THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



89 



LETTERS, QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 



Dear J:\Hlor: A<Toiii|iiiiiyiiiS tin's letter I send you 

 hy mail n small hnx with several small while eater- 

 jiillars ill their nests lliat are iiijiiriiif.' my erape vines. 

 They seem tii lie partial tii one variety — the .\f,'awam 

 — as I have Coneord, C'revellni;, lona, Clinton, Mar- 

 tha, ami others elose liy, ami I laii lincl not a sinjrle 

 eater|)illar on them. Please (le.serilie tlieni, with the 

 best way of ronihatiUK them, in Till-: Kaumek, and 

 olilipe a ITfip*' grower and Kiihxn-ilii-r. — Jliuk P. (>,, 

 I.aticiiftcr eoniily, l'a.,,fii>ic .ith, 1X7.5. 



Tlic. liox alliuU'd to in the aliove was safely 

 rweivcd, and contained one sneeinicn of a 

 pale, greenish-yellow cateipillai', a little over 

 a quarter of an inch in length. The head was 

 al.so yellowish, and the tips of jaws hrownish. 

 Jl was covered all over with small segmental 

 tutjereles, and from each a sparse tuft of white, 

 hristly, divergent hairs. Siiperlicially it ap- 

 peared like the earlier staj^es of the "Fall 

 well-worm" (Jliijilniiitnate.rUr), excvpi that it 

 lacked the lilaek head. It seems to attack the 

 young, unexi>anded leaves, and to prevent 

 their exi)ansion hy a thin web, with which it 

 covers itself. AVitliin this shelter it gnaws ofT 

 the upper surface, and cau.ses it to turn black- 

 ish. It refused food, and on the nidrning of 

 June 7th we found it had chan^'ed to a ^juj<a 

 the previous night. This pupa is pea-green 

 and pale yellowish in color, and a quarter of 

 an inch in length ; obliijuely tnmcatcd in 

 front, and tapering to a point at the hind 

 end. The upper abdominal portion has small 

 tulicrcles on each segment. It has two yel- 

 lowish ridged longitudinal lines on the. head 

 and thorax, aiul a pair of brownish rulled ap- 

 pendages about the middle. We cannot yet 

 tell what it is, except that it is LeimlnptuniM. 

 AVe do not think, however, that oiu' corres- 

 pondent need be nuich alarmed about it, for 

 by this time its season must lie over, utdess it 

 is double brooded. It is very probably the 

 "Grapevine Plume-moth," (I'lrr'nilinrintpcris- 

 cclidwti/liis, Fitch,) althougli the pupa diJTers 

 from that ligured by Prof, lliley iii his first 

 rejiort. 



15y the time this gets into print the cater- 

 pillars will all have disappeared, but as there 

 are two liroods in a sea.son, it may lie expected 

 again in a few weeks hence. 



As to a remedy, it is diffictdtto suggest one. 

 An alkalinous .solution or a tobacco decoction 

 might be etTective, if it coidd reach them. 

 But the web would be likely to resist these. 

 Sulphur or coal-oil fumigation might be good. 

 Hand-picking \vould proliably be the most re- 

 liable. AVe cannot recollect that a similar 

 case has come under oiu" observation before. 



Testing the Fecundity of Eggs. 



. In the April nunilier of The Lantasteu Farmer 

 t notioed the results of some experiments made with 

 ■ffffs, in aseertaining: the prolniliilities of their hateli- 

 iiir, liy means of the position of the air-cell. After 

 •atient investiiration in a darkened rfiom,l>y tholiii-lit. 

 • fa eoal-oil lamp, I disenveied in a niinilier of ef.'i;6 

 he air-<'ell in the dilferent positions deserihed in tlie 

 rtiele atiove alluded to ; in other eirsjs no air-ecll was 

 jseernilile. I set a hen with lifteen ecf,'s, in all of 

 I hieh the air-eell was iilaiiily markeil ; the result was 

 hat out of the lifteen ei;f;s, fourteen lively ehieks 

 (ere hatched. Heretofore we have had eonsideiahle 

 roulile in having e^ifrs hatched, the aver.ige heinir 

 mly from nine to eleven ehieks out of a setting of 

 ihirteen or tifteen egire. 



I have not yet had an opportunity of testinir the 

 IKissiljility of knowing whether a certain selected lot 

 of eirgs will Inileli out cockerels or ]iiillels; liiil it 

 seems that tlie prcsciu-e of the air-eell is likely to in- 

 sure a goiKi hrood from a selling of ci;gs. I noticed 

 the air-edls in all the positions deserihed hy Mr. 

 W. ,1. I'yle, of t'hester eounly ; also, Us entire ab- 

 sence in several inslanecs. 



1 woulii lie very sjlad to hear through The Lax- 

 CASTEIi Kakmeu of the results of experiments made 

 by brother farmers. It is only by faithful investiga- 

 tion and repeatcii experiment that many truths of 

 value to fanners can be ascertained ; and only in tliis 

 manner can we lift up the profession of farming from 

 a servile routine and liliml adlierenee to olil methods, 

 into the most iiitelleetual and most noble pursuit in 

 the world. — T. M. Coi-i.soN, iVeto Freedom, York 

 coiwtij, I'll., JIay'M, 187.5. 



The above communication, from an intelli- 

 gent farmer — once an able local editor of the 

 oldest newspaiier in Lancaster county — speaks 

 for itself, and so far as it goes, is what we in- 



tended should be elicited by thi^ publication of 

 Mr. Pyle's theory of demonstrating thetpiality 

 and sex of hens' eggs. We have no interest 

 in the question other than the publication in 

 our colunms of that which is "good and 

 true " for the benelit of our readers. AVe, in 

 common with our correspondent, "would be 

 very glad to hear of the results <if experiments 

 made by brother farmers," and should take 

 the greatest pleasure in making them known 

 through the columns of our journal. Tlml is 

 the legitimate way of disposing of the (luea- 

 tion, and not by Hat denial or ridicule, for 

 there may lie more in the hidden archives of 

 nature than we in our wisest philosophy 

 dream of. 



The sexes and the abortivcness of eggs are 

 cjffh-tx that nuist have a relation to prior aiimcs, 

 and, therefore, are not the arbitrary results of 

 mere chance. The laws of nature do not operate 

 upon a plane of chance development — there 

 must be a cause fur every effect we see. 



Although it mightbe prolitless labor, still we 

 wish Mr. C had also experimented — in hatch- 

 ing — upon those eggs in which he could not 

 di.scover an air-eell. It seems to us that this 

 involves the most important point in the wliole 

 system. 



TIk' gallinoculturist wants to know before- 

 hand whether an egg can possibly produce a 

 chick or not. If it can not, then just so much 

 is saved in time and material, for an uiiim- 

 pregnated egg is jtist as good for culinary pur- 

 poses as one that is impregnated. 



It is facetiously related of a distinguished 

 Gothamite, that when he moved on a farm, 

 the former occui>ant of which had failed, and 

 finding a great many hens' nests with only one 

 or two eggs in them, he exclaimed: "Ah, I 

 see the cause, he scattered his energies too 

 much; he needed concentration." So he 

 gathered them all into two or three nests, and 

 .set as many "clucking hens" thereon to hatch. 

 After Avaiting three weeks and three extra 

 days, he entered into an examination of the 

 case; and, although he was rewarded by " nary 

 chick," he made the discovery that the "hen 

 fruits " he had thus so carefully concentrated 

 were only pon-dain ncst-egij.f. 



If this anecdote illustrates any one point in 

 a stronger light than another, it is the impor- 

 tance of knowiny hijorelmnd wliether an egg is 

 fertile or abortive. AVhether it is a male or a 

 female may only be a secondary consideration. 

 It .seems to us, so far as marketing ]irofit is 

 concerned, that the demonstration of the first 

 ]ioint, to the entire satisfaction nf the farmer, 

 woiiUl be a perfect vindication of the itsc.s of 

 the system, as Avell as of its trullifidiiess. 



The Bee Moth. 



I noticed in the May number of TilE Fabmeb ad- 

 vice that old hives should not be used for hiving new 

 swarms of bees, on account of the egijs of tlie moth, 

 wliieli are deposited in its ereviecs. I think an old 

 hive should not be rejected on that account. For my 

 own use I prefer an vhl hive, if not too nearly worn 

 out, because it is already lined with propolis (bee- 

 glue), and the bees arc thereby saved niiieh work. 



There is a prevailing oiiinion that the moth is 

 au enemy of the bee, but experienced bee-keepers, 

 who have used moveable-eomli lilvcs, liave learned 

 that the larva' of these insects do no injury to the 

 combs while the stock is in good condition. It is only 

 when the number of bees is very niueh reduced, by 

 the loss of the <iueen or otherwise, that the "worms" 

 enter in siillicient numbers to destroy the combs. In- 

 deed, in almost every case where many worms are 

 found fceclin:;r.ii tbecimilis an examination will sh<iw 

 that the queen has been lost or become incapable of 

 laying eggs, .so that the family has beeoiue so mueh 

 reduced that they cannot protect the eombs. 



The time is past for the venders of " patent hives " 

 tohumbuu'inlclligent lice-ki-epcrs with "moth-liMps." 

 The liiihtwbieli apiaryeulture has gained bytln- intro- 

 duction of nioveable-coinb hives, has shown that the 

 depredations of these insects is the roull and not the 

 ciiKnc of evil in tlie hive. In an exiiericnce of ten 

 years 1 have not lost a single slock by the moth, al- 

 though I have made no eflbrt to check their increase 

 or destroy them. If I do not discover that a stock has 

 lost their queen until it is too late for them to raise 

 another to advantage, I break it up at once, join the 

 bees to some weak liive, and place the combs out of 

 the reach of the moth. 



The larv.ne of the moth is covered with a tough 

 skin, which prevents the bees from stinging it, but 



they can, ami do drag it out of tlie hive whenever 

 they can get bold of it. .More or less of these larvaj 

 are Iwing developed In every hive during warm 

 weather, but they do no injury while there are bees 

 enough to cover the eombs. 



By cultivating the friendship of the common cat- 

 biril (.)fimus ctiroliiictttdii,) in tlic vicinity of tho 

 apiary, more of these worms will he destroyed tlian 

 by any other means I am acquainted willi. They soon 

 learn to watch the Iiivcs closely, and when the Ih'cs 

 throw the worms out will gather them up. A [lair 

 of -these birds will capture more worms in this way 

 than any number of " split elders " or the most inlrl 

 eate " patent " contrivance I have ever seen. — IK. P. 

 B., Liberty Square, June Hth, 1875. 



Mulberries. 



The mulberry Is a fruit t<K) irooil to be treated as It 

 commonly is. A kimkX tree will yield nearly every sea- 

 son a gocsl, splendid crop of fruit. If it is pro|H-rlv 

 cared for and the caterpillars are kipt oil'. Tlieymako 

 gooii pies, and if "canned " in glass Jars, with one- 

 third of sour clierrii-8, they make an excellent dessert 

 after a regular meal. We gather them by shaking 

 them — a limb at a time — into a cloth held by the cor- 

 ners. We then sort them and riiizc them iu cold 

 water, before hcatini; them for canning, as we do 

 other fruit. They need not be toci dead ri|)e, or tho 

 wind will shake them into the dirt. Try them. — J. 

 B. E., Lime Valley, Juw 7, 187.5. 



The most pleasant and refreshing drink in 

 summer is lenvmaiU, a combination of stib- 

 .stanccs that are "sweet and sour;" and there- 

 fore we have no doubt that mulljerries and 

 sour chtM-ries Avould form a most palatablo 

 compound ; and we woulit imite with our cor- 

 respondent in recommending our readers to 

 "try them." The niulberrj' has long been a 

 neglected tree, occupying stony ridges, barren 

 hollows, and other out-of-the-way places on 

 the farm. No doubt, under more generous 

 culture its fruit might be greatly improved. 



Queries and Answers. 



J. S. — The Tortoise-shaped beetles, which you found 

 feeding on the sweetjMitato vines, are the CnnnUla 

 hientnr, and are often found — both Iwctle and larvip — 

 (Ui " inorning-glories " and other convolvulus i>lants, 

 and, when numerous, are destructive. Dose them 

 with dilute lye or soapsuds. 



W. H. T.— The large, short, black beetle, which 

 you struck down as it was buzzinir around your room, 

 is the "American Dor Beetle,*' (t'o/trig (Carolina.') 

 It is at least inuoxious, if not bcueficial to vegetation 

 in its habits. 



K. S. F. — The " stInk-hugs," which are now lively 

 on the wing, and which you knocked down in the 

 street, are the "squash-bug" (Coreim Iritlix,) " bob- 

 bins: round " in search of a pumpkin field. Crush 

 every one of them. 



.1. F. S. — The long, brownish " Snout-I)ceflc " you 

 shook down from the plum tree, is Liiut eoncavut, 

 and belongs to the family of the " Curcullos," al- 

 though it is not known to " sling " that fruit. 



Tan Bark for Potato Bugs. 



A 'West Virginia ciirres|i<inilcnt of the Farmert' 

 Friend, writes as follows, concerning what he claims 

 as the accidental discovery of a new remedy for the 

 ravages of the Colorado Potato Becllc : 



" Having by accident learned how to dispense with 

 the ravages of the |iotat<i buir, I hasten to inform as 

 many tanners as I can, llirou<.'h your valuable paper, 

 viz.: Ilavini; used all my stable iiiaiiure around my 

 apple tries last year, I had to resort to chestnut oak 

 tan bark from my tomato to my imtato patch, near 

 my house, where I have U'en raising my early pota- 

 toes for twenty years, putting a coat of stable ma- 

 nure almut one inch deep, broad<-ast before plowing, 

 never failini; t<i raise (IOihI ero|is. Year In-fore last tlie 

 bugs seemed dclermiiieil to take them. Last year on 

 account of the fresh bark, the bugs did not disturb 

 one hill of my poiatiH-s, and it was the second best 

 crop of till- gi-ound. This year I coated my ground 

 aicain; thus far there have been seven bugs found on 

 the iKitalois, whilst on two sides of nie, within one 

 hundred yards, there are two patches of my neigh- 

 bors that the bu^B seem determined to destroy. This 

 niornin;; I am treating the two last named patches in 

 part each to one quart of hark to the hill, to see If It 

 is certain that It is the tan bark, and will, as siKin as 

 1 learn satisfactorily, hasten to give you the infor- 

 mation." 



^ 



That "invitation to Dinner." 

 Editor Liiiicaitlir Fariiur: I would cheerfully ac- 

 cept the invitation to a dinner from Leoi.ine, but 

 must, for the preseut, be content to remain in the 

 dark as to who she is, and have reason to lielievo 

 that, in this res|iect, she has the advantage of us. — 

 ToDiAS Makti.s, Mereertburg, May 37, 1S75. 



