106 Improvement in Smelting Copper Ores. [August, 



In vial No. 3, I send you some of the earth in which will be 

 found fine particles of straw and chaff. No. 2, contains larva, 

 pupa and perfect fly; and in box No. 4, you will find dried spe- 

 cimens of the fly between the layers of cotton. Vial No. 1, con- 

 tains wheat-straws with the larvae of the Cecidomyia feeding in 

 them. 



After a careful reading of all the numbers of Dr. Fitch's com- 

 munication, in the American Journal, I have found no description 

 that would lead me to believe that either of these insects have 

 fallen under his observation. Certainly the larva feeding in the 

 centre of the straw bears no affinity to the tritici, as that feeds in 

 the blossom, and undergoes its change either in the earth or in 

 the husks of the wheat; while this, as you will see, feeds in the 

 stalk, and the fly does not make its appearance until after the 

 grain is formed, and undergoes its change either inside or on the 

 outside of the stalk, as shown by the specimens now in the Aca- 

 demy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. 



The names of both of these insects I shall therefore leave to those 

 more learned in the law than myself; but I think I have shown 

 clearly that I have not been observing the C. tritici, and that for 

 at least half my journey I have been led by Say and Le Sueur. 

 Of the destructive powers of the insect, 1 think no one can doubt, 

 feeding as it does in the centre of the straw near the joint, and 

 thus draining the grain of its nourishment at a time when the 

 whole vigor of the plant is required to bring the seed to maturity. 

 In 1838, '40 and '41, many fields in this neighborhood were so 

 impoverished by it, that they did not yield a crop sufficient to 

 remunerate the farmers for the expense of harvesting. 



I have deposited specimens of both these insects in the Acade- 

 my in Philadelphia, and suppose they will be published there; 

 should they not, I will be gratified if you will take them under 

 your care. I remain yours, very sincerely, 



W. H. MORRIS. 



Germantovm, July 16, 1847. 



IMPROVEMENT IN SMELTING COPPER ORES BY 

 ELECTRICITY. 



Although we have before acquainted our readers with one or 

 two methods of the application of electricity in the smelting of 

 copper ores, we learn from the American Mining Journal that a 

 patent has recently been obtained in France for another improve- 

 ment in electrical smelting by M. M. Dechaud and M. Caukier 

 de Clanbury. These gentlemen had long been engaged on the 



