CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANY. 121 



d by Drs. Emmons anil Prime — gentlemen of eminence in science 

 has commenced, in its second number, a series of articles upon 

 isects injurious to vegetation, with descriptions and colored figures 

 f the insects; price three dollars per year. This Journal should 

 ave a place in every farmer's library. Without attention to this 

 nportant but neglected branch of science, the interests of the 

 •irmer will be eternally obnoxious to the fatal ravages of the 

 umerous insects that are annually multiplying in kind and num- 

 er, and frustrating his well planned and laborious designs. 

 \n instance of a new variety of these formidable pests, has late- 

 nt curred in our neighborhood, w^hich threatens our wheat crop, 

 . an unknown extent. A member of our Club (Dr. Tubman) 

 liclosed to me a few days ago, an insect from the head of his 

 -owing wheat, and feeding upon the grain. It is, as you will per- 

 i\r, a minute species of the " Calandra" family. It is not the 

 iCalandra gianaria," which we have had frequently in our grain, 

 hen housed, M'hich is a long, slender beetle ; but this, the new 

 le, is a short thick beetle — color silver gray, and four black dots 

 '\ the elytra — that is, two on each. The most of this group are 

 jrinidable enemies to the various kinds of grain. 

 I have placed on the table a small species of gryllus (grass- 

 ppper) which has, this season, for the first time, appeared in my 

 Ibacco beds, and done much injury. They were considerably 

 bted by a powder composed of soot and sulphur, sprinkled over 

 e beds before the dew had disappeared. 



Now returning from this digression, to the manures, I will add 

 at the pouiirette, which on a former occasion, I informed you, 

 had prepared with sulphate of iron, I have recently applied to 

 y tobacco crop, two spoonfuls to the plant — it is quite inodorous; 

 d I think, rich — its efftcts will be reported when obtained. 

 I have in progress two experiments with electricity — abnosphe- 

 ^ and terrestrial ; with the former, as you have just now seen, 

 my garden I have been the most successful ; the rows of rad- 

 les and corn were extended through the electrized space and on 

 ' <ch side of it, and were planted at the same time and under equal 

 vantages ; those within the electric range — both corn and rad- 

 les, are as you have seen to-day, more than double the growth 

 d luxuriance of them without it. The upland rice, which you 

 w, passing through the range, and out of it, was pcrishiog from 



VOL. ILrr-y^O. I. Q 



