FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 193 



PALMERWORMS. About half an inch in length, with many 

 legs, and very nimble. They give to appletrees the same 

 appearance that the Cankerworm does. Mr. Dean says, 

 that great numbers of them appeared, in the year 1791, in 

 Cumberland, Massachusetts, and ate off all the leaves of 

 the trees, except the membraneous parts; but that next 

 year they disappeared. They let themselves down from 

 the trees by threads, similar to the Spider. No remedy 

 known. 



TIMBERWORMS. The smaller kind merely eat into the 

 sap of wood, and turn it into powder-post, as it is commonly 

 called. Felling timber about the middle of Winter, the 

 time it has least sap in it, will obviate this difficulty. 



The large Boringworm takes its residence chiefly in pine 

 timber. They are hatched in the cavities of the bark; and 

 being small, when they enter the wood, they grow larger as 

 they proceed, till their boring may be heard at a considera- 

 ble distance. If the trees be scorched in a light flame, says 

 Mr. Deane, or steeped in salt-water, it will destroy these 

 worms, or prevent their entering the wood. 



The same Author also makes mention of formidable 

 armies of worms which, in the year 1770, overran the 

 county of Cumberland, about the middle of July. They 

 striped the vegetables of their leaves, leaving only the 

 stems ; were extremely voracious ; moved in apparent haste, 

 and all in the same direction ; crawled over houses, Sec. un- 

 less they found an entrance. Other parts of the Eastern 

 States have since experienced their ravages. 



The best security found against them was, to stop their 

 course by trenches, having their sides leaning over, out 

 of which they could not climb, after they had got into 

 them. 



HESSIAN-FLY. Well known for its ravages in wheat. 

 Remedy : Immerse the seed-wheat ten or fifteen seconds 

 in boiling-hot water; cool it suddenly; dry it, with lime or 

 gypsum sprinkled upon it, and sow it immediately. This 

 process will assist its growth, in addiiion to its killing the 

 nits of the fly, which, by a good glass, are said to be dis- 

 cernible near the sprouts of the grains that are infected. 

 This remedy stands well attested by several publications, 

 and is believed to be effectual. 



This insect appears to be now on the decline, and its 

 duration will probably be found to be temporary. Though 

 we have given it a German appellation, it is very doubtful 

 whether it ever was known in Germany or any other part 

 of Europe. 



MAGGOTS. Troublesome to the roots of cabbages, tur- 

 nips, and radishes. Give the ground a previous manuring 

 with salt, which it is believed will be found effectual. 



