Sfe^^: 



354 EDITOR'S TABLE. 



liniig by lines apparently of tbeir owu spinning. Tliosc caterpillars arc from half an inch to 

 tliree-qiiarters of an inch in len<^th, and geem very spiteful in defending tlieir rights: a person 

 can hardly go into an orchard Avithoiit tinding liiinsolf becoming uervous from a crawling ecnsa- 

 lion. Tiiere is also a bug attacking the Apple trees, resembling the so-called ligidning bug; in 

 some orchards I have found from two to a half doziii of these iijmn every ajiplo that I oxamiued, 

 and they eat into heart of tlie apjdc so as to destroy it." 



The Maine Farmer says: 



"We have just done battling the common caterpillar, in the orchard?, and begun to think that 

 the apples had nothing more to do now than to grow and get ripe for our use as soon as they 

 could, when lo! and behold! another little great scourge has come in large numbers iu the shape 

 of a slender worm about half an inch long. This little nuisance attaches itself to the leaves, and 

 to the apples, and all about tlie buds, eating away the soft or pulpy part of the leaves, leaving 

 the hard ribs or woody part. It is somewhat striped, with alternate greenish-white and dark 

 stripes. If you strike or jar the limbs, they will spin down and hang suspended by a fine web. 

 Tiiey are doing much mischief. They somew'hat resemble the canker worm, but they are not 

 that insect. "We have never seen the veritable canker worm, in Maine, but if we recollect right, 

 the canker worm is a 'span worm' — that is, moves by pushing out one end at a time, and then 

 drawing the other end up to it, thereby humping up its body in the shape of a bow ; but this 

 fellow goes straight along, at pretty good speed. We do not know how to get clear of it. If 

 shook off, and the webs broken by sweeping a pole or stick through the air, between the worm 

 and the limb, they will be tlnown to the ground, but whetlier they know enough to ascend the 

 tree again, we have not ascertained. 



"P. S. Since the above was put in typo, wc have received a communication from 0. S. IT., of 

 Limerick, which gives a description of the same w'orm, infesting the orchards in hi3 neighborhood." 



The Connecticut Valley Farm says : 



"Insects seem to be more numerous and voracious than they ordinai-ily arc ; and the fruit may 

 be regarded as yet in doubt. How far the depredations of the worm tribe have gone, can not 

 be ascertained at present. The prospect for fruit is far from being as favorable as it was a month 

 ago. We never have known so large a visitation of 'insects injurious to vegetation' in any former 

 year, with the exception of the rose-bug, which, this year, is wonderfully modest and retiring." 



This insect has, we believe, appeared in large numbers in some of the western counties 

 of this State, and destroyed the apple crop. We have seen a very few in our own grounds, 

 but they have done no injury of any consequence. Prof. IIaeeis informs us that it is not, 

 as many seem to suppose, a new insect — that it is described as " the palmer worm''^ in Dr. 

 Deane's JN^ew Fnr/land Farmer, and an account given of its ravages in Cumberland county, 

 Me., in 1791. We have not this work to refer to. 



OuB ExGRAViNGS OF Feuit, &c. — It lias been our intention to give engravings of fruit 

 taken from nature, and not merely copies of old engravings. Taking charge of the F^orti- 

 culturist on the first of January last, we have, of course, been unable to procure .specimens 

 of the summer fruits, and therefore could not give that variety which would have been 

 desirable. We are now, however, taking drawings of the different fruits as they ripen, 

 and shall hereafter make this feature of our Journal more interesting. In the September 

 number we shall give a jdate of McAvoifs Superior straAvberry, and in the succeeding 

 number Pruf. Kietlaxd's fine seedling cherry, Governor Wood. 



The favors of several correspondents, received too late for tlie present number, will ^ 

 receive attention in our next. >i 



