ORCHARDS. 209 



AMERICAN TENT CATERPILLAR. 



(Clisiocampa Americana.) 



This well known insect is so common that a description of 

 it is unnecessary. It is simply called the caterpillar of the 

 orchards. Its habits and mode of operation are so well known 

 that no descriptive account is worth a place here. Although 

 a great pestilence in an apple orchard, they are more easily 

 managed than any other insects injurious to the apple tree or 

 its fruit. If, however, they are suffered to increase unmo- 

 lested they become a formidable enemy. 



Remedies. — Various simple modes have been found suffi- 

 cient for the destruction of these greedy traveling fellows. 

 On small trees they may be stripped off with the hand and 

 crushed with the foot. For large trees, use a pole with a 

 sponge attached to the end dipped in spirits of ammonia 

 or kerosene, or use a pole with a brush or cloth attached 

 to the end, and work it about in the nests, or twist them out 

 with the end of the pole. They are always at home up to 

 9 o'clock, and should be operated upon previous to that time. 



FRUIT DRYING HOUSE. 



The business of drying fruit for market is a very profitable 

 one, and we wonder that so few people engage in it. It is 

 also very desirable to provide a full supply for family use. 

 With the improved apple-peelers and parers and peach-peelers, 

 and a drying-house well arranged, it is light, nice work for 

 the members of the family who cannot and are not expected 

 to engage in out-door farm work — such can be employed to 

 great advantage in truit time, having the above mentioned 

 facilities furnished them. 



Description of a Drying House used in the Valley of 

 Virginia. — " The Dry house at Detrick's is of brick, one 

 brick thick, on a stone foundation a foot high. The brick 

 part is four feet ten inches high, seven feet one inch square 

 from out to out, w^ith a door in one side two feet three inches 

 wide, and as high as the house will admit. In each end there 

 15 



