Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-14
FRUIT GROWERS MEET.
A Practical Talk by Prof. Cockerell,
of the Agricultural College-The
Ravages of Insect Pests.

The Horticultural society met at Adams
hall last evening. There were present
many earnest workers in the fruit in
dustry which promises to be prominent
factor in the prosperity of the beautiful
Santa Fe valley. AS the president of the
society, Mr.. Arthur Boyle, truly remarked,
every resident and visitor in Santa Fe
should take an intelligent interest in the
subject as all may help in guarding the
orchards and gardens from the rayages of
the injurious insects of New Mexico"
the title of Prof. Cockerel's lecture. In
introducing the gentleman, Mr.. Boyle
took occasion to remark that at the
solicitation of the Agricultural college at
Las Cruces the professor had investi-
gated the haunts and habits of many
lively creatures in various districts and
countries, such as Jamaica and adjacent
parts of the West Indies, our neighbor,
Colorado, the supposed birth place of
many of the worst enemies ofhorticulture,
and many other places wherein the rise
and progress of the little disease makers
could be traced. In lecture replete
with academic intelligence Professor
Cockerel showed how, although twenty
years ago New Mexico was supposed to be
free from insect plaques, and proof against
their insidious attacks, there are now
probably as many grubs and larvB to
contend against as in any other western
state, and although Santa Fe and some
other counties may as yet enjoy a GER
tain immunity from their ravages,
there are yet sufficient numbers OF
them to serve IA warning against
supineness in allowing the noxious tribes
to get the upper hand and establish them
selves permanently here. The professor
advo Gated a scheme of quarantine and
inspection of all imported fruit trees,
bushes and plants by competent authorl-
ties before permission should be granted
to cultivate them. He showed how
climatic changes alter the character OF
the fauna, and that several butterflies,
moths and grubs indigenous to the
tropics now thrive and increase and
multiply in these more temperate zones
under very different conditions, so that
it would be unsafe for New Mexico to
rely upon her more temperate climate for
immunity against the hordes originating
in the tropics. Instancing the damage
done to hollyhocks by enemies of south
ern origin, he uttered warning that
possibly these foes to flowers, passing
through a Transforming stage in New
Mexico, might presently attack and
spoliate the gardens of the central and
southern states unless they were stamped
out here in transit.
At the conclusion of the lecture, ex-
Gov. Prince proposed the thanks OF the
audience to the professor and expressed
hope that the society would become
power ''in the state" and be able to hold
monthly conferences for mutual instruc-
ton and encouragement He also favored
the meeting with some useful notes and
"reminiscences of the exhibit in the horti-
cultural section of the Worlds fair. DR..
Harroun and ex-Mayor Twitchell as prac-
tical growers, cordially endorsed Mr..
Princes suggestions for the absolute
need of free correspondence and inter-
communication among all the members
of the society, and urged that it was to
the interest of everybody IN New Mexico
to Join the society and help it toward in
every way. whether directly interested in
horticulture or not. The time had been
so pleasantly occupied and slipped away
to such late hour that Mr.. Bsyle's paper
was, at his own suggestion, reserved Tor
the September meeting at Albuquerque
to which this meeting was, on Mr. witch
ellis motion, adjourned.