I WAS much annoyed last spring witli a large reddish-brown bug, dark on the back and reddish 

 on the under side, that attacked many of my young trees, stripping them entirely of their leayes 

 and blossoms. The Plum and Cherry they seem particularly attached to, though they prey upon 

 Pears, Roses, Horse Chestnuts, Abeles, Elms, &c., Ac, eating all young and tender leayes as fast as 

 they make their appearance. From one Cherry, about eight feet high, I picked off over two 

 hundred and fifty in one evening. I endeavored to save a few kinds of cherries that I was anxious 

 to test, but after destroying from 1000 to 2000 a night for over a week, and seeing no diminution 

 of numbers, to appearance, I gave it up in despair. Should they increase in numbers another 

 year in the ratio bugs and caterpillars usually do, they must do an immense damage, as they 

 work nights when it is less convenient to fight than it would be by day. Kow I wish to ask if 

 you can tell what the habits of the bug are, and how much we shall have to fear from them 

 hereafter, and if any thing can be done toward extermination ? — Trumanshurg, JSf. Y. 



Tlie insect referred to must be the May beetle {Phyllopbaga quercina, of Haeeis' 

 Treatise,) very destructive both in the perfect and grub state. The grub is -whitish, with a 

 brown head, living in the earth and feeding on the roots of plants. Last spring it was 

 unusually abundant — entire garden crops, strawberry beds, young trees, &c., Avere indis- 

 criminately destroyed by it in all quarters. In gardens the grub should be continually 

 sought for and destroyed in spading the ground. Add to this throwing up the ground to 

 the action of frost in winter, and apply salt, soot, &c., this pest may in a great measure be 

 got rid of. The perfect insects attack the leaves, operating in the night. They may be 

 shaken from the trees either at night or early in the morning upon cloths spread out to 

 receive them, and, as Prof. IIaeeis suggests, be killed by throwing them into boiling water. 



I\ your August number, page 366, you say thus: "We do not believe it impossible for pistillate 

 plants to produce fruit without the aid of staminates, for we have abundant evidence to the con- 

 trary." And in your September number, page 899, you say: "It is well understood, and has 

 been for fifty years, that no variety wanting in stamens will bear a crop by itself." Please state 

 which of these is your actual opbnon, for when such contradictions appear we don't know which 

 side you are upon. Wm. R. Prixce. — Flushiug, L. I. 



Our actual opinion is this : that a pistillate by itself may, and often does, produce fruit 

 to some extent, but that to ensure what is called a crop it is absolutely necessary to plant 

 staminates near them. This is plainly enough what was meant by the remark you have 

 quoted. 



Camphor vs. Pea-Bugs. — Having observed in the Hortindturut an inquiry relative to seed peas 

 damaged by bugs, I will ofi"er a remedy, perhaps not new, but new to me. Four yeai-s ago last 

 spring my seed peas were more than half destroyed by bugs, the largest and best varieties being 

 most injured. The summer following I had boxes made, one for each variety, with a cover ; and 

 when the peas were gathered, I put into each box, with two quarts of peas, from six to eight bits 

 of gum camphor, the size of a large pea, and mixed them together, and closed the box. The next 

 spring there was not a pea injured. I have pursued the same course every year since, and have 

 not had one pea affected by bugs. J. Berry. — Channahon, HI. 



Fruits Received. — Plums. — ^Fine specimens of Dennisoii's Sajyeri, I)orr''s Favorite, and 

 JToicarcPs Favorite, from E. Dore, Esq., Albany, N. Y. These are all large and handsome 

 varieties of good quality. Dorr^s Favorite is the best, being nearly first rate. 



Pears. — The Puhifer, from Smiley SnEPnEKD, Esq., Hennepin, 111. SosenscJiencl', or 

 ScJiencFs August, from Messrs. Tiioep, Smith, IlANcnETT & Co., Syracuse. Kirtland, 

 Dr. Kirtland, Cleveland, Ohio. This is an excellent variety, and the specimens sent 

 of much larger size than we supposed this variety ever attained. 



