306 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



April 17, 1829. 



duces its kiiui pure ; pUuited witli a plurality of 

 kinds, it will be strangely iiiterniixcd in the pro- 

 duct. So with the apple ; only the pollen of this 

 is more subtle, and is conveyed from one flower 

 to another, and from one tree to another, on the 

 wings and bodies of insects which are constantly 

 roaming in pursuit of food. A seed can have but 

 one mother, but it may have ticenttj fathers. Hence 

 the care necessary in raising pure garden seeds, 

 to keep each variety of a .species separate and re- 

 mote. And hence the cause that double flowers, 

 called by naturalists monsters, so seldom produce 

 seeds : the male fiequeutly, and often the female 

 organs, are converted into petals, or flower leaves, 

 and cease to perform their natural functions. 



This beautiful economy in the vegetable king- 

 dom excited the observation and admiration of 

 Linnaeus, was the theme of Darwin's song, and 

 has been rendered subservient to our control, to 

 our comfort, and luxury, bj' the indefatigable 

 Knight, and other horticulturists of Europe. This 

 last named gentleman was the first to give re- 

 peated demonstrations of the correctness of the 

 theory, by practical results ; and his example has 

 been followed by horticulturists, florists, and seeds- 

 men. 



We are indebted to the labors of Mr Knight, 

 in artificially crossing two known varieties, for 

 some of the choicest productions of the garden 

 and orchard. And that your readers may avail 

 themselves of an early opportunity of profiting by 

 his useful labors, I subjoin a brief description of 

 several varieties, thus artificially produced, now 

 growing in my grounds. 



1. Grange apple. A fruit of great beauty, and 

 similar in color to a very fine Golden Pjppin. — 

 Ripens in Oct., and keeps till February. From a 

 seed of the Orange Pippin, fertilized by the pollen 

 of the Golden Pippin. The specific gravity of its 

 juice 1079, the same as that of the faiuous Styre 

 cider apj)le. Obtained the premium in 1802. 



2. Downton Pippin. One of the most valuable 

 apples for the table and press, Mr Knight remarks, 

 that has yet existed. I do not know any apple, 

 says Salisbury, which can be brought to the mar- 

 ket at any given price, with so nmch advantage 

 to the cukivator. The tree is healthy, hardy, and 

 handsome. Its fruit, in form, color, and flavor,^ 

 resembles the Golden Pif pin — ripens in Nov. and 

 keeps till Blarcli. Sp. gravity lOSO. Obtained 

 the premium in 1804. 



3. Yellow Siberian. From a seed of the Loan 

 Pearmain and the farina of the Siberian Crab. — 

 Considered very valuable for cider, the specific 

 gravity of the must being 1085 (water being 1000.) 

 The tree is hardy, and said to he a great bearer. 

 Exhibited in 1805, and obtained the premium. 



4. Siberian Harvey. From the seed of the Si- 

 berian crab and the farina of the Golden Harvey. 

 The juice of this apple is the heaviest known, be- 

 ing stated by Salisbury at 1091. Ripens the 

 middle of October. 



5. Faxley apple. From the same parents as the 

 preceding. A henlihy, handsome tree, and when 

 loaded with fruit, wliieli it bears most exnbeiant- 

 ly, is on the authority of Mr Knight, singularly 

 rich and beautiful. Sp. gr. 1080. This and the 

 preceding are considered superior fijr the press, 

 by Mr Knight, to any apple that has been hither- 

 to cultivated. They were both exhibited first, 

 and obtamed premiums, m 1807. 



6. Yellow IngeslHe. Similar in color and flavor 

 to the Golden Pippi,,. Ripens in Oct., and keeps 



till March. Among the best varieties of its season, 

 and considere<l one of the handsomest fruits which 

 has been grown. 



7. Elton Cherry, from the Groflian and White 

 Heart. Tree luxuriant, and a good bearer — 

 hardy. Fruit huge, soft, sweet, juicy, and de- 

 licious. — Loudon. 



8. Black Eagle Cherry, From the Groffian and 

 Mayduke. Tree luxuriant, hardy, and a good 

 bearer. Fruit dark red, firm, sweet, high flavor- 

 ed, and ripens in July. — lb. 



9. Waterloo Cherry, from the Groffian and May- 

 duke. Fruit deep red, large, conical, firm, sweet, 

 and high flavored. Ripens in July. — lb. 



10. Doimton Strawberry. I have grown this 

 fruit two years that measured 43 inches in cir- 

 cumference. 



11. KnighVs peas are too well known among 

 us to need a description. 



It may not be improper to remark, that the 

 weight of the juice of an apjde, newly expressed, 

 indicates its richness in saccharine matter, and its 

 subsequent strength after fermentation : the heav- 

 iest must producing the strongest liquor. 



Albamj, April 6. J. BUEL. 



The Bezy Vaet pear, mentioned by Mr Lowell, 

 in our paper of April 23, page 290 of the current 

 volume, was received by Mr Buel, of Albany, we 

 understand, from the London Horticultural Socie- 

 ty, in the spring of 1825, and has been extensive- 

 ly propagated in his nursery. The same gentle- 

 man has all the others noted in that article, from 

 the same source, except the Tillington. Orders 

 for any trees from Mr Buel's nursery will be re- 

 ceived at the N. E. Farmer office. — Ed. 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



INSECTS. 



Mr Fessenden — I perceive that your corres- 

 pondents are occasionally sending you s])eciniens 

 of insects, and that apologies are frequently made 

 for their bad state of preservation. Would it not 

 be well to publish a few observations on the mode 

 of preserving insects ? The season for their re- 

 appearance is about conunencing, and a little care 

 and attention may so preserve these tormentors 

 and benefactors of man, that the distinguished 

 naturalist, to whom you so often successfully aj)- 

 ply, will be able to investigate them with less dif- 

 ficidty and with greater satisfaction. Allow me 

 here to express my earnest wish that Dr Harris 

 will soon resume his " Contributions to Entomol- 

 ogy," and that you will be able to find room for 

 his interesting remarks, and for his descriptions of 

 new species. 



The following observations, or directions, are 

 chiefly selected from the Introduction to Entomol- 

 ogy, by Messrs Kirby & S|)ence. 



Several kinds of instruments are described as 

 useful to the collectors of insects. A strong knife 

 to raise the bark or iienetratc the wood of trees — 

 a stick to heat the branches, in order to dislodge 

 caterpillars, &c. — a bag-net, of gauze, muslin, or 

 fine canvas, to catch flying insects, and a net of a 

 clifT'erent construction to fish insects out of ponds, 

 &c. But it is not necessary to be provided with 

 certain instruments, either for capturing insects, 

 or for bringing them safe liome. Er Franklin 

 used to say that a man would never make a natu- 

 ral philosopher, who, in performing his ex[)ori- 

 ments, would not saw with a giinblet or bore with 

 a saw ; and so we may say, he will never make 



an expert collector of insects, who on occasion 

 caimot fish with his hand, use his hat, or an old 

 letter to beat his game into, or in the absence of 

 boxes, or bottles, contrive to secure his captives 

 in small pieces of paper tvvistetl up. 



As to the most effectual mode of destroying in- 

 sects, when caught, — hard ones, such as Coleopte- 

 ra, Hemiptern, &c., may be destroyed without in- 

 jury, by immersion in s|)irits of wine, or boiling 

 water. The innnersion in spirits of wine is the 

 best method, because it not only efiijctually kills 

 the insects, and they may be put together into it 

 wlnle you are collecting, without danger of their 

 devouring each other, but you may let your in- 

 sects remain in it without injury till the next morn- 

 ing. 



^^hen you wish to take the insects you have 

 immersed in s])irits out of the phial, you must 

 strai.^ its contents through a piece of muslin, re- 

 turn ;he spirit into it for future use, and spread 

 the 'usects separately upon blotting pa])er, to ab- 

 sorb the moisture remaining about them. If yoit 

 haie any in boxes or phials without spirit, these 

 must be immersed iu a basin of boiling water ; or 

 you may immerse the phial itself, with the cork 

 in. vhich soon destroys them, and is the safest 

 pl;i>. 



vVilh respect to Lepidopiera, (butterflies and 

 mohs,) it is necessary to disable them immediate- 

 ly d'ter their capture. To effect this, give their 

 breasts a strong pinch with your finger and thumb, 

 beliw the wings. But though nipping the breast 

 willkill many small Lejildoptera, the larger ones 

 willlive long after it ; as will likewise many J^exi- 

 roptra, (Dragon flies, &c.) Hymenoptera, (wasps, 

 beei, &c.) and Diplera, (flies, &c.) ; and besides 

 this, in some moths, the thorax presents a very 

 consiicuous and interesting character, which ren- 

 ders it desirable, in order to avoid the damage or 

 dernngement occasioned by pressure, to transfix 

 them without it. There is a simple mode of doing 

 this, the apparatus for which may be found every- 

 where. Fix a piece or two of elder, willow, or 

 any soft wood, with the bark on, across the bot- 

 tom of a mug, and on this stick your impaled in- 

 sects ; ijivert the mug in a deep basin, into which 

 pour boiling water till it is covered, holding it 

 down with a knife, that the expansion of the in- 

 cluded air may not overturn it. In two minutes, 

 or less, all the insects will he found quite dead, 

 and not at all wet. Butterflies, moths, and 

 some other insects must not be allowed to get 

 wet, for it essentially injures them. Professor 

 Peck, who used to put minute insects into the hol- 

 low of a (piill stopped with a piece of wood made 

 to fit, killed them instantaneously by holding it 

 over the flame of a candle. 



Insects nuiy be killed by exposing them in a tin 

 box with a little camphor in it to the heat of a 

 fire, which treatment will greatly add to their 

 preservation. 



Having killed your insects, .your next object 

 should be to prepare them for your cabinet — orif 

 you have no cabinet, you may put them after they 

 are thoroughly dried, in a tight wooden box — and 

 if the pins are thrust firmly into the bottom, they 

 may be transported any distance without injm-y. 

 With respect to Coleoptera, and Hemiptcra, the 

 pin should be stuck through the middle of the 

 right hand wing-case, and about one-third of its 

 whole length should emerge above the insect. — 

 Some insects are so minute that a jiin camir.t be 

 put through without injury. For such, the best 

 mode is to gum them on small triangular pieces of 



