424 



comes out in autumn, and measures across the expanded wings about an incli 

 and tliree-tweutieths. Its body is downy, and of a blackisb-brown ; the wings 

 are semi-transparent, and scantily clothed with blackish scales, which are blackest 

 on the margins and veins ; the antennai are covered at their tips, and are doubly 

 feathered from the base to beyond the middle. The female is much larger than 

 the male, and never leaves her case, but changes into the perfect insect in the 

 shell of the chr3'salis, anionly emerges from it when the eggs are laid within. 

 The young, after leaving their maternal case, in the spring, immediately com- 

 mence their cases, and spread over the native tree or any others that may happen 

 to stand near. 



These insects are a great nuisance wherever they once get established, as they 

 are exceedingly prolific. One female chrysalis case which was dissected con- 

 tained seven hundred and ninety eggs, while others have been found to contain 

 nearly a thousand. 



These pests are very rarely seen on the cotton plant ; and even when such is 

 the ^ase, they may have been blown there from the cedars, maples, or other deci- 

 duous-leaved trees in the woods on the edges of the plantations. They are the 

 more particularly mentioned here, from the fact that, if taken in time, they may 

 easily be exterminated on deciduous shade-trees ; for, as before stated, thie 

 female cases contain all the eggs, and may be seen in winter hanging on tlie 

 branches when the leaves have fallen. It would therefore require but little 

 trouble to pull them off in the autumn or winter, and burn them, so that neither 

 males nor females could escape. If this course were pursued two or three 

 years in succession, then; would not be so many complaints in our cities about 

 the drop-worms destroying the foliage of the trees. 



The (Eceticus coniferum of Harris, which is said to be found in the middle 

 States, resembles this insect so much in appearance, transformation, and habits, 

 that it is somewhat doubtful whether it is a distinct species, or a mere local 

 variety. The drop or basket worm so common in Maryland corresponds, however, 

 with the specimens named Thyridoptery ephemeraiformis of Stephens in the 

 cabinet of the British Museum. 



WINE IN iNEW MEXICO, 



Dr. Henry Hilgert, assistant assessor at Los Lunaa, New Mexico, writes as 

 follows : 



" I beg to direct your attention to the excellent soil and climate of this country 

 for grape culture ; any capital brought here and invested in the product ot wine 

 is sure to pay high interest. The manufacture of wine from the grape is mainly 

 the same as described in the highly creditable report of Major W. H. Emory, 

 on the Mexican boundary, vol. 1, page 49, with the exception that several years 

 since a few Americans, Germans, and Frenchmen commenced making excellent 

 wines of grapes, which they annually buy from Mexican vineyard owners or 

 from tlie Indians of the pueblo of Isletta. 



" The wines manufactured by these persons compete with the best products 

 of European wine-makers. The greatest difficulty encountered in the sale of 

 wines is the scarcity of means of sending to market ; but as soon as the Pacific 

 railroad is completed as far as New Mexico, there can be no doubt that New- 

 Mexican wines will bring the highest prices in the United States markets." 



In the public document above referred to. Major Emory alludes to El Paso 

 (latitude 31° 44', longitude 106° 29') as one of the garden-spots of the interior 

 of the continent. The following statements are extracted from his report : 



" Whatever population may now, or hereafter, occupy the mountain system, 



