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Northampton County, Pennsylvania, May 25.—We have had frosts nearly every night 
since the setting in of spring, retarding the growth of everything. The season has 
been very wet and late. Winter-wheat and rye look well, and promise a fine yield. 
Osage County, Kansas, May 8.—Very backward spring; vegetation five to six weeks 
behind last spring. Wheat and oats, though backward, promise a heavy crop. 
Dickinson County, Kansas, May 13.—We are now satisfied that, to insure a crop in 
this latitude and altitude, winter-wheat must be sown the last of August or the first 
week in September. Some of mine was sown on the 4th of September last and some 
after the 21lst. The latter, though plowed in, was totally winter-killed, but the former, 
though harrowed in, from present appearances will yield 20 bushels per acre. 
Columbia County, Wisconsin, May 10.—Winter-grain on old land looks bad; badly 
killed. It is better on new land, especially where shaded with belts of timber on the 
north and west sides. 
Blanco County, Tecas.—Grasshoppers have entirely destroyed the wheat-crop this 
spring in this and adjacent counties, but the people do not seem discouraged. Corn 
generally sells here at 50 cents per bushel; wheat at $1.50. 
DESTRUCTION OF DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS-—Our ‘correspondent in 
Gadsden County, Florida, under date of June 1, writes as follows: 
During the present week I have received reports from three different sections of the 
county announcing the appearance of the dreaded caterpillar. These are doubtless spo- 
radic cases, and furnish no basis upon which to predicate any ultimate result. While 
upon the subject I will state a fact, which is, at least, suggestive, and may lead to good 
results. Some years ago I was informed by Prince Murat (now deceased, but who then 
resided on his plantation located fourteen miles east of Tallahassee) that his crops of 
cotton had been for several successive years protected from the ravages of the cater- 
pillar by the intervention of numerous flocks of the common “ blackbird,” which 
preyed voraciously upon these pests of the cotton-field. The secret of their advent to 
that locality he attributed to the fact that his negroes were in the habit of cultivating 
small patches of rice in the damp places, occurring in different portions of the planta- 
tion. As a confirmation of his statement, I will state a fact which came under my own 
observation during the past year. About the time that my corn had fully matured, 
the “ grass-caterpillars” suddenly made their appearance in the fields, and were 
rapidly destroying the young grass, which we highly value for fall-pastirage. I ob- 
served at the same time that a large flock of domestic turkeys with their young came 
up of an evening with their craws very much distended. Suspecting the cause, I de- 
termined to watch them, and found to my great gratification that they were feasting 
upon the caterpillars. In the course of a day or two not a worm could be seen, and 
the pasturage was saved. These facts suggest the idea of introducing into the cotton- 
region the ‘‘ English sparrow,” which, I understand, has proven an effectual safeguard 
to the ornamental trees in the vicinity of many of the northern cities. From the re- 
ported habits and great fecundity of these birds, I entertain but little doubt that if 
extensively introduced, they would, in the course of a very few years, prove an eftect- 
ive antidote to the advent of this great enemy of the cotton-plant. 
PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON IN TENNESSEE.—Our correspondent in 
Macon County reported, May 1, that in that county wheat was thin on 
the ground, having been frozen out during the winter; cattle were in 
poor condition ; pastures still bare, and vegetation generally at least one 
month later than usual. Our correspondent in Grundy makes a similar 
report. The spring has been extraordinarily cold and backward. Early 
grapes and most fruits have been killed by the frost; grass is back- 
ward, and cattle are on half-fare. Oats, and “what remained of winter- 
wheat and rye,” are represented as doing well. 
IMMIGRATION.—“‘Another influx of immigrants from Switzerland ” is 
reported in Grundy County, Tenn., and “ new farms rise up all around.’ 
SEVERE FROSTS IN SouTH CAROLINA.—Our correspondent in Fair- 
field County reports that, on the night of April 13, a more damaging 
frost occurred than has visited that section since 1849. The ground, 
where moist, was frozen to some depth. Corn that was large enough 
for the plow and hoe was killed below the surface. Wheat that had 
begun to develop heads was killed to the ground. Fruit was entirely 
destroyed. Peaches, as large as pigeon’s eggs, ‘are as black as night.” 
Cotton that was up was ruined, but owing to a drought of some six 
weeks, the most of the cotton-seed in the ground had not sprouted, 
