
gallery, it turns round and returns to that part which is nearest to the heart of the tree ;
this part it now enlarges by tearing off the fibre from the walls, and with this fibre care-
fully and securely closes the entrance, so that if some insect enemy should fin^d its way
through the hole in the bark at the collar into the chamber where it passed the first part
of its life, that enemy could not enter the gallery to its present abode. Meanwhile it
crowds its sawdust-like castings into the upper extremity of the gallery against the bark,
thus, at the same time, diminishing the danger of attack from that quarter, and keeping
its chamber tidy. Having thus perfected its arrangements, it again turns round so as to
have its head upward, passes the winter in a torpid state, and in the spring casts off its
skin and becomes a pupa, from which in June the perfect insect hatches, climbs to the
upper end of the gallery, tears away the fine sawdust, gnaws a hole through the bark and
creeps forth." When several of these borers are at work in the same tree, their excava-
tions approach each other so closely as often to girdle the tree and cause its destruction.
Many modes have been proposed for the destruction of this noxious insect, some of
them essentially absurd, such as plugging up the holes in the trees which are made by
the beetle when taking his departure from the scene of his early life, after he has finished
his work of mischief. The simplest and most effectual remedies are : (1) the application
of soap (cold made soft soap is especially recommended) to the trunk of the tree early in
June and again in July ; rub it well over, especially near the base of the trunk, and place
a portion in the fork of the tree that it may be washed down into the crevices of the bark
by the rains. (2) If the Borer has already taken up his abode in the tree, cut into his
burrows with a sharp knife and get him out ; his presence may generally be detected near
the collar of the tree by the discoloration of the bark and by the saw-dust castings.
This is the most effectual, and by no means difficult remedy ; much benefit, however, may
also be derived from washing this part of the tree with lye, or any strong alkaline so.u-
tion, which will penetrate the interstices of the bark and kill any young grubs that may
be commencing to make their way inwards. The trees should be carefully examined-

71

especially if young and not long planted out — at different times during the year, as well
as in the spring.

3. The Buprestis Apple-Tree Borer ( Chrysobothris femoraia, FabrJ — Though
the apple-trees in many portions of Canada possess an immunity from the attacks of the
Two-striped Borer, there are few, if any, localities where more or less damage is not
inflicted by the Buprestis Borer, whose habits are very similar, and equally destruc-
tive. Like the preceding, it is the larva of a beetle, but of a totally different family ;
the former belongs to the long-horned beetles (Cerambycidce), distinguished by their long-
jointed antennae, while this is a Buprestian, belonging to a family ( Bupreslidce ) whose
members have very small and inconspicuous antennae, and are remarkable for their
brilliant metallic colours. As may be seen in the accompanying
illustrations, the grub of the former (Fig. 2) is thick and cylin-
drical, while that of the latter (Fig. 3) is flattened, and especially
distinguished by the broadness of the fore part of its body. The pa-
rent insect is represented at the right hand side of the illustration (Fig.
FlQ 3 3). By bearing these figures in mind, the reader will find no difficul-

ty in distinguishing the one pest from the other, should he be unfor-
tunate enough to be troubled with either of them. •

The natural history of the Buprestis Borer may be briefly related as follows : — The
egg is deposited by the female beetle in the chinks and crevices of the bark some time
during the early part of summer ; from this the young grub soon hatches, and works his
way into the soft sap-wood immediately beneath. Here he eats away, while the cavity in-
side becomes larger and larger, and he increases in size himself, gradually working upwards
until he becomes pretty well grown, when he bores into the solid heart of the wood, and
forms a flattish burrow, corresponding to his own flat form. Some assert that this borer
never leaves the sap-wood, to go into the harder interior ; but we have several times cut
them out of the very centre of the trunk of a young apple-tree, while others were at work
nearer the surface. When several attack the same tree, as they generally do, their bur-
rows, of course, approach very near each other, and oftentimes so practically girdle it as to
cause its speedy death ; in any case, they very much injure its vitality, and bring on de-
cay. We know, indeed, of two young orchards, where more than half of the trees have
been greatly injured by this insect, while some were killed outright ; and we have heard
of a number of others that were similarly affected. In the spring of the year the grub as-
sumes its pupa or quiescent state, and comes out as a perfect beetle in the end of June, or
during July, when — unlike the previous species, which loves concealment — it may be
found basking on the tree-trunks in the hot sunshine. It is very lively when danger
threatens, and will take wing in an instant if an attempt be made to catch it. Its black-
ish-brown colour, and rough surface above, so much resemble the bark of the tree, that it
would easily escape the notice of ordinary observers ; but beneath it is of a beautifully
burnished dark copper colour, looking as if made of metal, and under the wing-covers it is
bluish green. The Two-striped Borer attacks the trees, as a rule, only near the root,
though occasionally at the fork above ; the Buprestis Borer is not so particular as to his
locality, but attacks the whole trunk, and sometimes the limbs. They both prefer young
trees, probably because the bark is thinner, and more easily penetrated by the young grub.
The presence of the grub in the tree may be detected by the discoloration of the
bark, and its flattened, dried appearance. All such spots should be opened with a knife,
and the inmate ruthlessly butchered on the spot. In young orchards all the trees should
be carefully examined two or three times during the year, especially in early spring, and
in the autumn, and all affected ones be promptly treated with an application of the knife.
This, however, is a somewhat slow and tedious process : it is much easier to prevent the
attacks of the insect than to get rid of him when he has once affected a lodgment. An
excellent mode of doing this is by the application of soap, as recommended above in the
case of the Two striped Borer, only remembering that the whole trunk is liable to attack,
and must therefore be soaped, and not merely the portion above the collar. Mr. Riley
states (1st Missouri Report, p. 47) that "it attacks not only the apple, but the soft
maple, oak, peach, and is said to attack a variety of other forest trees ; though, since the
larvae of the family to which it belongs, all bear a striking resemblance to each other, it

72

is possible that this particular species has been accused of more than it deserves." Dr.
Fitch states that the natural food-plant of this borer is the white oak, and that the
destruction of the forests caused it to make use of the apple and peach ; this, however, is
probably a mistake arising from the similarity of the larvae of different species.

Man's efforts for the extermination of this borer are greatly aided by the labours of
several species of Woodpeckers, which tap over the surface of the trees, and, detecting
the presence of the grub by the hollow sound, soon open out his burrow, and draw out the
rascal with their long, sharp-pointed tongue. The vulgar name of Sap-suckers applied
to these birds should be discountenanced as much as possible, for they are physically
incapable of sucking out the sap of trees, the structure of their beak and tongue being
especially adapted for the procurement of their natural food, borers and other insects, as
may be seen from the accompanying illustration.
On this subject we cannot refrain from quoting
the remarks of the celebrated Ornithologist, Wil-
son, the truth of which we have frequently veri-
fied : — " Of all our Woodpeckers, none rid the
apple trees of so many vermin as this (the Downy Fl<>- ■*•

Woodpecker, Picus pubescens, Linn.), digging off the moss which the negligence of the
proprietor had suffered to Accumulate, and probing every crevice. In fact, the orchard
is his favourite resort in all seasons, and his industry is unequalled and almost incessant.
In the fall he is particularly fond of boring the apple trees for insects, digging a circular
hole through the bark, just sufficient to admit his bill ; after that a second, third, &c, in
pretty regular horizontal circles round the body of the .tree ; these parallel circles of holes
are often not more than an inch or an inch and a half apart. From nearly the surface
of the ground up to the first fork, and sometimes far beyond it, the whole bark of many
apple trees is perforated in this way, so as to appear as if made by successive discharges
of buck-shot, and our little Woodpecker is the principal perpetrator of this supposed
mischief; I say supposed, for, so far from these perforations of the bark being ruinous,
they are not only harmless, but, I have good reason to believe, really beneficial to the
health and fertility of the tree. In more than fifty orchards which I have myself care-
fully examined, those trees which were marked by the Woodpecker (for some trees they
never touch, perhaps because not penetrated by insects) were uniformily the most thriv-
ing, and seemingly the most productive. Many of these were upwards of sixty years
old, their trunks completely covered with holes, while the branches were broad, luxuriant,
and loaded with fruit. The most common opinion is, that they bore the tree to suck the
sap, and so destroy its vegetation, though pine and other resinous trees, on the juices of
which it is not pretended they feed, are often found equally perforated. Besides, the
early part of spring is the season when the sap flows most abundantly, whereas, it is only
during the months of September, October and November that Woodpeckers are seen so
indefatigably engaged in orchards, probing every crack and crevice, boring through the
bark, and, what is worth remarking, chiefly on the south and south-west sides of the
tree, for the eggs and larvae deposited there by the countless swarms of summer insects.
Here, then, is a whole species, I may say genus, of birds, which Providence seems to have
formed for the protection of our fruit and forest trees from the ravages of vermin, which
every day destroy millions of those noxious insects that would otherwise blast the hopes
of the husbandman ; and yet they are proscribed by those who ought to have been their
protectors, and incitements and rewards are held out for their destruction/' In some
parts of the Western States, it is said that great damage is done to orchards by the
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker (S. varius, Baircl), but Dr. Bryant (Pro. Boston, Soc. Nat. His.,
x, 91) states that he examined the stomachs of six specimens forwarded from Wisconsin,
in all of which were found portions of the inner bark of the apple tree, but they also
contained a much greater quantity of insects ; " in one bird there were two larvae of a
boring beetle, so large that there was not room for both in the stomach at once, and one'
remained in the lower part of the oesophagus. If these were the larvae of the Saperda,
as is probable, they would do more damage than twenty Woodpeckers, and I sincerely
hope that these birds are not to be exterminated, unless it is clearly demonstrated that
the injury caused by the destruction of the bark is not more than compensated by their
destruction of noxious insects,"

73

Fiu. 5.

AFFECTING THE BRANCHES.

4. The Oyster-shell Bark-Louse (Aspidiotus conchi/ormis
'Gmelin).— Although there are two species of Bark-lice that affect the
apple in the northern United States, there is only one, so far as we are
aware, that is injurious in Canada. The other, which is called Harris'
Bark-louse (A. Earrisii, Walsh), is often very destructive in Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland, South Illinois and Missouri,, and is occasionally met
with further north. We are not very likely to be troubled with it in
this country, but yet it is well that we should know the difference
between it and the other more common species. " The colour of the
scale is dirty white, and its form is irregular, being usually egg-shaped;
but however variable in outline, it is always quite flat and causes the
infested tree to wear the appearance shown in the accompanying wood-
cut (Fig. 5); while the minute eggs which are found under it in
winter time are invariably blood-red or lake- red." — (Riley)

The other species, which infests our apple-trees in all parts of the
Dominion, is named the Oyster-shell Bark-louse (A. conchi/ormis,
Gmelin), from the shape of the scale, which is always like that of the
oyster-shell; it is of an ashen-gray colour, the same hue as that of
the bark, and in winter and early spring covers a number of white eggs— not red as
in the preceding species. The shape of the scale and the colour of the eggs form ready
and apparent distinctions between the two species, so that there is no danger of mistaking
them. A comparison of Fig. 6, which represents a twig covered with the
Oyster-shell Bark-louse, with Fig. 5, representing the other species, will show
the reader the distinction more satisfactorily than any words of ours. Our
Canadian species (which, by the way, like so many others of our most injurious
insects, is an importation from Europe,) passes its life in the following man-
ner:—About the end of August or beginning of September, the mother°insect
lays a quantity of very minute eggs beneath a scale that she has already formed
in some, as yet, unaccountable way; some entomologists incorrectly say that
this scale is the body of the gravid female covering and protecting the eggs,
others, with more probability, that it is an exudation from her body. Having
completed this work, she dies ; but the eggs remain under the scale, which, as
we have seen, very much resembles an oyster-shell in shape, all through the
winter until the following spring. About the first week in June, or later,
according to the season, the eggs hatch and produce a number of excessively
small plant-lice (Fig, 7-2) which, on the first subsequent hot day, leave the protec-
tion of the scale, and spread over the branches of the tree, attacking especially
the soft terminal twigs. For a few days they possess the power °of moving
about, but after they once select a spot on the tree and begin to suck the sap
there, they never move again, but remain as stationary and as much fixtures as if they
were twigs themselves. After a time each one becomes covered with a white wax y secre-
tion, that issues from the body in the shape of very fine delicate threads (Fig. 7-3)] », This

Fig. 7.

74

secretion disappears after a few days, and leaves the creature covered with a pale brown
scale; in about a week's time a fresh secretion arises from the posterior end, and assumes
an oval form, giving the creature the form represented in Fig. 7-4.* After another ten
days or a fortnight another plate is secreted, larger than the two others together ; and at
the end of July or beginning of August, its whole growth appears to be completed ; and
on lifting up the scale, thus formed in three successive portions, but now united into one
(Fig. 7-7), the louse may be seen snugly ensconced and protected from the world without.
Here in due time it lays its eggs, and finally dies ; leaving the seed of another generation
to take its place. We have thus far been describing the female insect, but we have no
description to give of the male, for the simple reason that no male has as yet been ever
discovered. Judging from analogy, he is probably furnished with wings, but his interven-
tion, as in the case of the Aphides, is perhaps not required for many successive
generations, if, indeed, the whole race be not hermaphrodite, that is, consisting of but
one sex which unites the functions of both.

Such being the history of this insect, it is plain, and it has been proved by experi-
ment, that the only time to successfully apply remedies for it is during the short period
that intervenes between the emergence of the young insect and the formation of its new
scale. It can then be destroyed by rubbing the affected branches with a stiff brush, or
by washing them with a strong solution of soap ; but these remedies are of but little use
except at that particular time, namely, early in June, as it is difficult to make a solution
penetrate the scale, and so destroy the creature beneath. Much, however, can be done
by scraping off the scales from the limbs of the trees in spring, or indeed, at any time of
the year. In setting out a new orchard great care should be exercised in the inspection of
the young trees; by then getting rid of all the scales that may be found attached to a tree,
its future immunity from this pest may be, as a rule, relied upon. Mr. Beadle, in his
Prize Essay already referred to (p. 173), states that "the best remedy for these insects
seems to be a sort of paint, made by boiling leaf tobacco in strong lye, until it becomes
an impalpable pulp, and then mixing it with cold-made soft-soap (which is ropy, not the
jelly-like soap), until it is about as thick as paint is usually applied; with a paint-brush
apply it to all parts of the tree where these Bark-lice are found, before the buds swell in
the spring. If this be carefully and thoroughly done, the bark-lice will be surely killed,
and the tree will make a thrifty growth." In the Canada Farmer for August, 1869,
(p. 296), Mr. J. Glover, of St. Thomas, relates how he saved two apple-trees from
destruction by bark-lice by dashing over them early in the winter, a quantity of lye that
remained after soap-making. We may quote our remarks upon his letter: — " Strong
alkaline solutions are always considered the best remedy for these and similar pests, but
a difficulty in applying them is that, when strong enough to destroy insect life, they are
apt to destroy vegetable life as well. By using lye, however, when there are no leaves
or opening buds to be injured, good appears to be effected. The reason we limit the
application of a solution of soap to the short period during which the bark-lice are unpro-
tected by their usual scale, is because it is so difficult to get any solution that will
penetrate the hard scale, and reach the eggs that are under it in winter, and the louse
in summer."

Although artificial remedies are thus few in number, and not very satisfactory in ap-
plication, nature — happily for the fruit-grower — furnishes us with much better ones, that
require no trouble on our part, except the performance of the negative duty of letting them
alone. One of these is a very minute mite (A cams J, that devours immense quantities of
the eggs and young of the Bark-louse. Another consists of the many varieties of Lady-
birds (or Lady-bugs, as they are often improperly and unpleasantly termed), especially one
called the Twice-wounded Lady-bird (Chilocerus bivulnerus, Muls). This useful insect is of
a deep, shining, black colour, with a blood-red spot (whence its name) on each wing-cover,

*These figures (from Bilej's 1st Rep. Miss.) are highly magnified, the hair lines at the sides show
the natural sizes. 1. Egg; its "natural size is scarcely the one-hundredth part of an inch. 2. Larva, as it
appears when running over the twigs ; natural size 1-100 inch. 3. Its appearance after becoming stationary.
4. Appearance of the scale after the "second secretion takes place*. 5. Form of the louse (ventral view) after
losing its members. 6. Form of the louse (ventral view) when full grown, and just about to deposit. 7.
Fully formed louse, as it appears from the under side, when raised. 8. Highly -magnified antenna of larva,
showing the joints.

75

and is about the size and shape of a split pea. It is repre-

»sented, magnified, in Fig. 8, the hair-line at the side show-
f ing the natural size. Fig. 9 represents its larva, which is a
* dark grey prickly creature, extremely active and voracious
in its habits. Its pupa may often be found on the trunks
of all sorts of trees, partly covered and surrounded by the
prickly larva-skin. This fruit-growers' friend, and all the
other species of Lady-birds (Coccinellidce), should never be destroyed, but
always cherished and protected to the utmost.

5. The Apple-tree Pruner (Stenocerus putator, Peck ; S.villosus, Fab.). — At a meet-
ing of the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, held at St. Catharines in July, 1866, a
portion of an apple-tree branch, that had been cut off by some insect, was exhibited by
Mr. Charles Arnold, of Paris, Ont. After the meeting, the specimen was forwarded to us
for examination. We found, upon cutting into the branch, which had been neatly severed
by some insect, that the culprit was a long, cylindrical grub, who was quietly concealed in
his burrow, from which he had evidently no expectation of emerging into daylight till
ready to issue forth as a perfect beetle. From the appearance of the grub, as well as of
the burrow, we were led to believe the insect to be a specimen of the Pruner Stag-beetle
(Stenocerus putator, Peck), which has for some time been known to attack oak trees, and
which, Dr. Fitch (3rd Rep., N. Y., p. 12,) states, occasionally affects apple trees also.

The larva, or grub (Fig. 11), of the ap-
ple-tree Pruner is a little over half an inch in
length when full grown, and about a seventh
of an inch in breadth across the neck, which
is its thickest part, and from which it tapers
gradually backwards. The head is small and
black, the neck and remaining segments of
the body, yellowish white, with some slight
blackish markings. The segments, or rings,
are thirteen in number (including the head),
as is usual amongst all larvae, but the last two
are frequently concealed in the one before
them, the insect apparently assisting its pro-
Fig. 12 gression by drawing them in and out. It has

six very minute legs, attached to the anterior
segments. From this larval state, it turns into a somewhat active pupa (Fig. 1 2) in the
spring of the year, and completes its final transformation into a beetle in the month of
June. It is then a cylindrical beetle (Fig. 10), of a dull black colour, with brownish wing-
covers ; the antennae in the male are longer than the body, and in the female, equal to it.
The whole body is covered with short, close gray hairs, which, from being denser in some
places than in others, form spots on the thorax and elytra ; its total length varies from
half an inch to three-fifths. The above illustrations represent the female beetle (Fig. 10) ;
the larva, magnified (Fig. 11); and the pupa, enclosed in its burrow, also magnified

(Kg- 12).

The peculiar habits and instincts of this insect render it one of the most curious and
interesting that we have. The following is an account of them, that we gave in the Canada
Farmer at the time above referred to : The parent beetle, with a view to provide soft and
easily masticated food for the tender jaws of the infant grub, lays its eggs in the green,
fresh growth of a twig proceeding from a moderate sized limb. The young worm, imme
diately upon its exit from the egg, burrows down into the centre of the twig, and consumes
all the soft, pulpy matter of which it is composed. By the time it reaches the main branch,
it has become sufficiently matured to be able to feed upon the strong meat of the hard-
wood, and accordingly makes its way into the branch, leaving the hollowed twig to gradu-
ally wither and drop off. It now eats its way downwards a short distance (half an inch
in the specimen before us), through the middle of the branch, and proceeds deliberately to
cut off its connection with the tree, and make its way to the earth by the shortest pos-

76

sible route. This, however, is a rather delicate operation, and requires the exertion of all
the insect's wonderful instinctive skill ; for were it to gnaw too much of the wood away,
the branch would break during the proceeding, and probably crush the workman to death.
But with admirable forethought and precision, it leaves the bark and just enough woody
fibres untouched to sustain the branch until it has time to make good its retreat into its
burrow, the opening of which it carefully stops up with gnawed fragments of wood.
" But," as Dr. Fitch relates, "the most astonishing part of this feat remains to be noticed.
The limb which he cuts off is sometimes only a foot in length, and is consequently quite
light ; sometimes ten feet long, laden with leaves, and quite heavy, A man, by carefully
inspecting the length of the limb, the size of the branches, and the amount of the foliage
growing upon them, could judge how far it should be severed to insure its being after-
wards broken by the winds. But this worm is imprisoned in a dark cell, only an inch or
two long, in the interior of the limb. How is it possible for this creature, therefore, to
know the weight and length of the limb, and how far it should be cut asunder 1 A man,
moreover, on cutting a number of limbs of different lengths so far that they will be broken
by the winds, will find that he has often miscalculated, and that several of the limbs do
not break off as he designed they should. This little worm, however, never makes a mis-
take of this kind. If the limb be short, it severs all the woody fibres, leaving it hanging
only by the bark ; if it be longer, a few of the woody fibres on the upper side are left un-
cut, in addition to the bark. If it be very long and heavy, not more than three-fourths of
the wood will be severed. With such consummate skill does this philosophical little car-
penter vary his proceedings to meet the circumstances of his situation in each particular
case !"

Having performed this operation successfully, and closed its hole, that the jarring of
the branch when it falls to the ground may not shake it out, the grub retreats to where
it first entered the limb, and goes on eating up through the heart for about six inches or
a foot, and this it does both before and after the branch reaches the ground. The object
of this amputating process it is difficult for us to understand fully, but we may imagine
that it is for two purposes : first, as regards the insect itself, that it may the more effectu-
ally escape the attacks of woodpeckers and other foes, and be less exposed to the winter
frosts ; secondly, that the tree may receive the benefit of a pruning of its growth, which
in its natural state might be too exuberant. Thus wonderful and varied are the checks
and counter-checks that the Almighty imposes upon his works ; to each one there is laid
down the law, " Thus far shalt thou go, and no further i"

The obvious remedy for these singular insects, when they attack fruit or other valu-
able trees, is to gather up the fallen limbs and burn them, before the grub has time to
complete his transformations into the perfect state.

6. The Apple Twig-borer (Bostrichus bicaitdatus, Say J. — Besides the above mention-
ed insects, the branches, or rather twigs, of the apple-tree have as a foe a small cylindrical
beetle called the Twig-borer. It is frequently injurious in Illinois, Missouri and other
States, but has not yet made its appearance in Canada ; we shall therefore dismiss it in a
few words. "It preys upon the twigs of good sized trees, boring in just above a bud,
and working downwards through the pith in a cylindrical burrow for the space of one or
two inches. The male is distinguished from the female by having two little thorns pro-
jecting from the hind end of its body, and both males and females are found in these
burrows, and always with their heads downwards, showing that they bore the hole, not in
the larva state like other borers, but in the perfect beetle state. Neither can they bore
these holes as a breeding place for their future larvae ; for no larvae have ever been found
therein. Evidently, therefore, they must bore them as a means of supplying themselves
with food." — {Am. Ent., 1, 206.) Dr. Fitch states that this insect occurs from Pennsyl-
vania to Mississippi, and has been common of late years in the orchards of Michigan and
Illinois ; we must not be surprised, then, to find it some day in the western parts of Ontario.
Mr. Zimmerman, of Cameron, Mo., states that they work during the months of August,
September and October, on both pear, cherry and apple-trees ; and that he has found
sometimes as many as ten twig-borers on a single two or three year old tree. The twigs
thus injured usually break off with the wind.

77

AFFECTING THE LEAVES.

7. The Apple-tree Plant-Louse (Aphis Mali, Fabr.).— Every one who cultivates a
single foot of land, or even grows a house-plant m a pot, must know what a Plant-louse is
like, for they are to be found at one time or another, we may safely say, upon every kind
of ordinary plant that exists in this country. The good wife who tends with anxious
care her geranium or fuchsia in the cottage window, knows full well how mysteriously the
little green pests come back on her plants, in spite of frequent washings with soap-suds
©r smokings with the old man's pipe j the gardener knows how the same minute creatures
suck the juices of the majority of his vegetables and plants, and what a very plague they
oftentimes are in the conservatory; and the fruit grower must assuredly have noticed the
curled up leaves of his currant-bushes all alive beneath with a loathsome mass of these
insects, or the blackened tips of the young shoots of his apple-trees, whose shrivelled
leaves swarm on the underside with myriads of tiny greenish lice. But few, perhaps, can
tell why it is that they are so numerous, and appear in such thousands on a plant that a
few days before seemed perfectly free from their attack. The reason is because they are
so astonishingly productive. From a single female plant-louse, of an ordinary species,
Mr. Curtis has calculated that there may be produced in seven generations the tremendous
number of 720 millions of descendants, each one of whom possesses a similar fecundity.
In the case of the grain-louse, Dr. Fitch states that "a single one produces four daily, and
these become equally prolific when they are three days old ; thus her descendants in
twenty days will number upwards of two millions, and will increase at the rate of a
million daily ! " No wonder, then, that they appear as if by magic where none were
noticed before.

The aphis or plant-louse of the apple belongs to the same order of insects (Homoptera)
as the bark-louse that we have already considered. Early in the spring, as soon as the
buds begin to expand, this tiny insect, with multitudes of its fellows, emerges from the
almost microscopically minute egg that has remained all winter in some crevice of the
bark. It at once attaches itself to some tender leaf, bud or stem, and there employs its
life in sucking out the juices of the tree. It is of a pale greenish colour, and somewhat

less than a tenth of an inch in length. The
accompanying illustration (fig. 13) of a greatly
magnified winged male and wingless female,
shows the structure and shape of the insect ; its
beak, which proceeds from the under side of the
head, is here hidden from the view in the male,
but can be seen in the female. Strange as it
may appear, all the plant-lice hatched from the
eggs are females, and these in less than a fort-
night arrive at maturity, and commence giving
birth to living young, which are also females.
Every day, during its brief life of about a
Fig. 13. month, it produces two or three young ones,

which in their turn arrive at maturity and in-
crease the population in the same ratio. As long as the summer lasts no males are pro-
duced, the original fecundation of the females in the eggs apparently sufficing for the
numerous generations that follow ; late in the autumn, however, winged males are born,
and these, uniting with the females, become the parents of the eggs for the following
year. Their natural history is thus most strange, and contrary to all experience in other
orders of insects.

Almost all the different species of plant-lice secrete a sweetish fluid called honey-dew,
which is ejected from the two projecting horns, or nectaries, on each side of the abdomen
behind. This fluid, when it falls upon the leaves and branches beneath a colony of these
insects evaporates and forms a sweet glutinous suostance upon which many insects are
lond of feeding. The ants particularly are fond of this sweetness, and not content with
obtaining it as it is discharged by the aphis, they actually perform an operation upon the
plant-louse, very much resembling the process of milking a cow, and cause it to discharge
its sweetness for their own particular benefit.

78

FiG.kH.

The enormous number of these plant-lice upon the apple, and their wonderful powers
of re -production; cause them oftentimes to inflict very great damage upon an orchard.
In such cases it is desirable to apply a remedy if practicable. The most highly recom-
mended remedies are: (1) Dusting the affected leaves with lime or sulphur; (2) watering
them from beneath with strong soap-suds by means of a syringe or garden engine ; and
(3) a similar application of a strong decoction of tobacco, one pound of stems and rough

leaf being boiled in a gallon of water. The best
of all remedies are, however, provided by the good
Providence of the Creator, and consist of small par-
asitic insects which prey upon the plant-lice. The
most common of these are the various species of
lady-birds, both in their larval and beetle states [fig.
14 represents these two conditions of a common
species, the nine-dotted lady-bird (Coccinella Novem-
Notata.)]. The lace-winged or golden-eyed flies (Chrysopa), fig. 15, so called from some of

their most striking characteristics. These flies have four
delicate, transparent, white wings, like bits of fine lace, bright
golden eyes, and a lovely green body ; but though so pretty to
look at, ' most horrible to handle, the odour they emit being
of the most sickening and offensive character. Their larva
(fig. 1 6) is equally destructive to aphides with the fly itself ;
the eggs curiously placed upon stalks are represented on the
right in fig. 16. Yet another friend to man and enemy to plant-lice is depicted in

fig. 17; the larva of the Syrphus fly, which is a two-
winged insect of varied colours, oftentimes resembling
a wasp or hornet. Other enemies to the
Aphides that may be mentioned, are dragon
flies, ichneumons, &c. But for the as-
sistance rendered by these useful insects,
the plant-lice would speedily increase to
such an extent as to sweep away all vege-
earth.

FabrJ. — Among the insects in-
jurious to'theapple in this country, Mr."Beadle includes the Kose-beetle (or "bug" as it
is commonly termed) ; Dr. Fitch also enumerates it amongst apple-tree insects m his Mew
York Eeports. Our own acquaintance with it has, happily, been so slight, and its tastes
are so omnivorous where it does occur, that we should have been inclined to place it in
some other category, as for instance, under the grape insects, and leave it to our friend
Mr. Saunders to deal with in his portion of this report. As it is, however oftentimes
very destructive to the leaves of the apple where it does occur, it will be well lor us to
give sl short description of it here.

The Kose-beetle is slender in form, tapering a little towards each end, and about two-
fifths of an inch in length. Its general colour is yellowish, fresh specimens being covered
with a dull ochre-yellow down or bloom ; when this is rubbed off, the head, thorax and
under side of the body appear shining black, the wing-covers brownish-yellow and the
legs reddish-yellow. These last mentioned appendages are long and slender, and furnished
with excessively long spinous feet or claws, from which peculiarity the insect derives its
scientific name. Towards the end of June these beetles appear, where they occur at all,
in vast numbers and continue to devour almost everything of a vegetable character that
comes before them for about a month or six weeks, and then they entirely disappear till
another summer comes round with a fresh horde. Before their disappearance the females
lay about thirty eggs an inch or so below the surface of the earth and these hatch out in
about three weeks. The young grubs feed upon any tender roots within reach, and attain
their full size before winter sets in, when they are about three-fourths of an men long and
an eighth broad, of a yellowish-white colour, with a darker head. When the autumnal
frosts set in, they descend some distance into the earth to escape the danger of freezing
and thawing in the winter, but on the arrival of spring they come towards the surface

Fig. 16.

tation from the face of the

8. The Eose Beetle ( Macrodadylus subspinosus,

Fig. 17.

79

again, and there form an earthen cell in which to pass the pupa state. This lasts about
a month, and then they come forth as perfect beetles to do all the mischief they can
during their short existence. Their whole life, in all its stages, thus lasts but a year — a
period far too long, however, in the opinion of those who are so unfortunate as to be
afflicted by them.

The only locality, where we have seen these creatures at work, is the garden at the
Parsonage, Oakville j there they came in vast numbers and devoured everything — nothing
appeared to come amiss to them ; they were especially destructive, however, to the grape-
vines. As they seem to be proof against all the ordinary remedies for injurious insects,
the only method is to set to work and catch and kill them. This is easily done, as their
habits are rather sluggish ; a few children could soon gather thousands and speedily di-
minish their numbers. Much might also be effected by jarring the trees that they are on,
in the cool of the morning or evening, when they are less active, and adopting the same
measures that are so efficacious in the instance of the Plum Curculio.

CATERPILLARS AFFECTING THE LEAVES.

9. Cut- wo RMS (Noctuadce.) — Fruit-growers have long observed that the buds of their
trees in early spring are oftentimes eaten off and destroyed by they know not what. The
mischief was attributed sometimes to birds, sometimes to winged insects or slugs, and
even to late frosts \ but it was not until a few years ago that the discovery was made that
it was all to be ascribed to the depredations of cut-worms. As Mr. Riley has demon-
strated, many species of cut-worms are very destructive to fruit trees, especially the
dwarf varieties. In the spring before the leaves are expanded, these worms climb the
trees at night and eat off the fruit buds, devouring the ordinary leaf buds when there are
no more of the others left. At break of day they drop from the trees, and conceal them-
selves in the earth till night comes round again. They are more injurious on sandy soil
than on clay, as the former is softer to drop upon, and more easily penetrated for conceal-
ment.

In the Prairie Farmer (June 1866), Mr. Cochran, on whose farm these facts were
first observed, gives the following interesting account of the proceedings of these cut-
worms : —

" They destroy low branched fruit trees of all kinds except the peach, feeding on the
fruit buds first, the wood buds as a second choice, and preferring them to all other things,
tender grape-buds and shoots (to which they are also partial) not excepted — the miller
always preferring to lay her eggs near the hill or mound over the roots of the trees in the
orchard ; and if, as is many times the case, the trees have a spring dressing of lime or
ashes with the view of preventing the May beetle's operations this will be selected with
unerring instinct by the miller, thus giving her larvae a fine warm bed to cover themselves
up in during the day from the observation of their enemies. They will leave potatoes,
peas, and all other young green things for the buds of the apple and the pear. The long,
naked young trees of the orchard are almost exempt from their voracious attacks, but I
have found them about midnight, of a dark and damp night well up in the limbs of these.
The habit of the dwarf apple and pear tree however just suits their nature, and much
of the complaint of those people who cannot make these tree thrive on a sandy soil has its
source and foundation here, though apparently utterly unknown to the orchardist. There
is no known remedy ; salt has no properties repulsive to them, they burrow in it equally
as quick as in lime or ashes. Tobacco, soap and other diluted washes do not even pro-
voke them : but a tin tube 6 inches in length opened on one side and closed around the
base of the tree, fitting close and entering at the lower end an inch into the earth, is what
the lawyers would term an effectual esstopper to further proceedings.

If the dwarf tree branches so low from the ground as not to leave 6 inches clear of
trunk between the limbs and ground, the limbs must be sacrificed to save the tree — as
in two nights four or five of these pests will fully and effectually strip a four or five year
old dwarf of every fruit and wood bud, and often when the tree is green utterly denude
it of its foliage. I look upon them as an enemy to the orchard more fatal than the

80

canker-worm when left to themselves, but, fortunately for mankind, more easily headed
off."

Cut-worms, as most of our readers are, no doubt, well aware, are those dirty,
greasy-looking caterpillars that are such a plague to gardeners in spring and early sum-
mer, from their habit of cutting off at night close to the surface of the ground, the young
cauliflower, cabbage and tomato plants, early peas, many flowers, such as stocks, bal-
sams, &c, and, in fact almost any tender young plant. There are a large number of
species of these insects, all pretty much alike in their larval or caterpillar state. They
turn into those common, dull brown and greyish moths that are so numerous in summer
evenings about one's lamp or candle, and which may often be found hiding in the morning
about the shutters or in crevices of the windows. The plan recommended above, in
Mr. Cochran's observations, is probably the simplest and most efficacious for keeping
them off our apple and other fruit trees; much might be done also by jarring off and
destroying the worms at night. Any one desiring full particulars, with descriptions, of
these insects and the moths into which they turn, will find an elaborate account in
Mr. Riley's First Report on the Noxious Insects of Missouri.

10 and 11. Tent Caterpillars. — (Clisiocampa Americana, Harris, and C. Sylvatica,
Harris.) Though we are enumerating a large number of insects injurious to the apple-tree
in their respective ways, there are four kinds that stand out above all the rest in the extent
of their ravages and in the wideness of their distribution. These are the two borers in the
trunk ; the bark-lice on the branches ; the tent-caterpillars, which we have now come to,
on the leaves ; and the codling-worms in the fruit. Of these four kinds of insects, the
Tent-caterpillars are the most conspicuous in their work of destruction, and probably the
best known to people in general. They belong to two different species, called the Amer-
ican and the Forest Tent-caterpillars ; the former especially attacks the apple, though
occasionally it is found upon plum, cherry, and pear trees, and more frequently upon the
wild cherry ; the latter, as its name implies, is more addicted to the foliage of forest trees,
but of late years it has proved very injurious to that of the apple as well.

The accompanying illustrations will enable the reader to distinguish between these
two caterpillars whenever he meets with them.

Fig 18, represents the American
Tent-caterpillar, (a) side view, (b)
back view, (c) bracelet of eggs, (d)
cocoon : Fig 19, the Forest Tent-cat-
erpillar. The most conspicuous dif-
ference, is that the former has a
white stripe extending along the back
from head to tail, while the latter
has a series of white spots instead.
The eggs from which these caterpil-
lars proceed (Fig. 18, c) are laid by
the parent moth in the end of June,
or early in July, upon the smaller
twigs of the tree, usually beautifully J=
arranged in the form of a broad
bracelet, containing about two hun-
dred aud fifty eggs. These eggs are
always protected from the heat in summer and
the cold in winter, by a thick leathery varnish,
which serves also to keep out the wet and pre-
vent the ingress of moisture, which in frosty
weather, would soon destroy the eggs. The
same degree of warmth that causes the apple
buds to swell and open out, hatches the little
larvse in the eggs ; and they are thus enabled

«olors-(a<fc b) black, white, blue and rufous, (c) yellowish at Once to find a Supply of Soft food Suited to

gray, (d) yellow. their tender powers of mastication and diges-

Fiff. 19.

81

tion. Should the supply of food, however, prove insufficient for the brood of larvae,
or not be conveniently at hand, they feed upon the varnish-like substance for some
time, and thus escape any danger of perishing by hunger. Next to satisfying their appe-
tites, their chief occupation consists in constructing a shelter for themselves, by stretch-
ing masses of web across some fork of the tree near their place of birth. As they in-
crease in size, they keep adding to this web, until it forms a large and conspicuous " tent,"
capable of containing the whole brood, and with room enough to permit of passage
through from one part to another. Here they retire in bad weather and when not feed-
ing ; whenever they go out, they always proceed along the upper side of the branches and
emit a silken thread as they go, which serves as a clue to guide them back to their abode.
The principal thoroughfares to and from the " tent," soon become covered with a mass of
these threads which thus form smooth silken roads for the creatures to travel upon.

They continue in the caterpillar state for tive or six weeks, feeding voraciously all the
time, and very often stripping entire boughs of their foliage ; indeed, where they have
been suffered to go on without molestation, they have been known to strip whole orchards
of their leaves, rendering them as bare as in mid winter. After arriving at maturity,
they leave the trees and crawl about in all directions to find secluded spots in which to
form their cocoons ; the crevices of fences, sheltered angles of buildings, loose bark of old
trees, and neglected rubbish on the ground are favourite localities. The cocoon (Fig. 18, d)
is formed of a double web, the outer one loosely woven, and of very slight texture, and
the inner tough and thick ; between the two webs is usually a quantity of yellowish dust,
resembling powdered sulphur in appearance. In this state the insect continues for about
three weeks, and then comes forth as a pale brownish, thick-bodied, and by no means
handsome, moth, whose wings are crossed by two oblique, parallel, whitish lines, as seen

Fig. 21.

in the accompanying illustrations (Fig. 20 rep-
resents the male and cocoon, and Fig. 21 the
FlG- 20- female moth and pupa). The month of July

is the period when these moths are most abundant ; they then swarm about our lamps at
night, and with a little trouble might be very much diminished in number, when they
thus come to us to be killed. Their individual life in the moth state is very short, not
lasting more than a few days, during which they pair and provide for the continuance of
their race, the female laying her bracelet of eggs, from which the next year's brood is to
come. Thus far we have been treating of the American Tent caterpillar (Clisiocampa
Americana, Harr.) ; the other species, the Forest Tent caterpillar (C. sylvatica, Harr.) re-
sembles it so much in general appearance and mode of life, that we need say but little
respecting it. The larva, as we have already pointed out. has a series of white spots
along its back instead of a white stripe, and differs also from the other species in not
constructing a large " tent," under which to live with its fellows, but merely making a
sort of web on the side ot the trunk or large branches, on and about which it lives more
or less in community, but with nothing like the same social tastes as the other species.
The moths differ a good deal from, though they bear a general resemblance to C. Amer-
icana ; the chief variation is in the colour, which is paler, and more of a reddish-yellow
hue, and in the stripes, which are dark instead of whitish, and not nearly so conspicuous.
C. sylvatica also very frequently forms its cocoon amongst the leaves of the tree upon
which it has been feeding, a practice which we have never observed in the case of the
other. The natural food of the Forest Tent caterpillar is evidently the leaves of
most of our common forest trees, but of late years it has been most destructive to
apple and other cultivated trees. In June, 1866, the editor of the Canada Farmer (p.

82

217) relates that in the course of a short journey from Toronto (in which direction he
does not tell us) he came upon a large orchard, which was almost as bare and leafless as
in mid-winter, having been stripped of its foliage by the Tent caterpillar. Passing on a
little further he came to another, and yet another, in the same plight ; " they were utterly
leafless, fruitless, and apparently dying, all from the same cause.'' It is difficult to say
which species produced all this damage, but from his account of their ravages, and his
mention of the wandering propensities of the caterpillars, we should judge that it was the
Forest and not the American species. In July, 1867, we drew attention in the same
publication (Canada Farmer, p. 221), to a case of abominable negligence, in the neighbour-
hood of Port Talbot, which permitted thirty acres of orchard to be completely devastated
by these caterpillars. In June, 1868, Mr. Beadle mentions {Prize Essay, p. 174) that
innumerable legions of this caterpillar swept over the orchards in the neighbourhood of
St. Thomas, and that they were very abundant throughout all the country between that
place and London, Ontario. Mr. Saunders has informed us that they have almost taken
the place of the C. Americana in the neighbourhood of London, the latter species being
not nearly so numerous as in former years. East of Toronto, however, we have not
found this caterpillar particularly numerous, while the other is universally abundant.

The remedies for both these pests may be divided into two classes : — artificial and
natural. The former are, in few words, (1) to search the orchard carefully in early Spring,
before the buds are swollen, or indeed at any time during the winter, and cut off all the
bracelets of eggs and burn them. They will be found near the ends of the shoots, seldom
more than a foot distant from the tip, and sometimes not an inch. A little practice will
soon enable one to detect them instantly. A cloudy day should be chosen for the work in
order to avoid the inconvenience of too much glare from the sky. (2). Go through the or-
chard or garden regularly twice a week, from the time the buds begin to open till the trees
are in full blossom, and remove all the tents with their nests of caterpillars. When the nests
are small they may be crushed in the gloved hand without difficulty. When they are high
up and out of reach, they may be brought down by means of a pole, with a buHch of rags
attached to the extremity. (3). Search for and destroy the cocoons about the end of June, in
the positions that we have mentioned above. (4). Kill all the moths of these two species,
that are attracted by light.

The natural remedies, which we have only to let alone to do their work, are (1) a very min-
ute fly (Platygaster) the larvae of which live in the eggs of the tent-caterpillars, and destroy
great numbers (see Canada Farmer 1866. p. 135). (2). A two-winged fly (Tachina) about
the size of and much resembling a common house-fly, and a four-winged fly (Pimpla), both

of which are parasitic upon the caterpillars. (3). Various
species of ground-beetles (Carabidm), which devour great
quantities of these caterpillars. Fig. 22 represents the
green caterpillar-hunter (Calosoma scrutator Fab.), which
though not common, does good service. There are also
many other good friends of this character besides these.

One word more and we have done with these pestilent
creatures. We are strongly of opinion, that the Govern-
ment of this country should compel under penalties the
destruction of the webs or tents of these and other noxi-
ous caterpillars. They are so conspicuous that it is only
carelessness and indolence that suffer them to increase
upon us, and there can be no excuse for their neglect.

Colors, Metallic — Green, Purple, and Copper.

12. The White Marked Tussock Caterpillar (Orgyia leucostigma, Sm. and Ab-
bott).— During the winter when our apple-trees ought to be destitute of leaves, we occa-
sionally see a single leaf or cluster of leaves attached to a twig. If these are examined
they will in almost all cases be found to contain an old grey cocoon, and the greater num-
ber to have a mass of eggs, covered with a white, glistening, froth-like substance, attached

83

Fig. 23.

the end of May or beginning of June

Fig. 24.

to them as well. These eggs, two or three
hundred of which may be found upon a
leaf at once, are the first stage of the
White-marked Tussock-Caterpillar, or as
Dr. Fitch styles the insect, the American
Vapourer Moth (Orgyia leucostigma S. and
A.). Each egg has a deep hoilow on the
top giving it the appearance of a tiny
opaque white bead. The caterpillars which
come out of these eggs in the early part of
summer (fig. 23, b. a young caterpillar) —
are remarkably pretty creatures. When full
grown (fig. 24) they are over an inch long,
of a bright yellow colour, with thin yellow
hairs along the sides of the body ; the head
is bright coral red, the next segment has
two long pencils of black hairs projecting for-
wards ; and the last segment but one, a single
similar pencil pointing backwards; on the
fourth and three following segments there
are short thick brush-like tufts of yellowish
hairs j and on the ninth and tenth two
little coral red knobs or warts.

These caterpillars feed singly on the leaves of apple, plum, and a large number of
other trees ; sometimes, when they are numerous, doing a good deal of damage. When
full fed they spin their thin silken cocoons on twigs of the trees which they frequent, or
on fences ; in the former case they draw down a leaf as a covering, and firmly attach it
to their cocoon. The male cocoon is white, or yellowish, and so thin as to shew the
insect through it (fig. 23 d, the male chrysalis) ; but the female cocoon is twice as large
and much more firmly constructed, and contains also a different shaped and much
larger chrysalis (fig. 23 c). The insect remains about a fortnight in the chrysalis state,
and then comes forth in the form of a moth. The male (fig. 25) has
broad ashen-grey wings, which expand about an inch and a quarter ; the
fore-wings have a few indistinct black lines across them, and a white
crescent-shaped dot near the lower corner, the antennae are broadly and
beautifully feathered, the tips of the plumes bending forward and ap-
proaching each other. The female, on the other hand, is extraordinarily
different, and would never be suspected of laying claim to the title of
moth ; she has the merest rudiments of wings, which are not observable
except on close inspection, and thin simple antennae ; in fact she is more
like an animated bag of eggs than anything else. (Fig. 23 a represents her
attached to her cocoon.) Being unable to fly, she remains on her cocoon,
where she is found by her mate, whose boastful ostentatious flight is the origin of the
English name "Vapourer." After pairing, the female lays her eggs upon the cocoon,
covers them with the curious frothy matter, which becomes hard and brittle and protects
them from the weather, and then — her work accomplished — drops down and dies.

The best remedy for these insects, when sufficiently numerous to be troublesome, as
they often are, is to go round the orchard during the winter, and take off all the cocoons
that have eggs attached to them. They can be at once discovered by their attendant
withered leaf. Those that have no egg masses on them should be left, Mr. Riley recom-
mends, as they either contain the empty male chrysalis, which is harmless, or some friend-
ly parasite. This work can be accomplished at the same time as the search for the egg-
bracelets of the Tent-Caterpillars is carried on.

13. The Yellow-Necked Apple-Tju:e Caterpillar (Datana ministra, Drury). — In
the summer of 18C5, many fruit growers m the neighbourhood of Toronto, and in other
parts of the Province, were alarmed by the appearance upon their apple trees of masses of
strange-looking and very voracious caterpillars. The first intimation usually given of the

Fig. 25.

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presence of these creatures was the complete denudation of some branches of the trees,
and on making a close inspection, the owner would find a community of caterpillars busily
engaged in the work of destruction.

These noxious insects, though formerly rare and seldom noticed in Canada, have" been
long observed in the United States. So early as the year 1773, Mr. Drury, a distinguish-
ed English entomologist, described and figured the moth into which these caterpillars
turn, specimens having been collected for him in the State of New York. He named it
the Phalcena minisira, the Handmaiden Moth ; it is now known by the appellation of Da-
tana ministra, or the Yellow necked Apple -tree Caterpillar. Dr. Fitch relates its occur-
rence in great numbers in the State of New York in 1853 and 1856; in 1868 we noticed
it in several localities, as well as in 1865, but it is not abundant every year. It belongs
to the family Notodontidse, of the order Lepidoptera, most of the members of which are
very destructive in their habits. The great* peculiarity of this family, and one which is
eminently characteristic of the species before us, is the extraordinary posture often assum-
ed by the caterpillars. When at rest after eating, they are usually crowded together as
closely as possible upon the twigs where they have been feeding, clinging to them with
the four intermediate pairs of pro-legs, and with the extremities of their bodies raised up-
wards. If touched, or otherwise disturbed, they throw
their tails upward with a jerk, and at the same time
bend their heads backward semicircularly, till the two
extremities almost meet. In this position they will re-
main for a considerable time, presenting, as may be im-
agined, a very odd and grotesque appearance. The ac-
companying illustration (Fig. 26) will enable the reader
to form some idea of this peculiarity, as well as of the
FlG" 26' ordinary appearance of the caterpillar.

The eggs from which these caterpillars come forth are laid in patches of about a hun-
dred together, on the under side of the terminal leaves of a limb, and the young are hatch-
ed out about the end of July, or beginning of August ; sometimes there are other broods
later in the season. At first they eat only the green substance (parenchyma) of the under
side of the leaves/the upper side and veins remaining untouched ; but as they gradually in-
crease in size and powers of digestion, and consequently of appetite also, they consume all
but the stem, and a portion of the mid rib. Beginning, thus, with the fresh and tender
leaves at the end of the branch, they descend by degrees, devouring all before them, till
the limb is perfectly bare.

When first hatched from the egg, these caterpillars are less than a quarter of an inch
in length, tawny yellow, with black heads and feet, and four narrow, pale yellow stripes
along each side of the body, the whole being thinly clothed with fine whitish hairs. When
fully-grown, the ground colour of the caterpillar is black, with the pale yellow stripes as
at first ; the head is black, the second segment, or neck, as it may be termed, is yellow
and wax-like (whence its common English name) ; the fore-legs and claws are black, while
the four pair of intermediate pro-legs are waxy yellow, spotted with black. Its greatest
length is about two inches.

The caterpillar state lasts five or six weeks, at the end of which time they descend to
the earth, and become transformed into chrysalids, a few inches below the surface ; there
they remain till the following summer, the perfect insect or moth not appearing till the
following June or July.

These moths are of a light brown colour ; the head and a large rectangular spot on
the thorax are deep chestnut brown ; the fore wings are crossed by four nearly parallel
lines, of a rusty brown colour ; the hind wings are pale yellow, without markings. They
measure from an inch and three-quarters to two inches and a half across the wings. The
moths themselves are not very often met with, but are sometimes attracted indoors by
lights at night.

The best mode of staying the ravages of the caterpillars is to go round all the trees
in the garden or orchard, and examine closely mherever the end of a branch appears to be
stripped of its leaves. Should this insect be the cause of the denudation, it will be read-
ily found, and the caterpillars can be easily destroyed by simply cutting off the twig on

£

85

which they are clustered, and throwing it into the fire. An orchard can in this way be
effectually cleared of the pest in a vrsry short space of time, and without any great amount
of labour. This summer (1870) we found a number of these caterpillars on one of our
apple-trees, but we had no difficulty in getting rid of them. One specimen we found
swarming with maggots of a minute Ichneumon, which have since gone through their
stages of cocoon and perfect flies ; but we have not yet determined the particular genus or
species to which they belong. They no doubt serve to keep these insects very much in
check, and probably are one of the causes of their irregular appearance from year to year.

14. The Red-humped Apple-tree Caterpillar (Notodonta concinna, Sm. and Ab-
bott,).— This insect belongs to the same family as the preceding species, and resembles it
very much in its habits and mode of life — so much so, that we need give but a very brief
description of it. It usually makes its appearance in July or August, and reveals its pre-
sence by stripping the leaves from whole branches, commencing at the top, just as the
Yellow-necked Caterpillar described above. When full grown, they are about an inch and
a quarter in length ; their general colour is yellowish red above and below, and white on
the sides, with thirteen narrow black stripes extending from the head to the tenth seg-
ment, interrupted only on the fourth segment by a prominent hump, of an orange-red
colour (whence the insect's name). There are two rows of black prickles along the back,

and a number of shorter ones on the sides, each of which ter-
minates in a fine hair • on the second, third and fourth segments,
these prickles are lengthened into spines ; the eleventh and
t wrelfth segments are entirely yellow, without any black lines,
and the last segment is black. The head is bright, shining red,
with black jaws. Towards the end of summer, the caterpillar
forms its chrysalis in the earth, and the moth appears the fol-
lowing year. It is a common-looking light-brown insect, with
dark-brown and greyish markings. Fig. 27, (1) represents
the caterpillar, and (2) the moth. " There is one peculiarity
about this caterpillar which we have not noticed in any other.
When handled, it discharges a clear liquid, having a strong acid
smell and taste. This is probably given as a means of defence against birds, since their
feeding in flocks, and so openly, would render them particularly liable to attacks from
these active foes!" (Canada Farmer, 1869, .p. 339. )

These caterpillars, when numerous, may be treated as the foregoing species ; or they
may be dislodged by a quick, jarring blow upon the limb, and received on a cloth or sheets
of newspaper spread below. An end may then be put to their existence by beating with a
spade, or trampling under foot.

15. The Fall Web- Worm {Eyphantria textor, Harris). — After all the Tent-Cater pil
lars' webs have been carefully and effectually removed from the trees in the spring, the
fruit-grower may be surprised and mortified to find his trees again beset with webs to-
wards the end of summer, and be inclined to give up fighting the worms as a hopeless case.
If, however, he examines the autumn webs, he will rind that the caterpillar that has pro-
duced them'is different from any that we have so far described, and not at all like the
Tent-Caterpillars of the spring. These webs are very large and thin, and are generally
formed all over the end of a branch, and not in a fork. The caterpillars vary in their
general colour from black to blue and greenish ; they have a broad, blackish stripe on the
back, in which, when nearly full grown, a blue line appears. On each segment (except the
two at each extremity, which have fewer,) there are twelve little warts, from which
bundles of whitish hairs proceed, viz. : four rust-yellow or orange on each side, two black
ones in a line with them on the back, and a little in front and between these two smaller
ones, also black at first, but becoming rust-yellow when the caterpillar is older. In feed-
ing, they at first only eat the softer parts of the leaves, the stalks and net-work of veins
being left ; but afterwards, they consume pretty nearly everything that comes within
their fatal net. When full grown, they disperse, and spin their cocoons in crevices of the
bark, and other sheltered places. The moth appears the following summer, and is of a
milk-white colour, without any spots or other markings upon the wings.

Though these webs are very common upon the apple, they are even yet more numer
F

86

ous on the wild-cherry, which appears to be their original food plant. They also attach
the hickory, ash, elm, willow, oak, birch, button wood and some other trees.

The best remedy, probably, is to cut off the infested boughs and burn them.

16. The Canker-worm (Anisopteryx vernata,~Peck). — This insect, though very common in
many parts of the United States, and exceedingly destructive where it occurs, is not often
met with in Canada. The only native specimens we have seen, were sent us in April,
1867, by our friend Mr. J. Pettit, of Grimsby, who stated that he first noticed them late
in November of the previous year, but that he found the females at different times dur-
ing the winter under the bark of trees. We gave an account of the insect at the time in
the Canada Farmer, (May 1st, 1867, p. 133,) from which we extract the following : — "The
Canker-worm belongs to a family of moths, called Geometers, or " Measuring-worms," or
" Span-worms," from the mode of locomotion employed by the caterpillars in consequence
of the absence of legs under the middle portion of their bodies. They have three pairs
of legs near the head, and two pairs at the other extremity, and when walking, they draw
up the hind legs close to the fore ones, doubling up the body in the form of an inverted
letter > — i, then they stretch out the fore legs as far as possible, draw the hind ones up to
them again, and so on, looking just as if they were spanning or measuring the surface
they are on. The moths from which they are produced, are called the Anisopteryx vernata,
Peck ; ihe former name meaning " unequal- wing," because the sexes differ so much in the
dimensions of their wings, — in this case the female has no ivings at all, and (like the female
of Orgyia leucostigma), would never be taken for a moth by one unacquainted with entomo-
logy ; the latter name means " spring," because the moth is most commonly seen in the
spring of the year.

The male moth has very delicate silky wings, broad in proportion to their length,
which overlap each other when the insect is at rest ; the fore pair are ash-coloured, with
a whitish spot near the tip on the front margin, and two indistinct zigzag whitish bands
across them, which are sometimes wanting ; the hind pair are paler and have a blackish,
dot near the middle ; all the wings have rather long, pale fringes ; they expand about an
inch and a quarter. The wingless female is ash-coloured above and greyish beneath ; of
an oblong-oval form, tapering to a point behind. The accompanying wood-cut (Fig. 28,)

Figr. 28.

exhibits the insect in its various stages. (Fig. 28, (a) eggs, natural size ; (b) do. magni-
fied ; (c) caterpillar ; (d) cocoon; (e) chrysalis ; (/) male moth; (g) female.)

Late in the autumn, after the first hard frosts are over, and mild genial days come
on, these moths issue from their pupa cases in the ground and continue to come forth,
whenever the weather is mild, all through the winter, appearing in the greatest numbers
early in the spring. The sluggish females at once crawl up the trunk of the nearest tree-
where they are soon joined by the more active flying males ; after pairing has taken place,
the female proceeds to the branches of the tree, where she lays her eggs, placing them in
clusters of from sixty to upwards of a hundred. From these the infant caterpillars hatch
out as soon as the young leaves of the tree begin to expand and afford them a supply of
suitable food. At first, from their small size, they attract but little notice, but during the
latter part of their larval existence, they grow rapidly and eat so voraciously as to divest
the tree of all appearance of greenness. "When very young," — according to Harris —
" they have two minute warts on the top of the last ring, and they are then generally of
a blackish or dusky-brown colour, with a yellowish stripe on each side of the body ; the re
are two whitish bands across the head, and the belly is also whitish. When fully grown,
these individuals become ash-coloured on the back, and black on the sides, below whic h

87

the pale yellowish line remains. Some are found of a dull greenish-yellow, and others of
a clay colour, with slender interrupted blackish lines on the sides, and small spots of the
same colour on the back. Some are green, with two white stripes on the back. The
head and feet partake of the general colour of the body ; the belly is paler. When not
eating, they remain stretched out at full length, and resting on their fore and hind legs
beneath the leaves. When full grown and well fed, they measure nearly or quite one inch
in length. They leave off eating when about four weeks old, and begin to quit the trees ;
some creep down by the trunk, but great numbers let themselves down by their threads
from the branches, their instincts prompting them to get to the ground by the most direct
and easiest course. After reaching the ground, they immediately burrow in the earth to
the depth of from two to six inches, where they make little cavities or cells in the ground,
by turning round repeatedly and fastening the loose grains of earth about them with a
few silken threads. Within twenty-four hours afterwards, they are changed to chrysa-
lids in their cells."

The trees most commonly frequented by these worms, are the elm and basswood of
the forest, and the apple, pear, cherry and plum, of the garden or orchard. When they
appear in large numbers, as indeed they commonly do, they completely strip the trees of
their foliage, and, though they make an effort to put forth a fresh crop of leaves the same
season, and occasionally produce a few blossoms and immature fruit, if the defoliation is
repeated, the effect is certain death to the afflicted trees.

Remedies. — As the female moth is wingless, and is obliged to crawl up the trunk of
the tree in order to deposit her eggs, from which the destructive caterpillars are produced,
it is evident that the simplest and most effectual remedy will be to prevent her from gain-
ing access to the required positions by placing some obstacle around the trunk of the tree.
The cheapest and readiest plan is to fasten bandages, three or four inches wide, of old
sacking or rags, tightly around the trunk of the tree, say two and a half or three feet
from the ground ; smear them well with a thick clay wash, and on this, when dry, spread
as much tar as will cling to the bandage without running over the bark and thus injuring
the tree. The tar should be applied shortly before sun-down, as the moth is nocturnal in
its habits, and should be renewed every warm and mild evening, as long as the moths are
about. This may appear a troublesome operation, but where canker worms are prevalent
it is far preferable to losing one's choicest fruit-trees. To prevent the tar from becoming
dry and hard, any common oil may be mixed with it to advantage.

As this pest is so very destructive and so well known to our ingenious neighbours, it
is not at all surprising to find that they have invented and patented various "tree pro-
tectors," and other apparatus for circumventing these insects. One kind consists of a
strip of india-rubber cloth, an inch wide, which surrounds the trunk of the tree, and has
projecting from it, "at an angle of forty-five degrees," a strip of tin or zinc about three
inches wide. The smooth sloping surface of the metal is calculated to interfere with the
climbing propensities of the moth. Another — "Foster's tree-protector" — consists of a nar-
row trough of tin, suspended to the trunk of the tree by a strip of cotton, and intended
to be filled with oil. A third — "Merrit's Patent tree -protector" — is much more elaborate
and expensive, though possibly not more effective. It is composed of a grooved circle of
glass surrounded with iron, and hung to a tent-like piece of cloth, which keeps the glass
some inches distant from the tree-trunk. The moths are expected to be all captured with-
in this tent, being unable to ascend any higher ; unfortunately, however, the young cater-
pillars are able to crawl over the smoothest glass by means of the glutinous silken thread
they spin.

A belt of sheepskin saturated with kerosene oil, and with the woolly side out, is
said to be, and if carefully applied and kept constantly saturated probably is, a useful
protector ; but we should strongly advise our readers who are in search of a remedy, to
have nothing to do with many Yankee nostrums as useless as they are absurd. Such, for
instance, is the often recommended plan of boring holes in the tree, and inserting lumps
of sulphur, in order to poison the worms ! This remedy cannot possibly hurt the worms
as the sulphur will remain unchanged in the tree for years, but may possibly be as in'
jurious as the insect itself. Some, again, drive nails into the tree with the same object .
another has recommended quicksilver as infallible ; while yet another speculator sellg'

88

what he calls "muriate of lime," that is, burnt oyster shells and salt, and declares that a
moderate application of this to the base of the tree is a sure preventative ! Such are
some of the modes in which the unprincipled try to dupe their ignorant or simple-minded
fellow creatures, who learn too late that they have bought the nostrum or recipe only to
be "sold" themselves.

17. The Cecropia Emperor Caterpillar (Samia [Saturnia] Cecropia, Linn). — Until
recently we regarded this gigantic insect as too rare to be classed amongst our foes, but it
has lately become so common in many quarters that we fear fruit growers must begin to
consider it as an occasional enemy. Few who see for the first time specimens of this and
other large native insects are willing to believe that they are really indigenous to Canada,
and not importations from some tropical country. Our Emperor Moths, four species of
which we have in Canada,- are certainly so large in size and so splendid in ornamentation,
that every beholder must regard them with admiration, and be willing to spare them for
their beauty's sake, even if they should prove destructive. They all belong to the same
family (Bombycidce) as the noted silk worm, whose productions afford employment to
thousands of our fellow-creatures, and subserve the comfort and luxury of a large pro-
portion of the human race. From one of our species, the Polyphemus Moth, that feeds
upon oak leaves, excellent silk has been obtained by Mr. Trouvelot, of Medford, Mass. ;
and a coarse but strong fabric has occasionally been manufactured from the co<?oons of
the species before us.

The Cecropia Emperor Caterpillar is hatched from a little round egg, flattened above,
of a whitish colour shaded with brown. The young larva is very tiny at first, but
speedily grows until it becomes a perfect giant among" caterpillars. When of full size it
is about four inches long, and presents the appearance of the accompanying illustration
(fig. 29). The general colour of the body is a beautiful pale-green ; the tubercles or

Fig. 29.
Colours — Green, Blue, Yellow and Red.

warts on the top of the first and last two segments are blue, those on the second and
third coral-red, and those on the remaining segments yellow ; the smaller tubercles on the
sides are blue. As may easily be imagined, the insect presents a very handsome appear-
ance being thus adorned with so many bright colours. When it has completed its growth it
proceeds to spin a large pod-shaped silken cocoon (fig. 30), attaching it on its flat side to

Fig. 30.
Colour— Pale-Brownish.

a twig]of some tree. This cocoon consists of two envelopes of silken fibres agglutinated

89

together ; the outer is loose and wrinkled, and somewhat resembles a coarse pale-brown
paper ; the inner is much more closely woven and is separated from the outer by a
quantity of soft loose silken fibres. Snugly ensconced within these two wrappers lies the
chrysalis, safely protected from the frost, and unaffected by the variations of temperature
dining the winter. About the end of May or beginning of June the moth comes forth,
a magnificent, soft brownish creature, with dull red and white ornamentation. The
accomanying wood-cut (fig. 31), exhibiting a male of this splendid species, will render
any detailed description unnecessary. Every reader who captures one of these moths will
have no difficulty in at once recognizing the species.

Fig. 31.
Colours— Brownish, Dull Red and White.

Until we saw a young plum tree at Collingwood this summer being ravaged by a
brood of these caterpillars, we did not think that they were ever sufficiently numerous to
require the application of a remedy ; but in such a case, of course, it was death to the
tree to allow them to remain. Their large size and gay colours render their detection
easy in the caterpilhir state, and they can be killed by coal oil, boiling water, or stamping
under foot. The most effective remedy, however, would be to go round the orchard or
garden in the winter and cut off the cocoons, which are so large and conspicuous as to be
at once seen. Search should be made for them not only on apple trees, but on a large
number of others, such as the cherry, plum, hickory, birch, elm, maple, willow, honey-
locust, lilac, barberry, hawthorn, currant, elder, hazel, &c. The caterpillar is so very
subject to the attacks of parasitic insects, especially a Tachina fly, that we do not think it
is ever likely to become a grievous plague to fruit growers, as are so many of the insects
that we are now describing.

18. The Rascal Leaf-Crumpler (Phycita nebula, Walsh,). — Yet another insect has
lately been observed to affect the leaves of the apple to an injurious extent ; we must not,
therefore, allow it to pass unnoticed. It was first described by Mr. Walsh, the late State
Entomologist of Illinois, in 1860. We have not met with it ourselves, and consequently
cannot give any account of our own respecting it ; we take pleasure, however, in tran-

90

scribing from the pages of the Canadian Entomologist (vol. ii., p. 126), the following excel-
lent account furnished by our esteemed co-adjutor, Mr. Saunders : —

" While looking over some apple trees, on the 23rd of May, I observed the work of a
small case-making larva, which I had never noticed before. Its case resembled a long
miniature horn, wide at one end, tapering almost to a point at the other, and frequently
twisted in a very odd manner. There were generally portions of dead leaves fastened
around the case, so as to partially conceal it, and a firm base of attachment was made for
it by gnawing off the young bark from the twig on which it rested, and then firmly glue-
ing it with some glutinous secretion to the spot thus laid bare. The case was curiously
constructed of silk, interwoven very cleverly with the excrement of the artificer, and had
a smooth, whitish surface internally, with an exterior also smooth, but of a yellowish
brown colour.

The larva lives inside this curious structure, coming out only when it wants food, and
quickly retreating when danger threatens. Its length, when full grown, is about six-tenths
of an inch, with a body tapering slightly towards the hinder extremity. Its head is me-
dium sized, rather flat, dark reddish brown, with a dull roughened surface, mandibles or
Jaws dark shining brown.

The body above is dark, dull brown, with a slight greenish tint, the second segment
being nearly covered above with a horny-looking plate, similar in appearance to the head,
but a little paler, and edged behind and at the sides with a darker shade — on each side be-
low this plate is a flattened, blackish prominence — on each side of third segment is also
placed a small, shining, black tubercle. On each segment from the third to terminal in-
clusive, are several very minute blackish dots, from each one of which arises a single pale
brown hair.

The under surface is a little paler than the upper, with a more decided greenish tint,
feet green banded, and tipped with brownish black, pro-legs dull greenish brown.

It changes to a chrysalis sometimes, and I think usually within the case. I found
them thus changed in some cases on the trees, but one or two of the specimens among those
brought home and fed, came out of the case, and changed to a pupa on the outside. The
chrysalis was about four-tenths of an inch long, and of a reddish brown colour. One spe-
cimen was observed to effect its change on the 8th of June, and produced the winged moth
on the 21st of the same month, showing the duration of the pupa stage to be about thir-
teen days.

On examination, the moth proved to be the Phycita nebulo (Walsh), to which he has
given the significant common name of " The rascal leaf crumpler." In Mr. Walsh's excel-
lent Report on the noxious insects of Illinois, he states that this larva affects the plum and
wild crab, as well as the cultivated apple. The young larvae appear late in the summer,
and construct their little cases, surrounded with portions of dried leaves, in which they
pass the winter in a torpid state, awakening to activity and resuming their depredations
as soon as the young foliage expands in spring. He was of opinion that this insect was
confined exclusively to the North- Western States ; its occurrence in Canada shows that
in this his views were incorrect. Although he had bred a number of specimens, he had
never found them preyed on by any species of ichneumon fly, whereas in my own case, al-
though I only bred seven or eight, one of them produced an interesting ichneumon, the
name of which has not yet been determined.

The moth is a pretty little thing ; its wings measure, when expanded, about seven-
tenths of an inch. Its fore-wings are pale brown, with patches and streaks of silvery
white ; the hind wings are plain brownish white ; the under side of both wings is pale
whitish brown, the hind wings paler than the fore-wings. It is figured and described by
Mr. Walsh, in the Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, vol. 9, p. 312-3.

The amount of damage done by this insect in my own case was not great ; their num-
bers were not sufficient to cause much alarm ; but when they are very numerous, one can
easily imagine that their destructive powers would be very considerable, for besides con-
suming the foliage, their pernicious habit of gnawing away all the young bark from and
about the spot to which the case is attached, would, in all probability, lead sometimes to
the girdling of the young branches, and their consequent death. The little bunch of dead
and dried leaves around their «ases gives a ready means of detecting the presence of these

91

little rascals, and no better remedy for them than hunting them up, and crushing the case
with the hand, has yet been suggested."

The patient reader must assuredly think by this time that the catalogue of caterpillars
infesting the leaves of the apple tree is quite long enough. We shall refrain, then, from
wearying him with descriptions of any more, but shall content ourselves with simply
enumerating the names of some other Canadian species that feed wholly or in part upon
this favorite tree. They are the following : The caterpillars of the Tiger Swallow-tail
Butterfly (Papilio turnus, Linn.) ; the Blind-eyed Sphinx (S. excaecatus, Sm. & Abbott) ; the
Apple Sphinx (S. gordius, Cramer) ; the American Lappet Moth (Gastropacha Americana,
Harris) ; and the Rose Tortrix (Lozotcenia rosaceana, Harris).

AFFECTING THE FRUIT.

19. The Codling- worm (Carpocapsa pomonella, Linn.) — In 1868 the apple crop
throughout this province was very materially diminished by the depredations of this
little worm ; in some parts of the country fully one-half of the fruit was either
completely destroyed or rendered unmarketable. Last year and this year, however,
we are thankful to say, its ravages have been very considerably diminished.

The Codling-worm is an European insect that, like so many other importations, has
flourished and increased enormously in this Western world. It proceeds from an egg
laid by the parent moth, within the eye or blossom end of the apple, in the month of July.
As a rule, only one egg is laid on each apple, but a few rare instances are recorded
of two. In a few days the egg is hatched, and the worm at once proceeds to burrow into
the fruit ; it directs its course towards the core, eating as it goes, and thrusting out
its excrement, in the form of a fine powder, through the hole by which it entered.

When it reaches the heart of the apple it eats a
cavity about the core, and destioys some of the
seeds ; after a time it eats a tunnel through to
the side of the apple, and makes use of it for the
discharge of its castings and refuse ; it also avails
itself of this aperture to make its escape when
full grown. The accompanying illustration (Fig.
32, from Riley's Report) shows this insect in
all its stages ; a represents a section of an apple
which has been attacked by the worm, showing
the burrowings and channel of exit to the left :
b, the point at which the egg was laid and at
which the young worm entered ; e, the full-grown
caterpillar ; h, its head and next segment mag-
nified ; i, the cocoon which it spins ; d, the
chrysalis into which it changes; /, the moth which
escapes from the chrysalis, as it appears when at
rest ; g, the same with its wings expanded.

The caterpillar, when full grown, is about
half an inch long, of a pale reddish or pinkish color, and with the head and succeeding
segment marked with brownish, as shown in Fig. 32, h. On each segment there are a
few fine hairs, scarcely discernible by the naked eye, arising from minute elevated points.
It possesses the power, like man}' other caterpillars, of letting itself down from the tree
by means of a fine silken thread which it spins. The chrysalis is yellowish brown, and is
enclosed in a cocoon of white silk, disguised on the outside with fragments of the
substance to which it is attached. In order to make its way partly out of the cocoon,
when ready to assume the perfect state, the chrysalis is furnished with a double row of
spines or teeth on its back. The moth, which appears in June, is a very pretty little
creature, but is seldom seen, on account of its habit of concealing itself during the day-
time and only coming forth at night. Its expanded wings measure about 'three quarters
of an inch ; its fore wings are marked with alternate streaks of ashen grey and brown,
and have, on the inner angle of each, a large tawny brown spot, with streaks of bright
metallic lustre ; the hind wings are pale reddish brown, and of a satiny texture.

92

This insect is regarded as double-brooded in Europe, and appears to be so in this coun-
try as well, though perhaps not universally. Mr. Saunders, in 1868, reared the moth
early in August, from fruit gathered late in July, and found young specimens of the worm
again quite late in August. Mr. Walsh stated, in his first report on the noxious insects of
Illinois, that he was satisfied that there were two distinct broods in the year in that State.
Mr. Riley, in his first report as State Entomologist of Missouri, is of the same opinion as
regards his locality. He writes : " The female flits from blossom to blossom, deftly de-
positing in the calyx of each, a tiny yellow egg. As the fruit matures, the worm de-
velopes. In thirty-three days, under favorable circumstances, it has become full fed,
when, leaving the apple, it spins up in some crevice, changes to chrysalis in three days,
and issues two weeks afterwards as moth, ready to deposit again, though not always in
the favorite calyx this time, as I have found the young worm frequently entering from
the side. Thus the young brood of codling moths appear at the same time as the young
curculios, the difference being that instead of living on through the fall and winter, as do
the latter, they deposit their eggs and die, it being the progeny from these eggs which
continues the race the ensuing year."

Our own opinion is that the insect is double-brooded, because we have found fully
matured larvae in the ripe early Harvest apples in August, and others of the same size in
September and October in the ripe autumn apples ; the latter we should naturally infer
were of a different brood from the former. This, of course, would not be sufficient in
itself, but it has weight when coupled with the other testimony given above. This point
is important when we come to apply remedies for the insect, for if we take it for granted
that there is only one brood, we shall be letting the earlier go scot free.

Let us now consider the remedies for this pest. The simplest remedy is to gather up

all the fruit that falls before the worm has time to leave it, and destroy the enclosed larva

by dipping in boiling water, or feeding to pigs. Where practicable, pigs may be suffered

to roam through the orchard and gather up the wormy fruit for themselves. This remedy

is very good and useful, and indeed a highly advisable one to employ, but it obviously

does not affect the worms that had left the fruit before it falls to the ground. To catch

these there is an excellent plan, originated by Dr. Trimble, of New Jersey ; it is simply

to bind hay ropes around the trunks of the trees, two to each tree, one low down, the

other tolerably high up the trunk. These are taken possession of by the worms when

looking about for a convenient place in which to make their cocoons, and by carefully

examining the bandages every week during the season, large numbers of the insects may

be found and destroyed. An improvement on this plan is to substitute rag bandages for

the hay ropes — pieces of old carpet will answer very well — take them off every week, pass

them through a clothes wringer, or dip them into boiling water, and the worms are all

done for ; then replace them on the trees for another set, and so on through the season.

To be thoroughly effectual these bandages should be placed around the trees about the

first of June, and kept on as long as an apple remains upon the tree ; they should be

examined once a week ; the trunk of the tree should be kept free from rough or loose

bark, aud the ground from weeds or rubbish, so as to give the worms no other place of

concealment out the barda^es.

One more precaution is still Decessar)7. When the fruit is gathered in the autumn
and stored away, there ate still a great many worms in the fruit, as no doubt every apple
cater has noticed occasionally to his disgust. These often remain for weeks in the apples,
and then they come out in the cellar or storehouse and search about for the nearest convenient
hiding place in which to assume the chrysalis state. A very favorite locality is the space
between the hoops and the staves of the barrels. We have found hundreds in such po-
sitions, especially in the winter of 1868-9; and Mr. Riley relates a similar experience.
Where this occurs, it is by all means worth while to scald the barrels thoroughly outside
as well as inside, as soon as they are emptied, or even to burn them. When boxes or
bins are made use of for storing fruit, the worms are sure to find some crevices to suit them,
which should be searched for and treated as in the case of the barrels.

20. The Apple Curculio (Anthonomus quadrigibbus, Say). — The common plum Cur-
culio (Conotrachdus nenuphar, Herbst), of which a full description is given by Mr. Reed
in another part of this Report, is known to attack the apple as well as its peculiar fruit

93

the plum, and oftentimes to do a considerable amount of damage. But there is another
curculio, the " four-humped," or apple curculio, which bids fair to become a nuisance in
our gardens and orchards. Though well known for some time to entomologists in the
western part of this Province, it has only recently been much observed or regarded as des-
tructive. Its natural food is the wild crab and the hawthorn ; but now it is taking kindly
to the cultivated varieties of the apple. In the September, 1870, number of the Canada
Farmer (p. 337), we have recorded its occurrence at Milbrook, Ont., where "it had
done a good deal of damage by eating a considerable portion of the surface of several
apples."

This species maybe easily distinguished from the plum curculio by its much longer and
more slender snout ; its color, which is dull brown, shading into rusty red behind ; and by
the four conspicuous humps on the wing covers behind the middle, which are brownish-
red, and not shining black, as in the case of the plum curculio. The accompanying illus-
tration, gives an excellent representation of the
perfect insect, (Fig. 33, a, natural size ; b, side view ;
c, back view of the beetle.) Unlike the insect af-
fecting the plum, this creature makes round instead
of crescent-shaped holes, most of them, apparently,
for the purpose of eating, as but a small proportion
of them have been observed to contain eggs or lar-
vae. It varies also in completing its transformations,
as a rule, in the fruit instead of the ground.

The only known remedy for its attacks is vigor-
ous and continued "jarring," a full account of which
cperati^n will be found under the description of the
plum curculio in a subsequent part of this Report, and therefore need not be repeated here.

no. 33.

INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE.

By W. Saunders, London, Ontario.

1. The Green Grape-vine Sphinx {Chcerocampa

pampinatrix, Smith.

2. The beautiful Wood Nymph {Eudryas grata,

Fabricius.

3. The Pearl Wood Nymph {Eudryas unio, Hub-

ner.)

4. The Grape-vine Leaf -roller (Desmia maculalis,

Westwood. )

5. The Grape-vine Plume moth (Pterophorus

periscelidactylus, Fitch. )

4>. The Grape Cidaria (Cidaria deversilineata,
Hubner. )

7. The Common yellow Woolly Bear (Spilosoma
virginica, Fabricius.)

8. The Spotted Pelidnota (Pelidnota punctata

Linneus. )

9. The Grape-vine Flea Beetle (Haltica cha-

lybea, Illiger.)

10. The Grape seed Insect (Isosoma vititt,

Saunders.)

11. The Thrips (so called) {Tettigonia vitis,

Harris.)

12. The Grape-leaf Gall Louse (Pemphigu*

vitifolia, Fitch.)

13. The Tree Cricket {(Ecanthus 7tiveus,

Harris. )

14. The Honey Bee (Apis mellifica, Linn.)

INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE VINE.

The grape is now being cultivated extensively throughout our country, and since it
has been shown that so large a portion of our soil and climate is w,ell adapted to the growth
<of many of the best varieties ; the culture of this valuable fruit is being greatly stimulated.
Already many large vineyards have been planted in favored localities, and their numbers
and dimensions are yearly increasing. Some growers cultivate chiefly those varieties adapted
for table use, while others plant for wine making. The abundance of home-grown table
grapes is materially lessening the yearly imports in this direction, and we feel assured that
not many seasons will elapse before the yield will be so immensely increased, that the wants
of our people will be abundantly supplied with Canadian fruit at very moderate prices.

With this in view, it becomes a matter of the greatest importance, that correct infor-
mation should be disseminated regarding the habits and history of the many insect foes
which attack the foliage and fruit of the vine, and the best means of preventing their
ravages.

No. 1. The Green Grape-vine Sphinx (Chozrocampa pampinatrix, Smith.) One of
the worst foes we have to deal with is this green Sphinx caterpillar, with a horn or tail on
its hinder extremity. The moth from which this larva is produced, passes the winter in
the chrysalis state, on or about the surface of the ground, enclosed in a rough case made
of dry leaves or any other rubbish convenient. The appear in the winged state usually

95

from the middle to the latter end of May, when they pair, and in a few days afterwards
deposit their eggs on the underside of the leaves. These are generally placed singly, but
occasionally we have seen two and even three put quite closely together. Sometimes they
are attached by the parent to the larger ribs of the leaf, at other times fastened on the
intermediate substance. The egg is nearly round, one-twentieth of an inch in length, and
a little less in width, exact measurement, length, -005, width, '0045 inch. It appears
smooth with an ordinary magnifying lens, but under a power of forty-five diameters the
surface is shown covered with minute punctures. Its colour is pale yellowish-green, some-
times changing to reddish before hatching. We do not think this change of colour always
takes place, but have not watched it closely enough to be positive.

The young caterpillar comes out of the egg in about five or six days. This conclusion
is based on one experiment only. This summer we had a number of eggs laid by a female,
confined in a small box. They were deposited on the 25th of June, some hatched on the
30th, and most of the remainder on the 1st of July. They were kept in a cool room,
which would be likely, somewhat, to retard their development ; probably five days would
be about the usual time under the ordinary influences of the sun and heat. As soon as
the larva has found its way out, it makes its first meal on part of the empty egg shell, and
then begins to satisfy its further cravings with the softer foliage of the vine. When first
hatched it is one-fifth of an inch long, of a pale yellowish-green colour, with a large head,
and a long black horn on its posterior extremity, half as long as its body. As the larva
increases in size, the horn becomes shorter and changes colour, the markings of the body
also vary much, and by the time it has attained three-fourths of an inch, it has materially
altered its appearance. Its head is rather small, pale green with a pale yellow stripe down
each side, and with a number of raised yellow dots or granulations scattered over its sur-
face. Its jaws are tipped with black. The body is of a slightly deeper shade of green
than the head, although, in this respect, different specimens vary, and also covered with
similar pale yellow granulations. Along the sides of the body these latter are arranged in
lines forming a series of oblique stripes extending backwards. On the back is placed a
row of seven reddish dots, more or less distinct ; in some specimens they are quite a deep
red, in others very pale ; occasionally they are united by a faint reddish line. The horn
which is placed on the twelfth segment or ring of the body, is one-fifth of an inch long, of
a pale reddish colour, and thickly covered with minute black points. The under surface
of the body is similar in colour to the upper, and also granulated with yellow. The feet
are red, and the thick fleshy prolegs pale green.

The full grown caterpillar (Fig. 34) is about two inches in length, of a similar colour
Fig. 34. to that just described, with the yellow

granulations more distinct. The oblique
lines are generally edged behind with a
darker green, and there is a distinct line
along each side, beginning at the head
where they are not far apart, diverging
along the middle segments, and again ap-
proaching each other on the twelfth seg-
ment, where they terminate on each side
of the caudal horn. The spots along the
back vary in different specimens, from
very pale lilac to red, as in the younger
worm. This larva has the power of draw-
ing its head or first segment, with the
second and third, within the fourth and
fifth segments, which cause these latter, at
such times, to appear very much distended.
The accompanying Fig. gives a very good
idea of this pest, and will perhaps be better
understood than any merely verbal description.

This insect has, until of late, been usually regarded as single-brooded, but during the
last two years we have watched them very closely, and feel well assured that they are

Colour -green, lilac and yellow

96

double-brooded with us. The eggs of the first brood were found this year about the middl
of June, the young larvae appearing in considerable numbers a few days later, developin
into full size, and with full powers of destruction about the middle of July. They the
entered the chrysalis state and produced the moths during the last days of July or first i
August. These latter paired and deposited eggs again, from the middle of August to th
beginning of September, which produced the second brood of larvse, maturing late in Sep
tember. Long after this occasional eggs were found, even as late as the middle of September
and an odd specimen of the larva was also found now and then till the middle of Octo
ber, at which time two full-grown specimens were taken, and one about half-grown
The former soon changed to chrysalids, but the latter died. Some examples of the larvse
especially at this late season of the year, exhibit remarkable variations in colour, assuming
a delicate reddish pink hue, with markings of darker shades of red and brown. This s<
materially alters the appearance of the caterpillar, that it might be readily mistaken a
first glance for a different species. A more careful examination, however, would show th(
same arrangement of dots and spots as in the normal form. Sometimes this change oi
colour takes place a little before the insect enters the chrysalis state, although not always
so, for we have had them transform without such change of tints, and at other times w<
have found larva not much more than half grown with all the dark hues before referred to
but, as already mentioned, these latter have usually been found later in the season. J. A.
Lintner, Esq., of Albany, N. Y., states, in the proceedings of the Entomological Society oi
Philadelphia, vol. 3, p. 663, that he has noticed the caterpillar previous to this change of
colour, to pass with its mouth over the entire surface of the body, even to the tip of the
horn, covering it with a coating of apparently glutinous matter, the operation lasting
about two hours.

This larva is very destructive to the foliage of the vine, and is becoming in our neigh-
bourhood every year more troublesome. Its appetite is enormous, one or two, when nearly
full grown, will almost strip a small vine of its foliage in two or three nights. Harris in
his " Insects injurious to vegetation," referring to this caterpillar, says, that " they are not
content with eating the leaves alone, in their progress from leaf to leaf down the stem, they
stop at every cluster of fruit, and either from stupidity or disappointment, nip off the
stalks of the half grown grapes, and allow them to fall to the ground untasted. I have
gathered under a single vine, above a quart of unripe grapes thus detached during the
night, by these caterpillars. " As far as our experience goes, we have never seen nor have
we ever heard of their manifesting this evil disposition towards Canadian fruit growers —
mayhap their manners have improved in this respect within late years

The most effectual way of getting rid of these creatures where their numbers are suf-
ficient to prove troublesome, is to pick them off the vines by hand and kill them. Their
destructive efforts are so painfully apparent, that their exact whereabouts is not usually
difficult to determine. Sometimes where the foliage is dense, they may be more readily
tracked out by observing their large dark brown castings, which strew the ground under
their places of resort. But nature has provided a remedy in the shape of a minute para-
site, which, tiny as it is in size, is an effectual check to the unlimited increase of this inju-
rious insect. It is a small ichneumon fly, represented in Fig. 35. The larger drawing is a
F/f '85' /T\ maollified view> the smaller is of the natural size. This apparently
puny insect, is a great friend to the vine grower, especially in many
parts of the United States. Mr. Lintner of Albany, N. Y., thinks that
nine tenths of the larvoe in his vicinity, are destroyed by it, and Mr.
Riley of St. Louis, Mo., believes that the proportion there would reach
three in four.
Colour-Black. " This little friend punctures the skin of the caterpillar and deposits

her eggs underneath where they soon hatch into young maggots, which revel on the fatty
portions of the body of their victim, until they are full grown. Mr. Lintner says, " it is
usually after the last moulting, while to all appearance the larva is uninjured and thriving,
that numerous little heads may be seen forcing their way through the skin of its back and
sides. Within an hours' time, the entire brood of grubs have emerged. With their ter-
minal segment remaining in the opening made by the escape of their bodies, they at once
commence building about themselves small firm snow-white cocoons, which standing on
end, are usually so abundant as to cover the entire body in a couple of hours. In about

97

Colour -White.

a week the parasite is developed — escaping from its cocoon by pushing open a nicely fitting
lid." The caterpillars infested by these parasites, manifest extraordinary vitality. One
would think that the presence of such a host of comparatively large voracious creatures
consuming the internal portions of the body, would naturally produce sickness and prema-
ture death ; but such is not the case. Mr. Riley in the second of his excellent reports on
the insects of Missouri, states that " while one of these caterpillars in its normal and
healthy condition, may be starved to death in two or three days ; another that is writhing
with its body full of parasites, will live without food for as many weeks. Indeed, I have
known one to rest for three weeks without food, in a semi-paralyzed condition, and after
the parasite Hies had all escaped from their cocoons, it would rouse itself and make a des-
perate effort to regain strength by nibbling at a leaf which was offered to it."

But no larva thus infested ever reached maturity — they invariably die. Fig. 36, is a
Fijr. 36. faithful representation of one of the caterpillars with its crop of

cocoons of the parasite, ripening on its surface. From the shape
and colour of these cocoons, they are sometimes erroneously sup-
posed to be the eggs of the caterpillar, and hence pains is taken
to destroy the very thing that should be cherished ; thus show-
ing the great necessity there is for the diffusion of more correct
ideas regarding these subjects among the people generally. This friendly parasite has,
we are happy to say, established itself in the neighbourhood of London; and this sum-
mer, we have seen for the first time, one of the larva of this common grape vine sphinx,
almost entirely covered with its little snowy white cocoons. We have not been able to
ascertain how far it prevails in other parts of Canada.

When the caterpillar has attained its full size, and provided also it is free from ich-
neumons, it descends from the vine and draws loosely together a few leaves, binding them
with silken threads — generally about or near the base of the vine on which it has fed, and
in this rude structure undergoes its next change.

After remaining some two or three days in a state of quiet,the body meantime growing
shorter and thicker, a rent occurs in the caterpillar's skin along the back, and a pale yel
lowish chrysalis appears, which works itself by wriggling motions entirely out of the skin,
which contracts as it is thrown off — remaining at the close of the operation, as a small
shrivelled mass attached slightly to the posterior extremity or hanging to some of the
adjoining silken threads. In a day or two the chrysalis grows darker in color, becoming
pale brown with numerous black dots sprinkled over its surface. Along each side is a row
of prominent oval black spots, which are the breathing holes or stigmata — a good repres-
entation of this chrysalis is given in Fig. 37.

The perfect insect which in due time bursts the bonds of
this death like sleep, appears in a beautiful garb of green.
It is a moth belonging to the family of Hawk moths, so
called from their habit of hovering in the air while taking
their food. The various members of this family are fur-
nished with a slender proboscis, which when at rest, is
coiled up underneath the breast, but can be extended at
will, and thus when poised in the air over a tiower, the
slender tongue is thrust to the bottom and the sweets

Colours -Yellowish and Browi

secured.

The wings of this insect, Fig. 38, when
fully expanded, measure about two and a
half inches — their form is long and nar-
row. The anterior pair are of a dark
olive green colour, crossed by bands and
streaks of greenish grey, and shaded on
the outer margin with the same. The
hind wings are dull red, with a patch of
greenish grey on that part of the hinder
margin nearest the body — shading gradu-
ally into the surrounding tint — on the
underside, the red appears on the fore

Fig. 33.

Colours-Oliver Green and Grey.

98

wings, the hinder pair being greenish-grey. The antennae or horns, are dull white above,
with a rosy tint below. The head and shoulder covers are deep olive green, and the re-
mainder of the body of a much paler shade of green — underneath the body is dull grey.

This moth remains quiet during the day time taking wing at dusk ; when it is ex-
tremely active. Its flight is very swift and strong, and its muscular structure so powerful
that when captured, it will almost beat itself to pieces by its perpetual fluttering. It is
very generally distributed throughout Ontario more abundant in the western portion. We
have not been able to hear of its occurrence in Quebec.

No. 2. — The Beautiful Wood Nymph — (Endryas grata, Fabricius.)

Fig> 39 This species also in the larva state, is destructive to the

foliage of the vine. The accompanying wood engraving
so admirably delineating this lovely moth and its caterpil-
lar, is the work of Mr. Charles J. Beale, of London, Ontario,
who has drawn and engraved it from nature. This moth
when its wings are expanded, measures about one and three
quarter inches. Its fore wings are creamy white, with a
glossy surface, with a wide brownish purple stripe along
the anterior edge, reaching from the base to a little be-
yond the middle of the wing. On the outer margin is a
broad band of the same hue, widening posteriorly, with a
wavy white line running through it, composed of minute
pearly dots or scales. It is also bordered internally with
Colours— Moth Creamy White and Brownish dull deep green. Besides this, there is a continuation of
purple' the brownish purple band along the hinder edge, but much

narrower and terminating a little before it reaches the base. There are also two brown
spots, one round, the other reniform, near the middle of the wing, often so suffused with
pearly white scales as to be indistinct above, but clear and striking on the underside. The
hind wings are reddish yellow, with a broad brownish purple band along the outer margin,
extending nearly to the outer angle, and powdered here and there with a few whitish pearly
scales. There is also a faint dot on the middle of the wing, which is reproduced in a more
prominent way on the under side. The under surface of both wings is reddish yellow.
The head is black and there is a wide black strip down the back, merging into a series of
spots of the same which extend nearly the whole remaining length of body. The sides of
the body are reddish yellow, with a row of blackish dots along each side close to the under
surface. The shoulder covers are white, so also is the under surface of the body.

The moth appears with us on the wing early in June, when it may often be found
in the day time fast asleep on the under side of the leaves of the vine. When thus at
rest its closed wings form a steep roof over its back, and its fore legs, which have a
curious muff-like tuft of white hairs, are protruded, giving it altogether a very singular
look. Soon after their appearance they begin to deposit their eggs. We have never
observed these on the vine leaves, although they must be common enough, but have seen
them when deposited by one of the moths confined in a small box. They were then
spread over the surface, sometimes in groups of five or six, sometimes singly. The egg
is among the prettiest of the many beautiful insect eggs. It is round and very flat, about
one twenty-fifth of an inch in diameter, with a thickness of about one-fiftieth. Its colour
is yellowish or greenish-yellow, with an enclosed ring of black placed a little beyond the
middle, and sometimes nearer to the outer margin. In the centre of the egg is a large
nearly round dot, and at a little distance from this a circle of smaller dots, from which
arise a series of from 24 to 27 raised striae, diverging equally as they approach the outer
edge, and crossed by many gracefully curving lines which interlace also the spaces
between.

When mature, the young caterpillar escapes from the upper part of the egg, lifting
the centre and rupturing the portion placed over the black ring. In some cases we have
observed the egg shell consumed by the young larva, while in others it did not appear to
be touched.

They are usually solitary in their habits, but occasionally two or even three may be

99

found on a single leaf, showing that the eggs are sometimes so deposited. At first they
eat small holes in the leaf, but as they increase in size they consume all parts of it, the
framework as well as the softer substance.

The full-grown larva (Fig. 39) is nearly one and a half inches long, tapering towards
the head, thickening towards the posterior extremity. The head is medium sized, rounded,
of an orange colour, with a few round black dots and pale brownish hairs.

The body above is pale bluish, crossed by bands of orange and many lines of black.
Each segment except the terminal one is crossed by an orange band, all of which are
nearly uniiorm in width, excepting that on the twelfth segment, which is much wider.
On the terminal segment there are two bands. All of these are more or less dotted with
round black dots, from each one of which arises a single short brown hair. There are
also, crossing each segment, six black lines, placed nearly at equal distance along each side,
but with a wider space in the middle where the orange band occurs. The twelfth seg-
ment is much raised, and the terminal one suddenly sloped. The stigmata are oval and
black.

The under side is very similar to the upper, marked also with orange and black.
Feet and prolegs orange spotted with black.

The larva feeds on Virginia creeper (Ampelopsis qainquefolia) as well as on the vine,
so also does the preceding species.

When full-grown it descends from the vine to seek some suitable location in which
to pass its chrysalis or inactive stage, when, being without power of locomotion or defence,
it would be at the mercy of any enemy which might chance to cross its path. Harris
says the larva burrows its way a short distance underground, and there changes to a pupa
without forming a cocoon. We have frequently had them transform in a pill-box, without
earth or any other covering, and they have usually survived and produced in good time
the perfect insect. Mr. Riley, in his second report, states that the larvae have a fondness
for boring into old pieces of wood, and within the chamber which they excavate change
to chrysalis, and Mr. Ashton, of White Creek, N. Y., has found them frequently boring
into corn cobs, which, he says, they prefer to going under ground. Hence Mr. Riley
advises the scattering of a few corn cobs under the vines in summer, and the raking up
and burning them in winter, as one means of destroying this insect. He also suggested
to the writer, during a conversation on this subject, the idea of putting a few large corks
into boxes where the caterpillars were being reared, so that they might burrow into them,
and thus be better protected during the pupa state, which we found to serve an admirable
purpose, they availed themselves of such shelter very readily. In two small bungs about
one and a half inches in diameter, and an inch thick, we found twenty-one enclosed
chrysalids. The caterpillar excavates with its jaws a chamber but little larger than the
chrysalis which is to rest in it. It is not lined with silk, but is made moderately smooth.
This, when completed, is fastened over the top with a cap or cover, composed of minute frag-
ments of cork formed into a sort of membrane by means of a glutinous secretion asso-
ciated with threads of silk. When nicely finished its surface is slightly glossy, and the
glossiness extending a little over, beyond the actual orifice, indicates that the glutinous
matter has been of a thin consistence, and hence spread a little during its application.
When this lid is lifted the head of the chrysalis is usually found quite close to it.

The chrysalis is about seven-tenths of an inch long, of a nearly uniform dark brown
colour, roughened with small blackish points or granulations. The head case is somewhat
conical ; the thorax and middle segments nearly cylindrical, while the posterior segments
are tapering, the terminal one having a pair of long tubercles above, and a pair of shorter
ones below.

We incline to the opinion that this moth is sometimes double-brooded ; we have
reared the perfect insect repeatedly from caterpillars of the current year, and we have
found the larva in various stages of growth quite late in the season.

This species is also subject to the attacks of a parasite, although a very different one
from that which we have referred to as infesting pampinatrix. This is a dipterous or two-
winged fly, a Tachina, and we believe it to belong to the species known as the red-tailed
Tachina fly, Exorista leucania, (Fig. 40.) This fly is not unlike the common house fly in

100

appearance, and is about one-quarter of an inch long, with
a white face, large reddish eyes, a dark hairy body, with four,
more or less distinct, dark lines down the thorax, and patches
of a greyish shade along the sides of the abdomen. We
have reared several specimens of this fly from the larva of
Eudryas grata during the past season. Their mode of procedure
is as follows : — The parent fly deposits her eggs on the back of
the caterpillar, usually a short distance behind the head,
where they are cemented firmly by means of a peculiar secre-
tion with which the insect is furnished. Three or four of
these eggs are usually placed upon a single caterpillar, where, after a few days, they hatch,
and the tiny grub eats its way through the skin into the interior of the body, where it
feeds upon the fatty matte: s, avoiding the vital organs which are essential to the continu-
ance of the life of its victim. When the caterpillar is about full grown it dies, and from its
body proceeds these three or four full grown whitish grubs, which, soon after their escape,
change to chrysalids. These are nearly one-fiith of an inch long, oval, smooth, and of a
dark brown colour.

This friendly parasite materially assists in keeping down the numbers of these and
several other kinds of caterpillars, which would otherwise be a source of much greater
annoyance to the fruit grower.

Eudryas grata is generally common throughout both the Provinces of Ontario and
Quebec. Mr. G-. J. Bowles, of Quebec, says that it is not uncommon there, and that the
larva feeds on the hop, appearing in June and July. We believe this fact of its feeding
on the hop has never been noticed before. Rev. L. ProVancher, editor of the Le Naturalist
Canadien, Quebec, also speaks of it as abundant, sometimes so numerous as to be quite
destructive to the foliage of the vines. Mr. D. W. Beadle, of St. Catharines, says it may
generally be found every season on his grounds, but not in sufficient quantity to do much
harm. Mr. J. Petit, of Grimsby, bears similar testimony as to its presence there. On
our own vines we have found them, especially during the past season, quite numerous, so
much so that where they were disregarded, they soon materially disfigured and damaged the
vines. As remedies, we would suggest hand-picking and syringing the vines with helle-
bore and water.

No. 3. The Pearl Wood Nymph {Budryas unio, Hubner.) This is a near relative
of " grata," the beautiful Wood Nymph, indeed, sq nearly do they resemble one another
that it requires the practised eye of an Entomologist to distinguish between them. This
moth, however, is a little smaller, its wings expanding about one inch and three-eighths,
and also differs in the following points : — On the fore wings, the brownish purple stripe
on the front margin is extended further along the wing, the bordering of the outer
margin is paler and more uniform in width, the inner edge wavy instead of straight, and
the bordering of the hinder margin is wider and more distinct. The edging of the hind
wings is much paler, and extends the whole length of the outer margin.

With us this insect is much less common than grata, and we have no personal ac-
quaintance with its larval history, but it is said to resemble its relative in this state,
almost as closely as in the perfect one. Mr. Riley says " it never grows to be quite
as large as the other, and may be readily distinguished by its more decided
bluish cast, by having but four light and four dark stripes to each segment, by having no
orange band across the middle segments, and by the spots, with the exception of two on
the back, placed in the middle light band, being almost obsolete. The head-shield on
the first segment, hump on the 11th, and a band on the 12th, are orange, spotted with
black ; venter orange, becoming dusky towards the head, feet and legs also orange, with
blackish extremities, and with spots on their outside at base."

" The worm works for the most part in the terminal buds of the vine, drawing the
leaves together by a weak silken thread, and cankering them. It forms a simple earthen
cocoon, or f-equently bores into a piece of old wood, and changes to chrysalis, which
averages but -036 inch in length. This chrysalis is reddish brown, covered on the back
with rows of very minute teeth, with the tip of the abdomen truncated, and terminating
above in a thick blunt spine each side.

101

This moth is very rare throughout Ontario, and we have been unable to learn of its
occurre ice at all in Quebec, so it is scarcely likely it will ever be the cause of much
annoyance.

No. 4. The Grape-vine Leaf roller (Desmia maculalis, Westwood.) This species,
although most abundant in the Southern States, is still very generally distributed, and
will no doubt, in its caterpillar form, be familiar to all vine-growers. The accompanying

fig. 4i. wood-cut (Fig. 41) repre-

sents the moth with its wings
closed and expanded, the
larva of its natural size,
also a magnified view of a
portion of the anterior part
of its body, and the chry-
salis.

The moth is a very pretty

little creature. Its wings

j when expanded measure

Colours— 1 and 2 grass green, 3 brown, 4 and 5 black and white. about nine-tenths of an inch,

its body being nearly four tenths of an inch long. Its wings are dark brown, nearly
black, with a bronzed or coppery lustre, and lightly fringed with white. The fore wings
have two white, nearly oval, spots, the hind wings but one white spot, which is usually
larger than either of those on the anterior pair ; sometimes in the female the spot is
slightly divided. The under side of the wings is very similar to the upper, but of a
duller shade. The body of the male is also nearly black, with one white band, while the
female has two.

There are two broods of this insect during the summer. The first moths — which have
passed the winter in the chrysalis state — appear early in June; the second brood in August.
They deposit their eggs singly on the leaves of the vine. Soon after the young worm is
hatched, it begins to manifest its leaf-folding propensities, by turning down a small portion
of the leaf on which it is placed, and living within the tube thus formed. As it increases
in size, a larger case is made, often the whole leaf is rolled over and over into a large cylin-
der, wider at one end than the other and firmly fastened with stout silken threads. In this
the little active wriggling creature lives, its case affording it a tolerably safe hiding place,
from whence it issues forth to feed on the surrounding foliage. It is so very rapid in its
movements botli backwards and forwards, that it frequently escapes detection, by suddenly
slipping out of its case when disturbed and falling to the ground. The first brood of cat-
erpillars are full grown about the last of July — the second in the beginning of September.

The length of the full grown larva is about three quarters of an inch — its body cylin-
drical, that is of the same thickness throughout. The head is medium sized, dull reddish
yellow, with a faint streak of black on each side near the base, and a few very fine yellow
hairs. The mandibles are tipped with brown.

The body is yellowish green at the sides, a little darker above, glossy and semi-transpar-
ent with a few fine yellow hairs on each segment. The second segment— that is the first be-
hind the head — has a crescent shaped patch above, of the same colour and appearance as the
head, covering nearly the whole of its upper surface and edged behind with brownish black.
The third segment has three spots on each side, the two lower of which are sometimes uni-
ted, forming a single reniform patch of black — the upper one which is smaller, is of a pale
brown colour. The twelfth segment has also a black spot on each side, and is a little paler
in colour above than the other segments are. The under surface is pale greenish yellow,
with the §ame glossiness and semi-transparent appearance as the upper surface — the feet
land prolegs partake of the general colour.

Before entering the chrysalis state, Mr. Eiley says they change colour, assuming a
Ipink shade. The chrysalis is about half an inch long and of a dark brown colour. It is
[usually formed within the fold of the leaf, so the last brood which passes the winter in this
[inactive state, may in a great measure be destroyed by carefully going over the vineyard
late in the season, before the leaves fall, and picking off the folded leaves and burning them
>r the larva may be destroyed earlier in the season, by suddenly crushing the folded leaves

G

102

Fig. 42.

with both hands. In our own experience we have oftener found the cases empty than occu-
pied, but whether this arises from their destruction by birds or other enemies, we have not
been able to ascertain — spiders are said to kill many of them. We have never met with
or heard of, any parasite attacking this species.

This insect, we learn from Messrs. Bowles and Provancher, is common about Quebec,
where as the grape is not much cultivated, it probably feeds on the wild vines. It is also
plentiful throughout Ontario, although nowhere as far as we can learn is it very destructive.

No. 5. — The Grape vine Plume — (Pterophorus periscelidactylus — Fitch.)
This although an extensive name is applied to quite a small insect. The moths be-
longing to this family, are called plume moths, from the fact of their having their wings
divided into feather like lobes, and the English rendering of the above extremely formi-
dable looking scientific name, would be " the Gartered Plume" ; so designated from the
circumstance of having its hind legs surrounded near the joints, with garter like tufts of
brownish scales.

As soon as the young branches of the grape vine have fairly started, and just about
the time when the third bunch of blossom is appearing, this enemy to its growth appears
with it, in the shape of a small whitish hairy caterpillar, fastening the young terminal
leaves into a ball shaped mass, and living within the hollow sphere thus formed. The
caterpillars are generally found solitary, hence it is probable that the eggs are laid singly.
Mr. Kiley says " that the very young larva is smooth and nearly destitute of hairs, but
after each moult the hairs become more perceptible, and when full grown, appear as at
Fig. 42," a. We have not seen the caterpillar while very young, but have been painfully

exercised in observing its destructive work, when near its
maturity.

It is then about half an inch long and cylindrical in form.
Its' head is small, of a yellowish green colour, with a band
of black across the front, just above the mandibles, and a
few fine greenish hairs scattered over its surface. The man-
dibles are faintly tipped with brown.

The body above is yellowish green, with transverse
rows of dull vellow tubercles, from each of which arises a
small tuft of white hairs. There is a line down the back of
deeper green, and the body is a little paler between the seg-
ments.

The under surface is somewhat deeper in colour than

the upper, with a few whitish hairs. The feet are black,

tipped with yellowish green — the prolegs which are long and

thin, are of a greenish colour.

J HI Will "^J^^ Sometimes the caterpillar assumes a pinkish hue before

mI^* lf|l i^^^Sl er,tering on ^s next stage in life, but more commonly it

,ppF^ W^f'j;, §|BPNi retains its normal colour. It may usually be found full

mv'l eflilifw STOwn fr°ni the eleventh to the fifteenth of June, but this |

111 III year they were about two weeks earlier.

When matured, it spins a few silken threads on thei
Colours— («) white, (b) Light brown, (d) under side of a leaf, or in some other convenient spot, and
awne> ye ow. having entangled its hind legs firmly in the web of silk, it

sheds its hairy skin and becomes a chrysalis ; which as it escapes from the larval covering
hangs itself up by its posterior extremity — entangling the little hooks with which it is
furnished, in the same silken fibres as that in which the caterpillar's legs were fastened.
How it does this without hands or feet to hold on by, would take too long to explain, but
it is a most marvellous feat, performed but once in the creature's life, hence without pre-[
vious instruction or practice, and scarcely ever with a mishap.

The chrysalis (Fig. 42, (b), is an odd looking little thing about four tenths of an inch]
long, angular and rugged, and wriggles about very briskly when touched. At first it isf
of a pale yellowish green, but soon grows darker on the summit of the anterior extremity,
and on the more prominent protuberances. The deepening in colour is gradual, finally]
extending over the whole surface, when it becomes reddish brown, sometimes yellowisl

103

brown. The head case is nearly black, with a rugged surface — the anterior segments
almost cylindrical, with a ventral depression or cavity, ridged on each side to about the
beginning of the seventh segment, where the ridging terminates in a pair of dark protu-
berances. The posterior segments are tapering, and there is a slightly darker ventral line,
with a row of small tubercles on each side.

Dr. Fitch, State Entomologist of New York, who was the first to describe and name
this insect, says that the duration of the chrysalis state, is only from six to eight days.
Mr. Riley puts it down as a week. Our own observations which have been very carefully
made, point to a longer period, not less than ten days, and not usually more than thirteen,
most commonly about twelve days.

The elegant little moth (Fig. 42, d,) then makes its appearance. Its wings which
are very finely and delicately constructed, measure, when expanded, about seven tenths of
an inch. The fore wings are long and narrow, and cleft down the middle, about half way
towards their base ; the posterior half of the wing having a notch in the outer margin.
Their colour is yellowish brown, with a metallic lustre, with several dull whitish streaks,
and spots. The hind wings are divided into three lobes, the. lower division is complete,
extending to the base, the upper one only about two thirds of the distance. The colour
of these is yellowish brown also, with the same burnished metallic appearance, and with
a streak of dull white on the hinder lobe. The outer and hind margins of the wings as
well as all the edges of their lobes, are beautifully bordered with a deep whitish fringe,
sprinkled here and there with brown. Its body is long and slender, and of the same colour
as the wings, but a shade darker. The antennae are moderately long and thread like,
nearly black, but beautifully and regularly dotted with white their whole length. The
legs are also long, banded alternately with yellowish brown and white, and powdered with
metallic scales. The hinder ones are each furnished with two pairs of diverging spines,
having at their base a garter like tuft of long brown scales.

Under a low magnifying power, this moth is really a charming object, we have
scarcely seen a more beautiful one. Its graceful outlines, its delicate structnre and the
harmonious blending of its soft shades of colour, with the light reflected from its bur-
nished coppery like scales — all enchant the eye, and to think that such grace of form and
beauty of detail, should spring from such a common looking hairy caterpillar, lends a fur-
ther interest to it.

With regard to its manner of flight, we cannot do better than quote Dr. Fitch : —
" like other species of this family, this moth is very agile, rapid, and impetuous in its mo-
tion. When disturbed, bounding from side to side of the cage in which it is confined,
almost with the velocity of lightning, for a moment, and then resting ; clinging with its
four anterior feet to the top of the cage, its wings spread and its body hanging perpen-
dicularly downwards, and swinging to and fro with the wind, with its long hind legs
extended."

In all probability there is only one brood of this insect during the season. Where a
species is double-brooded, the second brood is usually more numerous than the first, but
in this case, although specimens of the early brood are only too plentiful, we have failed
after close observation for two seasons, to see any indications of later offspring. May it
not be that the moth which appears from the middle to the end of June, deposits its eggs
on the canes of the vines, near the base of the bud from which the next year's branch will
spring, and that there it remains quiescent during the remainder of summer, and follow-
ing winter, hatching into the larva in spring. Further investigation here is needed.

The spinning habits of this creature, lead to its ready detection, when it may be
easily crushed with the hand, consequently where ordinary care is exercised, its destruc-
tive powers, are not likely to cause serious alarm.

This species is also widely distributed. Rev. L. Provancher says it is common in the
neighbourhood of Quebec, and it is pretty generally scattered throughout Ontario.

No. 6. — The Grape Cidaria — (Cidaria diversilineata, Hubner.) This is a pretty yel-
low moth with brown lines, producing a geometric or looping caterpillar, which consumes
the foliage of the vine. In the August number, 1870, of the Canadian Entomologist, we
published the results of our observations on this insect during the past season, which wo
shall here make free use of.

104

In early spring, just when the grape blossoms were fairly open, while pinching in the
rapidly growing branches of a vine, a blossom bunch attracted attention by its unusual
appearance. A closer inspection showed that part of the bunch had been eaten away,
and the remaining portions drawn together by light silken threads, and within the- enclo-
sure was a dull brown caterpillar, with its body much contracted, and just ready to assume
the chrysalis state. The bunch was removed from the vine and enclosed in a small box,
when in a day or two afterwards the change of form took place. The chrysalis was six-
tenths of an inch long, and of a pale reddish brown colour. In about ten days afterwards it
produced the perfect insect which proved to beCidaria diver silineata. These observations
disclose an interesting fact regarding the history of this insect, which is that it passes the
winter, sometimes if not invariably in the caterpillar state, hybernating in some secure
retreat, where it sleeps peacefully till called again into activity by the genial warmth of
spring, when in a few days it finishes its growth and effects its changes as already descri-
bed. The accompanying figure illustrating this insect, is also the work of Mr. Charles J.

Beale, of London, Ontario, who has drawn and engraved
the moth from nature — the larva is copied from Packard's
Guide to the Study of Insects.

This moth (Fig. 43), measures, when its wings are expan-
ded, about one and a half inches. Its colour is pale ochre
yellow, crossed by many greyish brown lines, and clouded
also with patches of the same, particularly along the mar-
gin of the wings. The under side is a little paler than the
upper, with fewer and fainter lines, but bordered along the
outer edges, much the same as above. The body and legs
r-Larva Yellowish green-Moth are similar in colour to the wings, the legs being marked

pale ochre yellow. with black about the joints.

On the 7th of June a number of reddish geometric caterpillars were found on the
vine leaves, in which they had eaten innumerable holes of various shapes and sizes ; these
proved to belong to the same insect. At this time (see Fig. 43), they were about an inch
long. The head was rather small, flattened in front, and bilobed, each lobe projecting
above and terminating in a point. Its colour was dull brownish green, and the mandibles
were tipped with reddish brown.

The body above was dull yellowish green, with a reddish or pink tinge, the second
segment pale yellowish green, smooth, and very similar in appearance to the head, but
larger. The third, fourth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth segments were also pale
yellowish green, but the middle segments had a decided pinkish tinge. The surface of
the body was wrinkled, and the terminal segment furnished with two short greenish spines,
which extended backwards over the anal lid.

The under surface was similar in colour to the upper, with a double whitish line
down the middle. The feet were pinkish, and the thick fleshy prolegs green.

Many variations in colour were observed in different specimens of this larva. One
which answered the description given above, on the seventh, changed its skin on the morn-
ing of the 8th, and appeared in a garb of very dark brown, nearly black, with longitudinal
lines of a paler brown. A younger specimen was yellowish green, with the head very large
and prominent. Another, older one, was bright deep red above, with a wide broken band of
dull green down the middle of the under surface, without any appearance of the double
whitish line so prominent in most of the others. A fourth, about the same size, was
dull whitish green, with the whitish lines below, also wanting.

A full-grown caterpillar, found on the 10th of June, measured one and a quarter
inches. Its head was dull reddish brown, the body above yellowish green, as in the
former description, but with a few very small whitish dots on each segment. On each
side of the second segment was a small reddish spot, and on the third a larger one of a
darker shade, and on this latter segment the folds of the skin protruded, making the spot
appear like a brown prominence. The spaces between the middle segments were yel-
lowish white, excepting one or two of the terminal ones, which were dull brown. In
other respects it answered to the previous description.

The under surface had a reddish hue, and a central dull reddish line, bordered on

each side by a faint white stripe, edged again without by dull red. The feet were red-
dish, with the spaces between them yellowish green. On the 11th of June the larva
fastened itself up in a leaf, preparing for its next change.

During the middle of August fresh looking specimens of the moth were taken again
on the wing.

From the preceding facts the following summary of the history of this insect may
be given : — The larva, which had hybernated during the winter, entered the chrysalis
state in early spring, which produced the moth about ten days afterwards. The moths, during
the next few days, pair and deposit their eggs on the foliage of the vine, which hatch into
small caterpillars early in June. During this month they attain their full size, pass
through the chrysalis state, and appear as moths again in August. These latter deposit
the second crop of eggs, from which the larvae are again produced, which attain nearly
full growth before winter, and pass that inclement season in a state of torpidity.

Where their numbers are sufficient to prove troublesome, we can only suggest as
remedies the measures already so often adverted to, viz., syringing with hellebore and
water, and hand-picking. This insect is also found on the Virginia creeper (Am.pelopsis
quinquefolia. )

Although, very generally distributed, the Grape Cidaria seldom appears in sufficient
numbeis to cause alarm ; like most other insects, they are much more plentiful some
seasons than others. Mr. Bowles, of Quebec, informs us that they were very common in
his vicinity several years ago, but have been comparatively rare since. D. W. Beadle
says they are seldom seen about St. Catharines. In our own neighbourhood we rarely
pass a season without seeing a good number of them.

No. 7. The Common yellow Woolly Bear (Spilosoma virginica, Fabricius.) This
insect is so well known in the caterpillar state, that it scarcely needs any description ; any
one who has had a garden in which fruits or flowers of any sort have been grown, must
have become familiar with the yellow Woolly Bear, for, of all caterpillars, none are so
common or so uniformly troublesome. They seem to have an especial liking for the grape,
but are not at all particular, for if they cannot get vine leaves, they will take almost
anything else green, and thrive on it.

The moth from which the larva is produced is shown in Figure 44, where the cater-
fig. 44. pillar and chrysalis are also figured. The

moth is commonly known as the " White
Miller." It passes the winter in the chry-
salis state, and appears on the wing early
in May, depositing its round yellow eggs
on the under side of the leaves in large
clusters. These, in a few days, hatch into
young hairy caterpillars, which feed for
a time in company, devouring, at this
tender age, the under side of the leaf only,
which is less tough than the upper ; the
skin over the eaten parts soon becom-
ing yellow. It is not for long that their
powers for injury are so limited. When
tiiey have a little more growth, they part
(c) white, black company with their fellows, each one choos-
ing his own course, and living to himself,
and by this time their appetites and digestive powers have become so good, that they can,
and do, eat freely all parts of the leaf.

The full-grown caterpillar, Fig. 44 (a), is nearly two inches long, and usually of a
yellowish colour, but not always so, for they vary greatly in the tint of their hairy cover-
ing. From the same brood may be found some yellow, some straw colour, others light
brown, and some even very dark brown, but the yellow it by far the most common colour.
The head and feet are usually yellow, and the hairs arise in little tufts from small yellow
tubercles, arranged nearly in rows across the body. In the spaces between the segments
or rings there are darker lines, sometimes brown, at others dark brown, nearly black ;

CZ*

Colour— (a) yellow or brown, (b) shiny browi
and orange.

106

there is a line of the same along each side, and the under surface of the body is dark also.

When the caterpillar is full grown, it seeks some sheltered nook in which to change
to chrysalis. Some hole in a fence post, or other hole and corner place in fence, house,
or wood pile, wherever it is dry arid secluded. We once found one snugly hid in the
middle of a cluster of grapes. After a little wandering about and consideration, they fix
on a suitable locality, and proceed to divest their bodies of their covering of hairs, and
with these woven together with silken threads, they construct the slight enclosure which
is to shelter the chrysalis. Here the change takes place, the chrysalis (Fig. 44, b) being
of the usual brown colour, and after a week or two, the perfect moth makes its appear-
ance, to deposit fresh patches of eggs, from which in a few days is hatched the second
brood of larvae, which pass through the different stages of their growth, and enter the
chrysalis state before the time of winter.

The moth (Fig. 44, c) measures, when its wings are extended, from one inch and a
half to two inches. The males are smaller than the females — it is a female which is fig-
ured. Both sexes have the 'wings white with a few black dots, which vary very much in
number in different specimens ; in some there are two on each of the front, and three on
each of the hind wings as in the figure ; in others again the spots are almost entirely
wanting, and there is every degree of macular gradation between the two extremes. We
believe, however, that the dot near the middle of the front wings, is always present, but
sometimes very faint. The under side usually has the spots more distinct than the upper
one, and sometimes there is a slight tinge of yellow over its white surface. The antennae
are white above, dark brown below, the head and thorax white, while the abdomen is
orange coloured, sometimes streaked across with white, and having three rows of black
spots, one above and one on each side. The under side of the abdomen is white, some-
times tinged with orange.

This species is subject to the attack of several kinds of parasites, which destroy im-
mense numbers every year, were it not for this, we should soon be overrun with them.
With al! these checks they are at times very numerous and destructive, and we have to
resort to hand picking to destroy them. The process is tedious enough, but it is sure,
and we do not know of a better.

With regard to their geographical distribution, we think we are safe in saying as far
as Canada is concerned, that they may be found every summer every where.

Having now gone through with the history and habits of the most prominent of the
moths injurious to the vine, we shall devote some space to the destructive insects belong-

ing to other families.

No. 8. — The Spotted Pelidnota-

Fig. 45.

Colour— (a) glossy white ; (b) yellowish
yellow, with black spots.

(c) reddish

(Pdidnota punctata, Linnaeus.) The accompany-
ing excellent figure, represents this insect in its
three stages of larva (a), chrysalis (b), and
beetle (c). It is in the latter state only that it
is injurious to the vine — consuming the foliage.
It eats numerous holes in the leaves, sometimes
where the beetles are very numerous, complete-
ly riddling them.

The beetle is a large one, measuring about
an inch in length, and at its widest part, half
an inch in width, and nearly oval in form. Its
colour is dull reddish yellow, or nearly leather
colour, with a polished surface. The thorax
which is very slightly darker than the wing
covers, have a small black spot on each side ;
and there are three larger ones on each wing
case. The jaws and posterior part of the head
are both black, and so also is the scutellum,
which is a small nearly triangular piece, placed
near the centre above, and just where the two
anterior edges of the wing cases join the thor-
ax. The gauze-like wings concealed under the

107

wing cases are dark brown. The under surface is of a dark green shade, with a metallic
lustre, and somewhat downy about the middle with fine brownish hairs ; its legs are of
the same dark shining green.

It appears in July, August, and sometimes in September, and is active in the day
time flying about from vine to vine, with a loud buzzing noise. After the insects have
paired, the female deposits her eggs in rotten wood, which, when the young grub is
hatched, furnishes it with suitable food for its development. Mr. Riley who was the first
to find the larva and rear it, gives in the American Entomologist, vol. 2, p. 295, the follow-
ing description : — " It is a large clumsy grub, bearing a close resemblance to the common

I white grub' of our meadows, and differs from that species principally in being less wrin-
kled, and in having the skin more polished and of a purer white colour, and in the dis-
tinct heart-shaped swelling above the anus, (Fig. 45„ (d). Towards the latter part of
June, we have found this larva, (Fig. 45, (a), in company with the pupa, (Fig. 45, {b), in
rotten stumps and roots of the pear. In preparing for the pupa state, the larva forms a
rather unsubstantial cocoon of its own excrement, mixed with the surrounding wood.
The pupa state lasts but from eight to ten days, and the beetle (Fig. 45, (c), is found on
our vines during the months of July, August and September. It is not yet known how
long a time is required for the development of the larva, but from analogy, we may in-
fer that the insect lives in that state upwards of three years."

Fig. 45 (e) shows the antennae of the larva, and (/) one of the legs — both magnified.

This foe, as far as we can learn, is confined in Canada to the Province of Ontario,
and prevails chiefly in its western section. According to Messrs. Pro vancher and Bowles,
it is never found about Quebec. Even in the places in wliich it most delights to dwell,
it is not generally a very troublesome enemy. Should they at any time be present in
sufficient number to create alarm, they may be materially lessened by hand picking and
crushing under the foot. They are heavy and clumsy in their movements, and not diffi-
cult to capture. They feed on both wild and cultivated vines, and also on the allied
Virginia creeper, Ampelopsis quinque folia.

No. 9. — The Grape Vine Flea Beetle — (Haltica chalybea, Illiger.) The common
name of this insect suggests activity, and it is equally, active in mischief as in movement,
hopping from leaf to leaf, and from branch to branch, with a celerity scarcely surpassed
by its smaller namesake.

This beetle survives the winter in the perfect state, lying dormant and torpid under
leaves, pieces of bark, or other suitable shelter, until called into activity by the reviving
warmth of spring. It is a pretty little beetle (Fig. 46), of a polished steel
blue or green color, sometimes shading into purplish, with a transverse de-
pression across the hinder part of the thorax. The under side is dark green,
the antennae and fe.-t brownish black. Its length is about three-twentieths of
an inch, and it has stout, robust thighs, by means of which it is able to jump
«about very briskly ; these are well shown in the figure. It is more destruc-
tive in spring than at any other time ; for then, before the buds have burst,
dolor, steel blue this creature is astir, with appetite the keener for its long winter fast ; and
while the tender growth is swelling, and displaying its lovely roseate tints,
this little mischief-maker pounces on it, and hollows it out to its centre, thus consuming,
in a short time, two or three embryo bunches of grapes.

Its first appearance, as a destructive agent, is noted by Mr. Thomas, of Cayuga Co.,
N. Y., in 1831, in a communication to Silliman's " American Journal of Science and Art."

II These brilliant insects," Harris says, " were observed by him in Cayuga Co., N. Y.,
" creeping on the vine and destroying the buds, by eating out the central succulent parts.
" Some had burrowed even half their length into the buds. When disturbed, they jump,
" rather than fly, and remain where they fall for a time without motion. During the
11 same season, these beetles appeared in unusually great numbers in New Haven, Conn.,
" and its vicinity, and the injury done by them was wholly unexampled. Some vines
" were entirely despoiled of their fruit buds, so as to be rendered, for that season, barren."
Mr. Thomas found the vine leaves infested in the years 1830 and 1831, by small, chestnut-
colored, smooth worms, and suspecting them to be the larva of the beetle, he fed them in

108

a tumbler containing some moist earth, until they were fully grown, when they buried
themselves in the earth. After a fortnight or so, some of the beetles were found in the
tumbler. Hence there is no doubt that the former were the larvae of the beetles, and that
they undergo their transformations in the ground.

Previous to the time when this communication was made, they were confined chiefly
to the wild vine and the Virginia creeper, both of which they fed on. but since, they have
spread nearly all over the United States and Canada, and in many' places have proved
very destructive. Mr. J. Kirkpatrick, in "Field Notes," says, that in 1865, the crops of
several vineyards in the northern part of Ohio were entirely destroyed by it, and that the
same painful experience fell to the lot of some of the vine-growers on the shore of Lake
Erie.

The beetles appear on the vines in the latter part of April, and continue to be destruc-
tive till late in May, after which they gradually disappear. Before leaving, however, they
deposit orange coloured eggs in clusters on the under side of the young vine leaves, which
hatch in a few days into small dark brown worms, which feed on the upper side of the

leaves, eating numberless holes in the softer
parts (Fig. 47, a).

It is stated by Mr. Riley, that " when
" numerous, they devour all but the very
" largest leaf ribs, and we have seen the wild
" vines, throughout whole strips of country,
" rendered most unsightly by the utter de-
" nudation which these insects had wrought."
In three or four weeks the larva is full grown,
when it presents the appearance of Fig. 47
(b), which is a magnified view, the hair line
at the side showing the correct size. It is

then about three-tenths of an inch long. It
is usually light brown above, sometimes yel-
lowish, at other times of a darker shade ;
paler on the under surface. The head is
black, and there are six or eight shining
black dots on each of the other segments of
the body, each dot emitting a single brown-
ish hair. Its feet, six in number, are black,
and there is a fleshy, orange coloured pro-leg
on the terminal segment. When progres-
sing, it does not move its body regularly, but
raises it suddenly behind, as do some of the geometers or loopers.

In the early part of June, the larvae leave the vines, and descend to the ground,
where they burrow under the earth, and forming a little smooth, oval cell, •change to a
dark yellowish chrysalis (Fig. 47 c). After remaining about two or three weeks in this
state, the perfect beetles issue from them, and the work of destruction goes- on again ; but
as they live altogether on leaves during the fall, of which there is usually an abundance,
the amount of injury done is much less than in spring. Mr. Kirkpatrick states that there
are several broods during the season, but Mr. Riley thinks there is only one, and that the
beetles which appear early in July remain over till the next spring. Some further inves-
tigations are needed to clear this matter up.

To destroy the beetles, it is recommended to strew, in the fall, air slacked lime, or a
good quantity of unleached ashes, around the vines infested. Mr. Riley says the larvae
may be destroyed by blowing on them, from a bellows, fresh air-slacked lime ; they are
very tenacious of life, and would no doubt require a thorough application to ensure their
destruction. We should also advise the use of powdered hellebore and water, mixed in
the proportion of an ounce to the gallon, and applied to the foliage by means of a syringe.
Strong soap suds have also been recommended, and are perhaps worthy of trial, although
not likely to be so effective as the other measures referred to. During the early spring,

Colours— (b) Shining brown ana black ; (d) steel blue
tallic green and purple.

109

Fig. 48.

in chilly mornings, the beetles are comparatively sluggish and inactive, and some chance
is then afforded of hand-picking and destroying them. A good quantity of fowls, allow-
ed, at this time, the run of the vineyard, has also been tried with success. We have not
heard of their being affected by any parasite.

They are much more abundant some seasons than others, which may probably be due
to some atmospheric influences favourable or otherwise to the continuance of their lives.
Mr. James Dougall, of Windsor, says that a few years ago they were very destructive to
his vines, but within the last two or three years he has only noticed a stray one now and
then. Mr. J. Petit, of Grimsby, Ontario, states that in the spring of 1869, he saw the
flea beetle in the vineyard of Mr. W. W. Kitchen, eating the buds of his vines, they were
numerous, but Mr. Kitchen afterwards said they did but little harm. Mr. D. W. Beadle,
of St. Catherines, says : — " I have seen it on my grounds in the perfect and larvae state,
but only to search it out and kill it, and now it is two years since I have seen it here."
In our own locality it has never proved very troublesome, but with Mr. Chas. Arnold, of
Paris, it has been very destructive, not so much, however, of late, as it was some two or
three years since. Mr. Arnold had a quantity of the Virginia creeper growing on his
grounds, which he thought afforded it a convenient and undisturbed harbor. This he
destroyed, and since then has not found the beetle so troublesome. We have not been
able to learn of its occurrence in Quebec.

No. 10. The Grape Seed Insect (Isosoma Vitis, Saunders. J The accompanying

figure 48, although not belonging to Isosoma
Vitis, belongs to a species of Isosoma so closely
resembling it, that it would require careful
scrutiny to distinguish between them, and will
give a very good idea of its general appearance,
as seen under a magnifying power, (a) repre-
sents the female, (b) the male, (c) the antennae
of«the female, (d) the antennae of the male, (e)
the abdomen of the female enlarged, showing
the segments or rings of the body, (f) that of
the male. The short hair lines under the
figures of the perfect insects show their natural
size.

When we first observed this insect in 1868, it
promised, judging from what we then saw, to be
a very destructive and troublesome foe to grape
culture, and had it increased in the proportion
that many other insects do, its efforts would by
this time have occasioned great alarm. But it has wisely been ordered otherwise. Either
climatic influences, or some other unseen and unknown power has been unfavourable to
its continuance and propagation, so that it has almost disappeared at present from our
midst ; possibly the cold and wet season of 1869 has had something to do with bringing
about this result. Although diligent search was made last year, we failed to find any
traces of its presence ; and this year our efforts in this direction have happily been equally
fruitless, but we learn from our esteemed friend, Rev. R. Burnett, of Hamilton, that it has
occurred in that neighbourhood this summer. He says " in some bunches there would be
two or three, and as high as eight or ten berries affected. I noticed the damage first by
the apparent early ripening of the berries, while the others were green, with no visible
appearance of maturity. The exposure these vines had was altogether in favour of the
propagation of the insect, due south, under shelter from the north of an eight feet board
fence. The place was warm as an oven. Nor was this the only place where the seed in-
sect was found. I examined the vines of several of my neighbours, and found them less
or more affected."

Having been unable to accumulate any new facts or details regarding its history or
habits, and seeing we want to present here a complete account as far as we can of the in-
sects found injuring the grape with us, we cannot do better than quote from our former

110

report to the Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, and also from papers relating to the
same subject in the Canadian Entomologist.

On the 20th of August, 1868, we observed that many of the berries in the bunches
of a Clinton vine, under our care, were shrivelling up. On opening the grapes we observed
that most of the smaller berries — that is those which had shrivelled earliest — contained
only one seed, and that of an unusually large size ; but some of the larger withered grapes
contained two seeds, also swollen, each having a dark spot somewhere on its surface. On
cutting the seeds carefully open the kernel was found almost entirely consumed, and the
cavity occupied by a small, milk white, footless grub, with a pair of brown hooked man-
dibles, a smooth and glossy skin, with a few very fine short white hairs. When at rest it
was nearly oval in form, but when in motion its body became elongated, varying in length
from one-fifteenth to one-twelfth of an inch.

Figure 49 is a correct representation of this grub as it appears
when magnified. The small figure underneath shows its natural
size.

The parent insect probably deposits the egg on the skin of the
grape, and the young larvaa as soon as hatched puncture the skin and
work their way at once to the middle of the fruit, and there enter
the seed while young and soft. Many of the grapes affected had a small scar, indicating
probably where the insects had entered.

The Clinton vine, on which this pest was first discovered, suffered considerably ;
fully ten per cent, of the crop was lost from the shrivelling of the infected berries. At
first Ave supposed that the work of the insect was confined to fruit with this appearance,
and that by destroying this the destruction of the crop of insects for the season
would be nearly complete ; but further examination showed that many of the ripe berries
contained affected seeds. The proportion thus infected on the vine referred to, was
about ten or eleven per cent. Within a few feet of this an Isabella vine was fruiting, on
which there were no shrivelled berries, but about three per cent of those which had
ripened contained grubs. About the same distance in another direction was a Hartford
Prolific, and ten feet further off a Concord, both of which fruited well ; on neither of
these were there any withered berries, nor could we find any affected seeds among those
which had ripened. The fruit of a Delaware, about fifty feet distant from the Clinton,
was also examined without discerning any traces of the insect.

About the middle of September we visited the grounds of Mr. Chas. Arnold, of Paris,
Ont., and there we found that this insect had prevailed to a greater extent than it had
with ourselves, affecting the Clinton, Delaware, one of Rogers' Hybrids, and also Mr.
Arnold's new seedlings. In Hamilton, in the garden of Mr W. H. Mills, we found an
affected seed in a berry of Rogers' No. 4. On the 24th September we visited the vine-
yard of the "Vine Growers' Association," at Cooksville, Ont., but could not find any
traces of the insect there. Thus far its depredations have been chiefly apparent about
London, Paris and Hamilton, but further observations may show that it is widely dis-
tributed.

Where any shrivelled berries are found, their seeds should be examined, as it is im-
portant to know how wide spread this evil is. The affected seeds are usually swollen,
somewhat soft, and have a dark spot somewhere on their surface ; any with these char-
acteristics noticed among the ripe berries should also be examined.

In the case of the shrivelled berries, where one seed only was affected, the others
were dwarfed and imperfect, and where two large seeds were found they were both occu-
pied. When one seed only was affected and the other remained healthy, the one normal
seed carried the berry through, in an apparently healthy state, to ripeness. As far as our
experience teaches, the Clinton and its allies with thin skins are more liable to attack than
berries with thicker skins, such as Hartford Prolific and Concord.

In October of the same year, we found the larvae still unchanged within the seed, so
we detached one and placed it in a small glass cell between two pi ites of glass, so that it
might not dry up from exposure to the air, and give us at the same sime an opportunity
of watching its progress. It remained in this state until early in January, 1869, when it
L

Ill

became a pupa, having first attached itself to the sides of the cell by a few short silky
threads. It had now contracted in length, become nearly oval, and assumed a yellowish
tint, with a few short, loose, silky threads adhering to different parts of the surface. On
the 11th of February we examined some more seeds, and found the larva) within still
alive and active, just as they had appeared in the fall. On the 7th of July further speci-
mens were opened, and the inmates still found soft but motionless ; these appeared to be
in the pupa state, but the slight inspection then given was not sufficient to enable us to
be positive. During the remaining part of July we looked many times into the bottles
in which the grapes were enclosed, but did not discover anything till on the 9th of August,
feeling sure that the time for the appearance of the insects must be fully come, if not
already past, we resolved on a thorough search for them. As soon as the contents of the
bottles had been emptied on a piece of white paper, we observed a number of small four
winged flies, from one-fifteenth to one tenth of an inch long, among the dried-up grapes.
These were all dead and stiff, though some were more brittle than others. From the
observations made we should judge that they effected their escape from the middle to the
end of July.

The following description of the insect being somewhat technical, is given more for
the benefit of the scientific reader than for the general public. We thus give due notice
so that all who have no taste for scientific descriptions may make a clean jump over the
next two paragraphs.

Isosomct vitis — Saunders — Female. — Head large, flattened in front, black, thickly
punctured, and covered with many short whitish hairs ; mandibles pale brown at base,
tipped with black. Antennae (scape and eight joints) nine jointed, black, thickly covered
with whitish hairs, inserted in deep sockets; the scape pale brown, slender, nearly as long
as the three following joints together ; the second short; third to eighth inclusive, nearly
equal in length ; the terminal joint longer, tapering slightly towards the tip. Thorax
black, punctured, and covered with whitish hairs. Legs — front pair pale brown, trochanters
nearly black"; second and third pairs, trochanters black, femora and tibia nearly black
along the middle, pale brown at tips, tarsi pale brown. Abdomen long, black, straight and
smooth, with a polished surface placed on a short pedicel ; a little contracted at base,
thickest on third joint, tapering gradually to fifth, and then suddenly to extremity ; the
basal joint very short, second and third each somewhat longer, fourth as long as the three
preceeiin^, fifth less than half as long as the fourth, sixth a little shorter, terminal joint
rather longer.

The male differs from the female in having the antennae longer and more thickly
covered with hairs. The abdomen is short, thick and blunt, and placed on a moderately
stout pedicel nearly its own length. The abdominal rings have about the same relative
size as in the female, but the posterior edge of the third overhangs the fourth, the latter
appearing as if partially drawn within the projecting edge of the third ring.

Length— Female 6.10, male 0.06 inch.

Having kept the grapes in bottles only occasionally opened for ventilation, in a dry
room, they became hard, dry and shrivelled. In consequence of this many of the flies
were unable to make their way out, the seed having become too hard for their jaws to eat
through. On opening some of these the flies were found dead, with wings fully developed,
and surrounded by small fragments of the interior coating of the seed, which they had
gnawed off in their efforts to escape. Those which had found their way out had eaten a
small, nearly round, irregular hole through seed and skin. In many similar cases, where
the larvae feed within a hard substance, they provide for the escape of the perfect insect by
eating away the hard enclosure until it is reduced so thin as to appear almost transparent,
when a very little effort is sufficient to remove the obstruction to the outward passage of
the perfect insects. In this instance we h:\ve been unable to discover any evidence of such
preparation, and believe that the whole work of escape is accomplished by the perfect fly.

Should it prove sufficiently troublesome to necessitate man's agency to keep it within
proper bounds, we can advise nothing better as a remedy than carefully gathering and
destroying the shrivelled fruit.

No. 11. The Thrips (so callech (Tettigonia vitis, Harris.) The accompanying figure

112

FlG. 50. represents, faithfully, the insect commonly known

among vine-growers as " the Thrip." The figures
are magnified, the small hair lines adjoining,
showing the natural size. The figure to the
left shows the perfect insect, with its wings ex-
panded ; the other, the same, with its wings
closed. These so called "Thrips/' which are
widely distributed, and exceedingly numerous
and destructive to the vine, do not belong to the
family of true Thrips at all, and the fact of their
being mis-named by the' fruit-growers has occasioned, in times past, much confusion and
uncertainty as to what was really meant when this term was used The true "Thrips
is a smaller insect than this, and, as Mr. Walsh, of Rock Island, 111., has proved is an
insect feeder, and hence a friend rather than an enemy to the vine-grower, while the vine-
growers' Thrips, as figured above, is a species of Tettigoma, the figure being that of
Tettiqonia vitis. This " vitis " is only one member of a family. Mr. J Petit, of Grimsby,
has found six distinct species in his neighbourhood, and we have noted four while exanm-
ing about a dozen specimens taken at random from a vine. They are all much alike m size
and general appearance, the points of distinction being found in the varied markings of the
wings Besides vitis, we have tricinda and vulnerata, comes, and obhqua, and probably not
less than two species undescribed. In vitis the colours are pale yellow and red

Now for its history :— The " Thrips " is supposed to pass the winter in the perfect
state hvbernating under decaying leaves or other rubbish. Those which survive appear
early in spring, and deposit their eggs on the young leaves of the vine. The young progeny
make their appearance during the month of June, when they are quite small, and while
resembling the perfect insect in everything, excepting wings, of which they are destitute ;
thev are in that condition and period of growth corresponding with the caterpillar or larva
in other insects. As they increase in size they several times shed their skins, which are
nearly white, and although exceedingly delicate and gossamer-like, remain for some time
attached to the under side of the leaves. They live and feed together on the under sur-
face and are very quick in their movements, hopping almost as briskly as a flea I heir
hind legs are constructed somewhat after the model of the grasshopper, elongated and
armed with rows of spines, by means of which they jump with great force. Mr Walsh
well remarks that " they have a peculiar habit of running sideways, like a crab, and when
they see you looking at them upon one side of a leaf, they will often dodge round quickly
to the other side, as a squirrel dodges round to the opposite side of the trunk of a tree,
when he sees that he is noticed. Insects are more wide-awake than people generally

SUPPThese little creatures are furnished with a sharp beak or proboscis, with which they
puncture the skin of the vine, and through which they suck up the sap Wherever they
thrust their beaks and absorb the juices of the leaf, just there, on the upper surface,
appears a dull yellowish or brownish spot. While they are yet young and small, the
spots produced are also of small size/and scarcely attract attention, but as they increase in
size their abundant labours become very manifest, even to the most careless observer, for the
whole leaf assumes a sickly aspect, paled with yellowish spots, and as if scorched drying
up, and prematurely dropping from the vine. Sometimes the vines are thus so defoliated
that the fruit fails to ripen for want of proper nourishment. Though small m size, their
immense numbers make up for any lack in this way, so that they really are a formidable
enemy, probably the most serious the vine-grower has to encounter.

As it enters the second stage of its existence, corresponding to the chrysalis state ot
moths and butterflies, it continues increasingly active. Diminutive wings now begin to
appear, which gradually grow until fully matured, when the insect is in its perfect con
dition. This happens about August. The addition of wings mci eases its activity, and
its power of spreading itself. It continues active and mischievous till late m the season,
when it is supposed to seek shelter, and spend the winter m a state of torpidity, as

a reaTyest^ntonj Delaware5 and other thin-leaved varieties, suffer more from the attacks

113

of these insects, than the thick, leathery-leaved sorts. Concord is almost exempt, but we
have known the Isabella to be much damaged. The Thrips are widely distributed, but
vary much in numbers from year to year. If abundant in a particular locality one season,
we cannot be at all certain that they will be equally or more plentiful the following year.
Their natural increase is so interfered with by various unfavourable climatic and other
influences, that we cannot prognosticate in this matter with any degree of certainty. Mr.
J. Petit informs us that, three years ago, he saw many vines in the vineyard of Mr. W.
W. Kitchen, of Grimsby, completely stript of their leaves by this pest, but they do not
appear to have occurred in such numbers since. Mr. W. H. Mills, of Hamilton, has found
them very common and troublesome in his garden for years past, and the Rev. R. Burnett,
of the same place, says they are the only determined enemy the grape has in his locality.
This season they prevailed in some vineyards to such an extent, that the injury done the
leaves, seriously affected the growth of the fruit ; as far as his memory serves him, he
has always had more or less Thrips.

Mr. James Dougall, of Windsor, states that the Thrips were formerly much more
troublesome than they have been during the past season ; this year there were very few.
Mr. D. W. Beadle, of St. Catharines, bears similar testimony. He says, " the Thrips
were very plenty in 1868, and injured the foliage of the Delaware and Clinton badly,
the more downy-leaved grapes less, the Concord not at all. Since then they have not been
sufficiently abundant to do any harm." Mr. A. B. Bennett, of Brantford, remarks, " the
Thrips has made its first appearance [with me this fall, but not to do any perceptible
damage. I am fearful for the future." Mr. Chas. Arnold, of Paris, has suffered much
from Thrips in years past, and still finds them very troublesome. Two years ago, while
looking over the extensive vineyards of the Vine Growers' Association, at Cooksville, we
observed their Clinton vines swarming with Thrips, the foliage appearing half bleached
and scorched. We believe they have not suffered so much from them since. These
insects do not appear to be known about Quebec. In our own locality they seem to have
permanently established themselves, and annoy and perplex us every season.

Various remedies have been suggested, but no universal panacea has yet been devised.
Syringing with strong tobacco water or soap suds, dusting with sulphur and lime, or lime
alone, hellebore, Cayenne pepper, or fumigating with tobacco under a moveable tent, all
have their advocates. It is also said that carrying a lighted torch through the vineyard
at night, has been found very efficient in destroying them, they fly to the light and are
burnt. This remedy would require repeating several times at short intervals. Eev. R
Burnett, in a recent letter, says : — " I know of several parties who have practised the
torch light for the destruction of the thrips, accompanied with less or» more success. Mr.
Haskins, of the City Water Works, one of the most intelligent and best informed of our
grape culturists, prefers the constant stirring of the earth in the immediate vicinity of the
vines in spring and fall." This latter remedy probably operates by disturbing the perfect
insects about the commencement or termination of their winter's sleep, and exposing them
to the killing influence of frost.

They are not confined to the vine, bnt affect also the Virginia creeper.

No. 12. The Grape leaf Gall Louse (Pemphigus vitifolice, Fitch. ) The gall on
the leaf of which we are now about to treat, is the work of a small orange coloured louse,
which has been named by Dr. Fitch, State Entomologist of New York, Pemphigus vitifolice.
Subsequent observations have shown that it does not belong to the family of Pemphigus,
and some difference of opinion exists among leading Entomologists as to what family it
should be placed in, but wherever it may be eventually located the specific name vitifolice
will hold good.

Figure 51 represents a leaf covered with the galls above alluded to. They affect only
the Clinton, and other derivatives of the Wild Frost Grape. They appear as green excres-
cences of various sizes and shapes, but generally rounded, and not much larger than a pea.
In the second volume of the American Entomologid, p. 61, is an excellent account of their
origin and growth from the pen of Mr. Riley, whicli we shall quote : — " In each freshly
formed gall you will find from one to four orange coloured mother lice, a number of shin-
ing oval whitish eggs, of very minute size, and often a number of young six legged larvie,
scarcely bigger than the eggs, and of the same whitish colour. Almost as soon as the larvae

114

Colour— Green.

hatch, they stray off through the partly open
mouth of the gall on the upper surface of the
leaf, and found new galls either on the same
or on a younger leaf. After a time, and when
their stock of eggs is exhausted, the mother lice
die, and the galls inhabited by them gape wide-
ly open at their mouths, and become gradually
flattened and obliterated. Thus upon a grape
cane the galls upon the oldest leave* will be
empty, while those on the young thrifty ones
will be swarming with inhabitants, and as fresh
leaves put out these are successively ' occupied
and possessed' by the enemy. The gall is
formed as with all those constructed by plant
lice, by bark lice, or by mites, by one or more
young larva? stationing themselves on the up-
per surface of the leaf^ and irritating it with
their pointed beaks until it bulges out in an
unnatural hollow, inside which the larvae re-
main. Finally, as the larvae grow to maturity the hollow becomes a fleshy green sack,
the Touth of which is almost closed up. The mother lice then lay eggs, and the same
old cycle of phenonenuvis repeated again and again till winter sets in.

We do not apprehend that this is likely to become here a very formidable foe to vine-
culture, but its aspect is unsightly, and it may easily be checked on its first appearance by
picking off the infected leaves and burning them. Mr. D. W. Beadle, of St. Catharines,
informs us that he has seen it occasionally on his vines, but found no difficulty in staying
its progress by the method above referred to. It has also been seen occasionally in the
vineyards at Cooksville, but it has never spread much ; possibly this may be due in part to
the fact that it is preyed upon by a number of rapacious insects, such as the larvae of
Scymnus, a small dull coloured lady-bird ; larvae of lace-wing fly, and those also of several
species of two winged flies.

Since the above was in type a valuable paper on this insect has appeared in the
"American Entomologist," vol. 2, No. 12, written by the editor, C. V. Riley, Esq., con-
taining many new and interesting facts, some of which are so very important that we feel
it a duty we owe to vine-growers to give them as much publicity as possible. The follow-
ing we have condensed from Mr. Riley's paper : —

For many years past a very serious disease has affected the roots of the vines grown
in many parts of France, and which was known under the name of pourridie or rotting.
So grievous and alarming had this disease finally become that the French Minister of Agri-
culture and Commerce offered a rewardof 20,000 francs to any one who should discover an
efhcaceous and practical remedy, and appointed a special ccmmissicn, including same of
the most eminent men in natural science, to test the proposed remedies and make the award.
The disease appears in the form of little cankerous spots which cut off the supply of
nourishment and cause the roots to rot These were ascertained by M. M. Planchon, one
of the members of the commission, and M. J. Lichtenstein, of Montpellier, to be caused
by a small louse called by M. Planchon Phylloxera vastatrix, which bears a close resem-
blance to the insect which forms our leaf gall. Besides this, a leaf gall occurs there identi-
cal in appearance with ours, and after much observation it was discovered that the root-
inhabiting and gall-inhabiting insects were identical, and finally it was concluded by M. J.
Lichtenstein that their European species was in all respects the same as our American one,
and had been imported from this country.

The expression of this view by so eminent a savan added much interest to the study
of the American Gall Louse, and induced Mr. Riley to devote much time to working out
the facts connected with its history, so as to definitely decide this question of identity. He
opened a correspondence with M. Lichtenstein and M. Signoret, of Paris, on this subject,
and forwarded specimens of the American insect in its various stages to be compared with
theirs. The war has interfered sadly with the progress of all departments of science in

115

France, but from a letter received from M. Signoret, despatched just before the investment
of Paris, in which place he is now shut in, he expresses himself as convinced of tho
identity of the two species.

In the meantime Mr. Riley has discovered that our gall insect also attacks the roots
of vines here in the same manner as does the insect in Europe, and Dr. Shimer, another
careful and painstaking entomologist in the U. S., has shown that the winged females have
the same characteristic markings as the European species, hence there is little doubt as to
the correctness of the conclusions arrived at regarding their common origin.

Since it has been decided by eminent French entomologists, who have made a special
study of plant-lice, that the insect in Europe belongs to the genus Phylloxera, our species
will hereafter be known as Phylloxera vitifolia.

In continuation of that part of the history of the species already given, Mr. Riley
says : " In August the insects generally become so prodigiously multiplied that they often
settle on the tendrils, leaf-stalks and tender branches, where they form excrescences and
gall-like growths, differing only from those on the leaves in such manner as one would
naturally expect from the difference in the tissues. After the vine has finished its growth
the young lice, finding no more succulent and suitable leaves, begin to wander and to seek
the roots, so that by the end of September the galls are deserted, and those remaining on
the vines generally become mildewy, and finally turn brown and dry up. Upon the roots
the lice attach themselves singly or in little groups, and cause by their punctures little
swellings or knots which eventually become rotten. Where vines have been badly affected
with the gall, it is difficult to find a perfectly healthy fibrous root. Strange enough these
lice not only change their residence as winter approaches, from the leaf above ground to
the root below ground, but Proteus-like they change their appearance also, and after shed-
ding their skins present themselves covered with small tubercles."

These tubercled insects pass the winter on the root, and probably produce in spring
the winged males and females which pair and deposit eggs on the grape leaves, which give
birth to the wingless females who are the founders of the gall producing colonies.

From these facts it is evident that the insect can be carried from one place to another
on the roots, and doubtless it was by some such mode that it was introduced into France
from this country. Its natural home here is on the wild Frost Grape, from which it must
have spread to the cultivated varieties, and since this wild grape is found over a wide range
of our country, the insect in all probability is equally wide-spread. The knowledge of the
fact of its wintering on the roots would point to the necessity in extreme cases of rooting
up and burning such vines as may become very much diseased, so as to check the increase
of this pest ; close attention should also be paid to plucking and destroying the gall in-
fested leaves as soon as they appear in spring. It may also be well in certain localities to
avoid planting any varieties of the Frost Grape, but we scarcely think that such a pre-
cautionary measure will need to be adopted in Canada. It would appear from various in-
formation gathered, that the insect is much more likely to be troublesome in warmer lati-
tudes than in cold ones, the length of the season being favorable to their greater increase,
and the milder winters less destructive to them. Still it will be well for all our grape-
growers to keep a sharp look out for this enemy and meet it with a determined effort at
its destruction wherever it may appear.

Although hitherto almost entirely confined in its attacks to the Frost Grape and its
progeny, a few have of late been found occasionally on the Delaware, Iona and Concord,
and since it has so readily taken to the European varieties of the vitis vinifera, it may also
attack hybrids of this species grown in our own country.

This gall louse has proved very injurious to the Clinton vine in many parts of Mis-
souri, occasionally defoliating and almost destroying large portions of some vineyards.

The liberal prize offered by the French government, has not, we believe, been
awarded, for no specific seems yet to have been discovered. The location of the insects
on the roots, would naturally render it extremely difficult to apply any remedy — Carbolic
acid and water, and sulphuret of lime and water, have both been recommended, but
neither of them appear to have been tried on a sufficiently extensive scale to prove their
efficacy in this case.

No. 13. The Tree Cricket (CEcanthus nivevs, Harris). — This insect, although dc»-

116

tractive to the vine, is not confined to it in its operations ; for it is equally injurious to
the raspberry and blackberry, and sometimes attacks the plum, cherry and peach. Fig. 5 1

represents the male, and Fig. 52 the fe-
FlG- 51« fig. 52. male. Their color is of a delicate green,

and they are exceedingly lively and
musical, keeping up, when numerous, a
perpetual sharp, chirruping noise during
Color— Pale green. the warmer parts of the day. The tree

cricket is accused, on good authority, of severing grapes from the
bunches, and sometimes even cutting off an entire bunch. Mr. C. V.
Kiley, from whose valuable observations we have drawn so largely, says
that he has caught them at it ; but probably such malicious acts are
rare, for, though the insect is common enough with us, we have never
observed any such results from its presence. The heaviest charge
brought against it is for the partial destruction of the canes, and this arises from the car-
rying out of its own instinctive care in providing for the safety of its progeny. The fe-
male, during the later weeks in autumn, being fully charged ;vith fertilized eggs, proceeds
to prepare a place for their reception ; settling itself comfortably down on a grape, rasp-
berry or other cane, and elevating the posterior parts of its body, it thrusts its long ovi-
positor, with which it is furnished, straight into the stem, about half way through its
thickness. Into the orifice thus formed it forces a long yellow egg, and then proceeds to
deposit another along side, and so on, until from five to fifteen eggs have been placed in a
row. In this manner, the stem on which it operates is very much weakened, and is liable
to break off on slight occasion ; or where this does not occur, the branch often dies beyond
the punctured part. Each female will deposit from twelve to. sixteen eggs, which remain
thus during winter, safely lodged.

Early in spring the eggs begin to swell, and about midsummer, or a little before this,
the young insects appear. An Ohio correspondent of the Practical Entomologist, vol. 2, p.
94, says, that he kept portions of infested cane in a drawer, from which the young insects
appeared on the 20th of May. Possibly the additional warmth and protection thus given
to the canes may have hastened the hatching of the young, for we have found the un-
changed eggs in the canes, in the open air, later than this. When first hatched, they feed
on plant lice, and probably continue to do so until nearly full grown. We have seen the
matured insect feeding occasionally on ripe plums. Mr. Riley, in the American Entomolo-
gist, vol. 1, p. 247, says : "We hatched a number of them this spring ; they fed entirely on
plant lice at first, but when these were denied them, they fell to devouring one another,
until the strongest individual remained the conqueror."

In consequence of their destruction of plant lice, it has been urged by some that they
should be regarded rather as friends than enemies ; but we think that the injury they do
far more than counterbalances any good that can be placed to their credit, and we would
advise their destruction. First kill as many of the perfect insects as possible, which may
best be done by jarring the canes, when they drop to the gronnd, and stamping their lives
out with the foot before they have time to hop or fly away. The second, and probably
the easiest method, is to cut away, late in the fall or early in spring, all those parts of the
canes containing eggs, and burning them. Their regular rows of pin-hole punctures can
be readily seen.

No. 14. The Honey Bee (Apis mellifica, Linn.). — Before leaving this subject, we
must advert to a charge made against that very useful insect, the honey bee, of injury,
which, we trust, will not be found very wide-spread. A correspondent in the American
Entomologist, vol. 1, writing from Richmond, Indiana, says that he has found the honey
bee very destructive to his grapes. They commenced about the last of August, on the
Concords, which, to save from complete destruction, he was obliged to gather before fully
ripe. The bees puncture the skin of the grape, and extract the sugar, when the fruit im-
mediately shrinks up, and soon rots, unless used at once. The vines which suffered most
were Diana, Delaware, Isabella and Rogers' Hybrids. Of Diana, he lost fully a bushel of
grapes, and of Delaware, about as many.

Mr. James Dougall, of Windsor, in a recent letter, says that the greater part of hi*

117

grapes were punctured, and the juice sucked out. He has not been able to detect any-
thing but flies at them, the same as they often attack the cherries. The flies worst, he
states, are several varieties of the blue bottle, and " a large flatter fly, with a spotted grey-
ish body and wings." Might not this have been occasioned first by the honey bee punc-
turing the grapes, and the flies subsequently gathering to feast on the juices which would
escape through the punctured skin. Mr. Dougall says that the grapes which ripened later
were scarcely touched.

In concluding this section of our report, we would express our thanks to the gentle-
men who have kindly replied to our many queries, and thus sent us much valuable infor-
mation on the habits and geographical distribution of the various species.

INSECTS AFFECTING THE PLUM.

By E. B. KEED, London, Ont.

1. The Plum Curculio -

2. The Grey Dagger

3. The Oblique Banded Leaf Roller

4. The Eye-Spotted Bud Moth

(Conotrachclus nenuphar)
(A crony eta Psi)
( Lozotamia Rosaceana)
(Grapholitha oculano)

Beetle.
Moth.
Moth.
Moth.

1st. THE PLUM CURCULIO (Conotrachelus nenuphar, Herbst.)

COLEOPTERA CURCULIONID^E.

There is, we suppose, no doubt but that this in-
sect is the greatest evil with which all cultivators of the
Plum, or indeed of any other stone fruit have to contend.
So extensive are its destructive powers, that oftentimes
whole crops of Plums are entirely ruined by the depreda-
tions of the grubs or larva of this unmitigated pest, and
in many places fruit growers have almost given up in de-
spair the cultivation of this delicious fruit. Of late years,
u^S^fek I ^fiHKKi^ however, thanks to the exertions of entomologists, the
*»4fllB I© vSBRlf nawts and history of this insect are becoming more gen-

^<cj|fj[^ P$Mm^ erally known, and means are begining to be devised by

which we may hope to be able to somewhat check the
amount of damage it occasions, and perhaps, indeed, to
successfully carry on against it an unceasing and relentless
warfare. A fair start has already been made in the Province of Ontario towards attain-
ing this desirable end. The Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, offered last year,!
prizes of twenty, ten and five dollars, to persons collecting, during the season of 1870,1
two thousand, one thousand, and five hundred, respectively, of the Plum curculio. Four-T
teen persons competed for these prizes, and their joint collections contained the large
number of fourteen thousand five hundred and fifty-three specimens of the genuine Plum,
curculio. All the competitors in detailing their experiences, appear to be well satisfied
with the crop of Plums that rewarded their individual exertions, and anxious for othei
plum growers to follow their example ; and there can be no reasonable doubt that similai
efforts on the part of others throughout the country, will tend eventually to thorough!]
eheck the operations of the enemy. For the interesting details of the efforts and worl
of the above competitors, we would call the attention of our readers to the admirabh
report on the subject, made by W. Saunders, Esq., of London, Ont., to the Fruit Growers
Association. The plum curculio is a member of an enormous group of insects known aj
weevils, or snout beetles. Their chief characteristic is the long snout into which the from
of the head is produced, the mouth being at the end of the snout or beak. This snout i[

Fig. 53.

119

of course immovable, except along with the head, of which it is in fact part and parcel.
The antennae are elbowed, i.e., bent at right angles, and^are set on the sides of the beak.
The plum curculio, or " Little Turk," as our American cousins have named it, in allusion
to the crescent-shaped wounds it inflicts on the fruit, is a little rough gray or blackish
beetle, about one-fifth of an inch in length ; it may easily be distinguished by its having
on the middle of each wing-case, a black shining hump, immediately behind which is a
broad band of yellowish white ; the snout is rather short, and when the insect is alarmed,
it is drawn up close to the under side of its body, and in this attitude, with its legs also
drawn up in a similar manner, it bears a strong resemblance to a dried bud, or piece of
dirt, or bark, and is very apt to deceive the uninitiated, more especially as it will remain
for a long time motionless and seemingly devoid of life, though if the observer has but
the requisite patience, and the day be sufficiently warm, he will see the apparently shapeless
little lump gradually put forth a leg here and a feeler there, and finally being convinced
of security, expand its wings and fly away in search of other objects of attack. Dr.
Harris records having frequently caught them flying in the middle of the day. The
curculio generally attacks the plum as soon as the fruit is fairly set, although while the
tree is yet in blossom, they may often be discovered by the jarring process. C. V. Kiley,
the State Entomologist of Missouri, thus describes the manner of laying the egg. — "The
process occupies about five minutes. Having taken a strong hold on the fruit — (see Fig.
53, d,) the female makes a minute cut with the jaws, which are at the end of her snout,
just through the skin of the fruit, and then runs the snout under the skin to the depth
of one-sixteenth of an inch, and moves it back and forth, until the cavity is large enough
to receive the egg it is to retain; she next changes her position, and drops an egg into
the mouth of the cut ; then, veering round again, she pushes it by means of her snout to the
end of the passage, and afterwards cuts the crescent in front of the hole, so as to under-
mine the egg and leave it in a sort of flap ; her object apparently being to deaden this
flap so as to prevent the growing fruit from crushing the egg, though Dr. Hull informs
me that he has repeatedly removed the insect as soon as the egg was deposited, and before
the flap was made, and the egg hatched and the young penetrated the fruit in every in-
stance."

The egg being deposited, is in a few days hatched into a small, white, footless grub,
which increases rapidly in size, eating its way almost to the centre of the fruit. Alter the
lapse of several weeks, and before the grub is fully grown, the plum drops to the ground,
its natural growth being stopped by the workings of the grub, which in a short time
having reached its maturity, eats its way to the surface and penetrating the earth a little
distance, makes a small cavity for itself, and there changes into a chrysalis or pupa. In
this inactive state, it generally remains for some three or four weeks, when it finally
appears as the perfect beetle, and continues in that state until the succeeding spring, when
it proceeds to attack the plum after the manner of its forefathers. In some cases, how-
ever, owing perhaps to various causes of place and temperature, some few individuals
may pass the entire winter in the pupa state, and not complete their transformation until
the following Spring, but the better opinion seems now to be, that such is not the normal
custom of the insect. As many of our readers may be unacquainted with the appearance
of the different stages of this insect, we have prepared at Fig. 53, correct and magnified
p )rtraits of the full grown larva, (a), of the chrysalis, or pupa, (b), into which the larva
is transformed of the perfect curculio (c) and of the crescent-shaped mark it causes (d).
Dr. James Tilton, of Wilmington, Delaware, was one of the earliest observers of the plum
weevil. In an article published by him in 1803, he states that this insect attacks not
only nectarines, plums, apricots and cherries, but also peaches, apples, pears and quinces,
and later writers have fully confirmed this statement. In 1831, Mr. Thomas Say, the
chief authority on American entomology, in a note on the plum weevil, stated, " that it
depredates on the plum and peach, and other stone fruit," and that his " kinsman, the late
excellent William Bartram, informed him it also destroys the English walnut in this coun-
try." Dr. Harris, the late State Entomologist of Massachusetts, ascertained that the
cherry worm, so called, produced at maturity the same curculio as that of the plum ;
though, unlike the latter, it rarely causes the stung cherry to drop prematurely to the
ground ; and the late Dr. Joel Burnett, the author of several articles on the plum weevil,

120

procured, in 1839, some specimens of the insect in the chrysalis state, which were raised
from the small grubs in apples. Much as has been written on the subject of the plum
curculio, there are several points in its history on which observers are unable to agree,
such as the length of time it occupies in its various transformations, the manner and place
in which it hybernates, or passes the winter, and whether it is single or double brooded
in each year.

Dr. Harris writes, " that the average time passed by the insect in the ground during
the summer, has appeared to me to be about three weeks ; but the transformation may
be accelerated or retarded by temperature and situation. It has also been my impression,
that the late broods remained in the ground all winter, and that from them are produced
the beetles which sting the fruit in the following spring. Dr. Burnett's observations
coincide with this opinion. According to him the insect " undergoes transformation in
about fifteen or twenty days, in the month of June or fore part of July ; but all the larvae
(as far as he had observed) that go into the earth as late as the 20th July, do not ascend
that season, but remain there in the pupa stage until next spring." Dr. Tilton, in his
account of the curculio, stated that " it remains in the earth in the form of a grub, ready
to be metamorphosed into a beetle as the spring advances." According to M. H. Simp-
son, Esq., of Saxonville, the larvae, or grubs, " go through their chrysalis state in three-
weeks after going into the ground, and remain in a torpid state through the season, unless
the ground is disturbed." Dr. E. Sanborn, of Andover, has come to entirely different
conclusions, from a series of experiments made upon these insects. It is his opinion that
they do not remain in the ground during the winter, either in the grub or in the beetle
state, but that under all conditions of place and temperature, in " about six weeks " after
they have entered the earth, they " return to the surface perfectly finished, winged and
equipped for destruction." Dr. Trimble, who devoted a large portion of a very extensive
and elaborately got up volume to the history of this pest, decided that it passes the win-
ter above the ground in the perfect beetle state, and that it is single brooded. Mr. B.
D. Walsh, the late talented State Entomologist of Illinois, in an able article in the Practi-
cal Entomologist, gives very strong grounds for believing that the curculio is only single
brooded, although he afterwards, on what seems to us very insufficient evidence, decided
that it is double brooded. Mr. Biley states that Dr. E. S. Hull, of Alton, Illinois, who
has had a vast personal experience with this insect, concludes that they are single-brooded
and pass the winter for the most part in the preparatory state underground.

Dr. Harris records having found these beetles as early as the 30th March — an almost
conclusive proof that they must have wintered in the perfect state above ground. Dr.
Trimble observed them hybernating under the shingles of a roof, in the chinks of a stone
wall, and under the bark of an apple tree during the fall and eaily spring.

The number of eggs that the female curculio deposits has been made the subject of
minute investigation. Dr. Harris seemed to think that only one egg was deposited in a
single fruit, but Mr. Eiley states that four or five larvae may often be found in single speci-
mens of the larger fruits. Dr. Trimble, who dissected many of these insects, states that
the greatest number of eggs ever found by him in a single curculio was twenty-five, while
other writers appear to think that the actual number of eggs laid is very much larger.

Having now reviewed at some length the natural history of the "Little Turk," we
will avail ourselves of the conclusions drawn by Mr. Riley, founded on his own observa-
tions as well as on those of others. In his first annual report, in an able article on this
subject, he rehearses the following articles of belief :

1. "That Plum Curculios are more numerous in timbered regions than on the-
prairie.

2. That they can fly and do fly during the heat of the day, and that cotton bandages
round the trunk, and all like contrivances to prevent their ascending the trees, are worse
than useless, and a result only of ignorance of their economy.

3. That they prefer smooth skinned to rough skinned fruit. ,

4. That they deposit and mature alike in nectarines, plums, apricots, cherries and
peaches; in black knot on plum trees and in some kinds of apples, pears and quinces,

121

-and, according to Dr. Hull, they deposit, but do not mature, in strawberries, gooseberries,
grapes, and in the vigorous shoots of the peach tree.

5. That it is their normal habit to transform under ground, though some few under
go their transformations in the fruit.

G. That all other fruits but the cherry, when containing larvae, usually fall to the
ground.

7. That the greater portion of them pass the winter in the perfect beetle state, under
the old bark of both forest and fruit trees, under shingles, logs, and in rubbish of all
kinds, and especially in the underbrush of the woods.

8. That they are always more numerous in the early part of the season on the out-
side of those orchards that are surrounded with timber, and that they frequently shelter
in apple trees and other trees before the stone fruit forms.

9. That a certain portion of them also pass the winter underground, both in the
larva and pupa states, at a depth frequently of from two to three feet.

10. That those which hybernate as beetles leave their winter quarters and commence
throughout Central Missouri (Mr. Riley's State) to attack the fruit in the early part ef

May.

11. That those which hybernate underground continue to develope, and issue from
the earth during the whole month of May.

12. That- both males and females puncture the fruit for food by gouging hemi-
spherical holes, but that the female alone makes the well-known crescent shaped mark
(see fig. 53 d,), as a nidus for her egg.

13. That the egg is oval, of a pearly white colour, large enough to be seen with the
naked eye, requires a temperature of at least 70° Fahr. to hatch it, and may be crushed
with the finger nail without injuring the fruit.

14. That the stock of eggs of the female consists of from fifty to one hundred, and
that she deposits from five to ten a day, her activity varying with the temperature.

15. That the last of those curculios which hybernated in the imperfect state under-
ground have not finished depositing till the end of June and beginning of July, or about
the time that the new brood developed from the first laid eggs of the season are beginning
to issue from the ground, and that we thus have them in the month of June in every
conceivable state of existence, from the the egg to the perfect insect.

16. That the period of egg depositing extends over two months.

17. That all eggs deposited before the first of July generally develop and produce
curculios the same season, which issue from the ground during July, August, and Sep-
tember, and hybernate in the perfect state.

18. That most of those eggs which are deposited after the first of July either fail to
hatch or the young larva? die soon after hatching, owing, perhaps, to the more ripe and
juicy state of the fruit being less congenial to them, and that what few do mature which
hatch after this date undergo their transformation more slowly than the rest, and pass the
winter in the ground.

19. That the perfect curculio, while in the ground, is soft and of an uniform red
color, and that it remains in this state an indefinite period, dependent on the weather,
usually preferring to issue after a warm rain.

20. That in a stiff clay soil a severe drought will kill many of them while in this
last-named condition, and that larvae contained in stone fruits that fall upon naked ploughed
ground where the sun can strike them generally die."

Bearing in mind that Mr. Riley, is writing of his own State of Missouri, which is
About a fortnight earlier in its spring than Western Ontario, our readers must alter some-
what his dates, so as to make them applicable to their several localities.

122

Fig. 54.

Let us now consider what means we can best adopt for carrying on a successful and
vigorous campaign against the attacks of this destructive insect :

And first let us see what allies Dame Nature will afford us.

Foremost in the ranks are two or three species of carnivorous ground beetles belonging
to the order of Carabidse — of these, one Harpalus Pennsylvanicua,,
or the Pennsylvanian ground beetle, represented at Fig. 54, is by far
the most common, and may be met with at all times and seasons. It
is stated by Mr. "Walsh that its larva is a most merciless devourer of the
grub of the curculio, attacking it even underground. Below will be
found a correct sketch of the larva, of the natural size (Fig. 55 A.) B
represents the under side of the head, showing, at c, the upper jaw
{mandible,) at g, the lower jaw (mazil,) with its four-jointed feelers
{palpi,) at f, the lower lip (labium,) with its two-jointed feelers
(palpi,) and, at e, the (antenna.) The larvae of all the species of this
order of beetles are carnivorous and furnished with a most formid-
able pair of jaws. Mr. E. Leeming, of Cobden, Illinois, thus de-
scribes their mode of attack : — "Four larvae were taken out of peaches

that had contained the larva of the curculio,
the other two were lurking under a peach.
I had the satisfaction of seeing one of them
fasten his jaws upon the larva of the "little
Turk :" the larva squirmed dreadfully, but
in vainj for his remorseless foe held him
tight, and he soon gave up the ghost."

There are many species of these ground
beetles. We would call the attention of our

Colors— dull black and brown

Fig. 55.

It will give a good general idea of the shape of

Fig. 56.

Colors— brown and whitish.

readers to the one represented at Fig. 54

these insects, although there are several species much larger than our friend H. Pennsyl
vanicus. Many of them fly into our houses at night, attracted by the lights. Any beetles
of this or a similar shape, with bright metallic colors or spots, that may be found under
stones or chips, or running among grass or the roots of trees, may be generally set down
as members of this family of Carabidse or ground beetles ; they should be carefully pro-
tected, for, with one or two exceptions, the whole family are most beneficial to the fruit-
grower, both in their larval and perfect state.

The yellow beetle, with two black blotches on its
wings, represented at Fig. 56, belongs to a group of
soft-shelled beetles (Telephorous family), common
everywhere in Ontario. This species is named Chau-
liognathus Pennsylvania^, or the Pennsylvanian soldier
^\ f^d} If rnn All P *k beetle, and may be found on the flowers of the golden
^> 1> W L J J \i |j rod- According to Mr. Riley, its larva (Fig. 56 a,)

is one of the most effectual destroyers of the curculio,
while the latter is yet above ground in the larva state ;
it attacks the grub within the fruit while it is yet on
the tree, and also enters the fruit lying on the ground for the same purpose.

There is also a species of lace-wing fly (Chrysopa), which is one of our natural allies

against the curculio, attacking the larva in the same way as the last described insect. We

FlG 57 give a representation of the larva (Fig. 57

b), with its formidable mandibles ; its cu-
rious eggs a, laid by the female fly, and
^f5* \%&^z&rfM^ attacne^ °y l°ng> delicate filaments to a
^ leaf ; its wonderfully small cocoon with ite
smoothly cut lid c, and at d the perfect
© -//S^^^^^^ insect, which is common throughout On-
tario, and may easily be recognised by its
pale green slender body, its finely-netted
wings, its brilliant golden eyes, and especially by the very disagreeable odour it emits.

Colors— a, rich reddish brown
with black.

I, yellow marked

123

The larvae of all the lace-wing flies are carnivorous, and they attack a great variety of
noxious insects. Mr. Leeining writes Mr. Walsh that he had found over one hundred of
these lace-wing larvae in the very act of devouring the curculio larvae. Mr. Riley points
out a curious fact hitherto unnoticed in the history of this insect, which is that the insect
issues from the cocoon in an active sub-imago state, from which, after a few hour3? the
winged-fly emerges, leaving behind it a fine silvery-white transparent skin.

The artificial remedies that have been devised against the attacks of the curculio are
numerous. Many are apparently very ingenious in theory, but utterly useless in practice ;
others, again, are preposterous in their very conception, and appear only to be devised to
delude the veriest tyros and greenhorns — we do not propose to weary our readers with
discussing them. What we want to bring before their notice are those remedies which
experience has shown to be really successful, and also i eally practicable. These remedies
may be divided into two classes — 1st, those directed against the insect in its egg and larval
state, and 2nd, those directed against the full-grown, matured beetle. For the first class,
the most obvious and practical remedy is to destroy the fruit as fast as it falls from
the tree ; the fruit in this stage contains, as we have seen, the growing larva, which is
soon to eat its way out and descend into the earth ; it is, therefore, most important to de-
stroy the fruit as speedily as possible after its fall, and before the escape of the insect.
Good, systematic hand-picking will be found to be the most certain way of destroying the
larva in this stage ; the fruit should be burnt or given to the pigs. Many people, indeed,
especially in the Western States, turn their hogs into the plum orchard and use them for
this purpose. Dr. Alton, of Illinois, who is, according to Mr. Walsh, one of the most suc-
cessful plum-growers in the west, has tried this plan with success for some years ; sheep
and cattle have been also tried, but the objection to them is that they are very apt to bark,
browse, and break down the trees, Poultry may be used with very good effect ; Mr. Doug-
all, of Windsor, Out., the well-known fruit-grower, has for some years kept numbers of
poultry in his orchard, and he speaks most favourably of their services, to which he at-
tributes the general success of his plum crops, Air-slacked lime is recommended by Mr.
Bliss, the Secretary of the Warsaw Horticultural Society. He writes as follows : " During
the season of 1856, Mr. J. B. Matthews, now of Marietta, O., had six or eight Chicka-
saw plum-trees growing in a cluster in his garden at Warsaw. On one-third of these he
began throwing air-slacked lime as soon as the fruit set, and continued it after every rain
and sometimes after a heavy dew, showering the trees until they were white with the fine
dust. On one or two trees he used none at all ; and on the remainder he commenced using
the lime after the curculio had attacked the fruit. The lime dust was applied as often as
once a week. Result — not one plum on those trees on which he did not use lime ; a full crop
of good fruit on those on which he commenced using lime early ; and on those on which
the curculios had begun their attack before he began to apply the lime, he drove them en-
tirely away and saved a portion of the crop. I followed the same plan and saved so many
plums as to break down my trees, as I was absent from home, and did not have a chance
to thin out the fruit, though I had the lime applied faithfully while I was away." In the
report to the Ontario Fruit-growers' Association, made by Mr. W. Saunders, of London,
Ont., in 1868, that gentleman makes mention of a friend who had tried lime for several
years, and had had regular crops. He also states that he had received similar evidence
from various other quarters, and that his own experiments with the lime were tolerably suc-
cessful. It may therefore be recommended for trial, especially in moist seasons.

Another plan that has been tried, and apparently with some success, is to pave or
cement the ground underneath the trees, so that when the fruit falls the insect may
be unable to penetrate the earth and may be exposed to the rays of the sun, and, where
poultry are kept, may be more easily espied and captured by them. Mr. Charles Arnold, of
Paris, Out., makes the soil quite smooth around the roots of the trees and whitewashes it
with a thick coating of lime, which very soon forms a hard crust ; this method he
considers a very efficient one against the curculio in the larvae stage of its existence. It
is possible to remove the egg of the curculio from the plum and thereby save the fruit.
The nail of the finger will do in default of a better instrument, although it leaves an
unseemly scar. The egg should be removed as soon as possible after its deposit, as all
attempts to save the fruit after the larva is hatched will be useless. This process is
necessarily a very tedious one, and only to be resorted to in cases where young trees are

124

fruiting for the first time, and it is desired to save the fruit for tasting when all has been
injured by the curculio. Dr. Trimble writes : " The best instrument I have found for
this delicate operation is a common quill toothpick, slightly rounded at the point and
pared to a cutting edge. This must be insinuated under the concave side of the crescent
shaped mark, so as to turn over the triangular portion of skin lying between the horns of
the crescent and the end of the tube where the egg is deposited. The egg — a white
round speck — will sometimes be exposed, and a very sharp eye will detect it without the
assistance of a glass ; but generally it will be so coated with a covering of the pulp of
the fruit as to be invisible. Take off this speck of skin, egg and all. If properly done
the fruit will come to maturity showing scarcely a blemish."

We now come to our second class of remedies, those which are directed against the
beetle in its perfect state. The most satisfactory plan is to jar the trees regularly two or
three times a day during the season, and to collect and destroy the curculios as they fall
to the ground. Mere shaking the tree will do but little good ; it must be a sharp sudden
jar. The trouble of course is to discover the curculios after they drop. The old plan
used to be to place white sheets under the trees and to pick up with the hand the insects
as they fall, and destroy them at once. Dr. Trimble's method was to nail a stretcher of
wood along one side of a large square sheet, and two shorter stretchers, each to one half
of the opposite edge of the sheet which is slit from between the two short stretchers to
its centre, to receive the trunk of the tree. In this way the sheet is more easily spread
out, and the wind is not able to rough it up. The sheet should be emptied for every
tree, as in the early part of the season, many buds and blossoms will fall, and these should
be carefully examined, as our insect foe, as we have " before explained, bears a strong
resemblance to a dried bud or piece of dirt. The sheet is easily carried by holding all
three stretchers in one hand, letting the folds of the sheet hang down. The tree being
reached, drop the long stretcher at the requisite distance, and pass one of the short ones
round each side, until the centre of the slit fits up close round the trunk, then jar the tree,
and then pick up and crush, and so on from tree to tree, repeating the process over the whole
orchard as long as you find curculios. For striking the tree a good sized mallet is the
handiest • if the trees are middle sized, it is a very good plan to saw off a limb of two
or three inches in diameter, so as to leave a stump for striking the mallet upon. Where
this cannot be conveniently done, or where the trees are small, it will be necessary to pad
the mallet to prevent the bark being injured. In the case of older trees, which have lost
their elasticity and cannot always be jarred enough with the mallet to cause the curculio
to let go its hold, Dr. Trimble recommends that a common mop stick properly padded,
be applied successively to the leading limbs one after another. These methods of jarring
will be found perhaps the easiest and most practicable for those persons who have only a
few trees or small orchards to manage. But for extensive fruit growers, who cultivate
the plum on a large scale, Dr. Hull's " curculio catcher," will be found effectual in saving
both time and money, although in order to run the machine sucessfully, three things are
necessary.

1st. That the land be decently clean and not overgrown with rank weeds.
2nd. That the orchard be sufficiently large to pay the interest on the prime cost of
the machine (about $30).

3rd. That the trees have a clean trunk of some three or four feet.
We give below a description of it in Dr. Hull's own words, as communicated to the
American Entomologist : "To make a curculio catcher, we first obtain a light wheel not to
exceed three feet in diameter, the axle tree of which should be about ten inches long.
We next construct a pair of handles similar to those of a wheel-barrow, but much more
depressed at the point designed to receive the bearings of the axle-tree, and extending
forward of the wheel just far enough to admit a cross beam to connect the handles at this
point ; 1J inches in the rear of the wheel, a second cross-beam is framed into the handles,
and eighteen to twenty-four inches further back, a third. The two last named cross-
beams have framed to their undersides a fourth piece, centrally, between the handles, and
pointing in the direction of the wheel. To the handles and to the three last named
pieces, the arms or ribs to support the canvas, are to be fastened. To the front part of
the beam connecting the handles in front of the wheel, the ram is attached, this should
be covered with leather stuffed with furniture moss, a dozen or more thicknesses of old

125

hat leather or other substance, being careful to use no more than necessary to protect the
tree from bruising. Ascertain the elevation the handles should have in driving, and sup-
port them in that position. We now put in place the stretchers or arms, six for each
side, which are to receive and support the canvas. We put the front arms in position.
These extend back to near the centre of the wheel on each side, and in front of the
wheel (for large machines), say six feet, are far enough apart to receive the largest tree
between them on which it is intended to operate. The remaining arms are supported on
the handles and fastened to them and to the two cross and parallel pieces in the rear of
the wheel. These are so placed as to divide the space at their outer ends equally between
them and the first-mentioned stretchers, and fastened to the ends of the handles. Next
we have ready a strip of half-inch board, two-and-a-half wide. One end of this is secured
to the forward end of one of the front arms, and in like manner to all the others on one
side of the machine, and fastened to the handles. Both sides are made alike. The office
of these strips is to hold the outside ends of the arms in position ; they also hold the front
arms from closing. These outside strips ah- ) receive the outside edge of the canvas which
is fastened to them as well as to the several arms and supports. It will be seen that the
wheel is nearly in the centre of the machine. To cover the opening at this point, a frame
is raised over it, which is also covered with canvas. The arms or stretchers are so curved
that the motion of the machine, in moving from one tree to another, should bring every-
thing falling on the canvas to depressed points, one on each side of the wheel." A bag
and broom are carried with the machine, and, as occasion requires, the contents of the
stretcher are swept into the bag, which is afterwards dipped into boiling water to kill the
inmates. " The whole machine should not exceed ten or eleven feet in breadth, by twelve
or thirteen in length. These are for large orchard trees ; smaller ones could be protected
with a much smaller machine. If the frame work has been properly balanced, the ma-
chine will require but little lifting, and will be nearly propelled by its own weight. The
curculio catcher or machine is run against the tree three or four times with sufficient force
to impart a jarring motion to all its parts. The operator then backs far enough to bring
the machine to the centre of the space between the rows, turns round, and in like manner
butts the trees in the opposite row. In this way a man may operate on three hundred
trees per hour. The frame covering the wheel is made of pine board, while the handles
for propelling the machine are riveted above the canvas instead of being fastened below it,
and the Doctor finds that this last arrangement gives him better leverage and greater con-
trol of the machine." The machine is, in fact, simply a cotton sheet stretched upon a
frame, looking not unlike the wheelbarrows in use upon our public works, only much
broader. The side and top views given below will, perhaps, convey a more accurate idea
of the form of the catcher than any description. Figs. 58 and 59 — c, handles ; A, opening

to receive the trunk of the tree ; B, buffer.

An improvement has been made, we believe, on
Dr. Hull's machine, by substituting two wheels in-
stead of one, and thus making the draught some-
what easier. The expense, we presume, will be
somewhat more, but it is claimed that the advan-
tages secured, fully compensate the extra outlay.
There has been considerable discussion as to the
best time of day for the jarring process, many per-
sons advocating the latter part of the day, while
others, again, insist that the early morning is the
better time. The evidence offered on both sides is
very strong, but we incline to the view that the
morning is the surest time for making a good haul
where the jarring can only be given once a day ;
the oftener, however, the operation can be repeated
during the time the curculios are laying their eg<^,
Fig. 59. the more certainty there will be of a good crop of

plums.
There is yet another remedy against the matured insects which has been proclaimed

Side view— Vertical Section

126

as a great success, and that is to clear the ground for two or three feet around the butt
of the tree and lay traps for the curculio, in the shape of sticks, chips, corncobs, stones,
shingles, and anything else that will afford a shelter, and then to go round at any time in
the day, turn the traps over, and kill the enemy. Mr. W. B. Eansom, of St. Joseph,
Michigan, who is the great advocate of this remedy, states that he killed, from seventy
five trees, one thousand six hundred and forty-eight curculios in one hour, while a friend
of his, from under two hundred trees, killed two thousand five hundred and fourteen cur-
culios in about two hours. These numbers altogether put in the shade the collection of
our fourteen Canadians referred to in the early part of this report. It is evident that
our " Cousins" are greater sufferers than ourselves from the ravages of the " Little
Turk." The method, though not quite so sure a remedy, we fancy, as Mr. Ransom and
his friends appear inclined to believe, is still one that, from its very simplicity, is well
worth a fair trial, and we therefore recommend it to our fruit-growers, and shall be glad
to hear of any results from its adoption during the next season. In conclusion, we would
advise plum-growers to carefully thin out all fruit that is known to contain the grubs of
the curculio, and to destroy and burn during the late fall and winter (where practicable)
all underbush and rubbish in the orchard, and by these means they will destroy a large
number of the insects that would otherwise make their appearance in the spring. It will
also be adviseable, in forming new orchards, to plant the best kinds of fruit in the centre,
leaving the less valuable varieties to be first attacked on the outside, and thus, perhaps,
afford better opportunities of waging a persistent war against the wretched little hump-
back.

2nd. THE GREY DAGGER MOTH (Acronycta Psi, Linn.)
Lepidoptera Noctuid^e.

During the past few seasons the larvae of this
moth have been the cause of much injury to
plum trees in the London district, so much so
that we deem it worthy of notice as the moth is
tolerably common in most parts of Ontario. It
attacks the foliage feeding upon the leaves and
young buds, and thus materially affecting the
growth of the tree. We give a description of
this moth in all its stages as the larvae and
Colours— Light gray with black markings. pupa are not we believe described elsewhere,

and it is well that fruit growers should be able to identify their enemies. We are in-
debted for the following description of the larva to William Saunders, Esq., who has
successfully reared the moth : —

The body is cylindrical, from one and a quarter to one and a half inches in length,
and sparingly covered with whitish hairs, distributed chiefly on the sides, close to the
undersurface ; the head is rather large and bilobed, black with yellowish dots at the sides
and rather flat in front with a few scattered whitish hairs ; the body is bluish grey with a
slate coloured dorsal band, having a central pale orange line from the second to the fifth
segments ; from the fifth to the eleventh segments inclusive, each segment is ornamented
with a beautiful group of spots of which one in front and one behind are bright orange,
while one at each side is of a greenish metallic hue, the whole being set in a nearly cir-
cular patch of rich black. Adjoining the dorsal band are two lateral cream coloured bands
growing indistinct towards the anterior and posterior segments, down which extends on
each side from each of the black dorsal spots a short black curved line, having a yellowish
dot immediately behind its junction with the dorsal band. The sides are marked more or
less with dull ochreous spots, some of which form a broken band close to the undersur-
face. On the dorsal portion of the twelfth segment is a dull black spot considerably
raised. The terminal segment is flattened and blackish. The spiracles are small and
black. The undersurface is of a dull greenish colour. The feet are black. This is des
cribed from several specimens. The larva feeds on thorn, pear, plum and a variety of
other trees ; it is generally full grown about August when it seeks shelter in the crevices

127

of the bark of a tree or some such suitable place, and there forms a tough silken cocoon in-
terwoven with the hairs of its body, and therein changes to a chrysalis, in which state it
passes the winter, and makes its appearance as a perfect moth about the early part of
June. The chrysalis is of a dark shining brown colour j is about three-quarters of an
inch in length, and ends in a rather obstuse point, which is provided with several hooked
bristles. The moth Fig. 60 belongs to the tribe of the Noctuidae or Owlet moths so called
because they fly only by night ; they often bear a strong resemblance to each other, and
in several species the only method of distinguishing them rightly is by the larvae. The
sexes of A crony da Psi vary in size, the female being about two inches, while the male is
only one and a quarter or one and a half inches. The antennae are simple and bristle-
formed, rather short and of a grayish colour somewhat darker on the under side. The
front wings of the female are broad and of a pale gray colour with various black linear
markings; the principal one of which is an irregular cross bearing a strong resemblance to
the Greek letter " Psi " placed sideways, and is situated near the anal angle — inter-
mediate between this and the tip of the wing is a much smaller mark of exactly the same
shape : the reni-form and orbicular spots are perceptible, though somewhat indistinct ; a
strong black line (thicker in the males than in the females) proceeds from the base of the
wing almost to its middle, and which emits two or three short lateral spurs : the hind
wings are glossy and of a warmer tint of gray — the edges of both front and hind wings
have a whitish fringe with an inner border of black spots. The head thorax and body are
gray. The male is smaller, with a narrower body and narrower wings and fringes ; the
front wings being also of a paler gray and more pointed at the apex.

The larva? being of a tolerable size when full grown are easily seen and destroyed.
Search should also be made for the cocoons during the winter or early spring.

3rd. THE OBLIQUE BANDED LEAF ROLLER (LozolceniaBosaceana, Rsink).

LEPIDOPTERA TORTRICIDiE.

This moth is a member of a very large family of very little moths that are
called, scientifically, Tortrices or Twisters, and popularly, Leaf Rollers, because the larvae
roll up the leaves in which they dwell, and form them into hollow cylinders, disfiguring
and destroying them at the same time. Most of these insects, when disturbed, let them-
selves down to the ground by a fine silken thread. The larva of Lozotaenia Rosaceana
is about half an inch in length ; its color is a pale yellowish-green, with three or four
black spots about the head and second segment. The body, which is rough to the touch,
is covered with minute warts, each of which produces a short almost invisible hair. They
attain their full size about June, after which they line the surface of the twisted leaf in
which they live with a web of fine silk, and there change into dark brown chrysalids.
After the lapse of a few weeks the chrysalis, by means of minute prickles which are
placed across the rings of its hinder part, pushes itself half way out of the leaf, and
bursting open at the upper end gives egress to the perfect moth.

Dr. Harris thus describes the moth : " The fore wings are very much arched on their
outer edge, and curve in the contrary direction at the tip like a little hook or short tail.
They are of a light cinnamon-brown colour, crossed with little wavy darker brown lines,
and with three broad oblique dark brown bands, whereof one covers the base of the wing
and is oftentimes indistinct or wanting; the second crosses the middle of the wing, and
the third, which is broad on the front edge and narrow behind, is near the outer hind
margin of the wing. The hind-wings are ochreous-yellow, with the folded part next to
the body blackish. It expands one inch or a little more." The larva when disturbed
escapes by its silken thread, and being very active often eludes capture.

Its depredations are sometimes very serious, more especially as the insect appears to
select the terminal branches of the tree, and thus effectually checks its growth. When-
ever practicable, the curled and twisted clusters of leaves should be picked and crushed ;
it has also been suggested to thoroughly drench the trees with a mixture consisting of a
pound of whale oil soap in seven or eight gallons of water, and thus destroy the cater-
pillars hidden in the leaves ; a weak solution of carbolic acid is also recommended.

128

4th. THE EYE-SPOTTED BUD MOTH (GraphoUtha oculana).
Lepidoptera Tortricid^e.

This moth is a member of the same family as the one last described. The chief peculiarity
of the larva consists in its selecting the opening bud for its attack. The

§££^i8Zs§ caterpillar is a small cylindrical naked worm, about three-quarters of

^mgjpF an inch in length, of a pale, dull, brownish colour, with small warts
" " from which arise fine short hairs ; the head and the top of the next

_iS^^^B____ segment being black. Its modus operandi is thus described by W.
- Saunders, who found it depredating his plum orchard : " Its tenement
Fig. 61. consists of a dried-up blackened leaf, portions of which are drawn

together so as to make a rude case, the centre part of which, where his highness resides,
is lined with silk. It is very fond of going just where you do not want it. It impartial
to the blossoms and newly formed fruit. If you have a new pear or plum fruiting with
a single bunch of blossoms on it, which you are anxiously watching, by and by you find
that several of the blossoms have set, and while you are flattering yourself that they are
doing well, along comes this mischief-maker, pitches his tent alongside this very spot, and
drawing the young fruit together with silken threads, holds high carnival among them
and frustrates your hopes. Another of its tricks is to gnaw a hole into the top of the
branch from which your bunch of blossoms issues, and tunnelling it down, causes the
whole thing to wither and die, Often it contents itself with damaging the leaves only,
and this one does not mind so much, drawing one after another around its small inside
case until it forms quite a little bed of withered and blackened leaves. The moth, which
expands about half an inch, is of dark ash-grey colour. The fore wings having a paler
whitish-grey band across the middle ; there are two small eye-like spots on each of them,
one near the tip being composed of four little black marks placed close together in a row,
on a light brown ground, the inner marks being longer than the others ; the second eye-
spot is near the inner hind angle, and is formed by three minute black spots arranged in
a triangle, in the middle of which there is sometimes a black dot. The hind wings are
dusky-brown." Mr. Packard describes it as having been generally injurious in Essex
County, Mass., in 1869, especially on the apple, cherry and pear; and during the past
two seasons it has committed havoc among the plnm trees in this (London) district.

Similar remedies to those described in the last-mentioned insect should be applied,
hand-picking being the most preferable.

The codling moth, and various other kinds of insects may be found occasionally to
affect the plum ; it is, therefore, indispensable that fruit-growers, to be successful, should
keep a watchful eye over all their trees, and endeavour, by patience and perseverance, to
maintain the upper nand of these destructive foes. " Eternal vigilance" is the price of
success in fruit-growing, as in all other undertakings.

FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO

LIST OF PRIZES FOR 1871

1. An honorary medal to the originator of any .new fruit, which, having been tested,
is found to be. worthy of being placed among the fruits of its class for cultivation in
Ontario.

2. The sum of fifty dollars for the best new Canadian seedling, late winter apple.
Thirty dollars for the best Canadian seedling, harvest apple.

Twenty dollars for the best Canadian seedling, autumn apple.

These to be, at least, equal to the old popular varieties now in cultivation. Not less
than two dozen specimens of the fruit to be sent to the President, at Hamilton, accom-
panied by a letter, setting forth what in the opinion of the sender are the excellencies of
the fruit sent, whether for cooking or dessert, &c, &c. ; also stating the origin of the
tree, if known, its vigour, hardihood, productiveness and the like.

Persons who have heretofore sent samples of fruit in competition for these prizes,,
will please to take notice of the above requirements, and be kind enough to send again.
Several who sent seedling fruits sent only one or two specimens, or so few that it was
impossible to come to a satisfactory opinion on the merits of the fruit.

3. The sum of twenty-five dollars for the best essay on the cultivation of the Grape,
including soil, exposure, planting, pruning, training, gathering the fruit, packing, market-
ing, varieties, &c, but not to include the making of wine.

Fifteen dollars for the second best essay thereon.

4. The sum of twenty-five dollars for the best essay on insects injurious or beneficial
to the various kinds of fruits, treating as far as possible of the insects in their different
stages of development.

Fifteen dollars for the second best essay thereon.

Each essay must be forwarded to the Secretary, at St. Catharines, on or before the
first day of July, 1871, and bear a motto, and be accompanied with a sealed note having
the motto indorsed upon the outside, and containing within, the name of the author of
the essay.

5. To any person sending to Wm. Saunders, Esq., of London, transportation pre-
paid, five thousand of the plum Curculio (Constrachelvs Nenuphar) in the beetle state, the
sum of twenty dollars ; or sending three thousand, the sum of ten dollars ; or sending two
thousand, the sum of five dollars.

The Treasurer will pay these to any person furnishing him with a certificate from
Mr. Saunders that the requisite number of this insect has been received by him from the
holder of the certificate, and that the transportation was prepaid.

Persons intending to send these insects to Mr. Saunders will find it very convenient
to provide themselves with a strong wide mouthed vial or small bottle, two-thirds filled
with sawdust w< t with alcohol, brandy, or strong whisky, into which they can put the
curculios alive as they catch them ; and keep the vial well corked. The insects will creep
into the sawdust, and be preserved by the spirits for many months, until they can be sent

130

to Mr. Saunders. In counting them, Mr. Saunders will reject any insects sent with them
that are not the curculio which injures the fruit of the plum.

In order to facilitate the detection of the criminal, we give a portrait of his person,
in the first cut greatly magnified, and in the second of the natural size. Fig. 1 is a side
view ; fig. 2 shows the appearance from the back ; fig. 4 represents the insect in the act
of perforating the young plum ; and fig. 3 the crescent mark left after the operation.

6. The Directors offer to give to each member not only a Beurre d'Anjou Pear tree
but with it a plant of the Early Wilson Blackberry, and of the Mammoth Cluster Raspberry,
on the usual conditions of reporting thereon.

Also, those who already have Beurre d'Anjou, have the privilege of choosing one
from the following sorts, in addition to those named in the Directors' Report, viz. :— -
Clapp's Favourite, Beurre St. Nicholas and Josephine de Malines.

8l9

'*

SPCL S6 ?!Tq.& cQ F7S3 IST70