202 Season 0/I8I6. 



Upper Providence y Del. Co. June 1, 1817. 



Esteemed Friend, 



The ravages of the cut worm, in tiiis neighbourhood, 

 have exceeded all former experience ; and should the 

 remaining part of the season be unfavourable, no corn 

 crops, or very partial ones, will be obtained this year. — 

 Being myself one of the sufferers, from this ambushed, 

 and indefatigable enemy, I have been trying to discover 

 some means by which the corn may be protected ; and, 

 if possible, the Avorm destroyed. And whatever the pro- 

 cess should be, I concluded that best, (if effectual in ar- 

 resting the worm,) which should be performed with the 

 least labour, and the greatest expedition, after the corn 

 was planted. I believe I have succeeded in my wishes, 

 and do myself the pleasure to communicate, through you, 

 to the Agricultural Society, for the purpose of general 

 usefulness, the plan I have adopted. 



I propose to take a pair of narrow cart or chair wheels, 

 securing on the outside of the rim, or tire, two or four 

 projections, somewhat similar to the tooth or cog of a 

 mill-wheel ; and so formed, as to impress in the earth a 

 hole four inches in depth, and of an elliptical form, which 

 will be made by tapering the tooth from the four sides to 

 the centre. 



The wheels thus prepared are to be taken through the 

 ■field, by a horse, immediately after planting, in direc- 

 tions alternately opposite, that in going and returning, 

 they will track and make the holes on each side of two 

 rows of corn ; should the number of holes made in go 

 ing and returning one way over the field, be insufficient, 

 it may be proper to cross at right angles to the first 



