502 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



present habits of living, any animal less useful for 

 producing animal food would not compete with 

 our known breed. But it appears the alpaca is 

 recommended for situations not used for sheep — 

 or, at least, very rarely — and if they succeed in 

 parks and enclosures in the first place, the trial in 

 exposed situations will be very interesting. Such 

 experiments, with a view to add to produciion, 

 and the employment of labor especially, claim the 

 attention of the wealthy and the support of the 

 community. At present the few attempts do not 

 warrant any general conclusion, but are favorable 

 so far as they have gone. The patriotic indivi- 

 duals who now possess the animals will no doubt 

 bring their capabilities to a just and satisfactory test. 



BLISTER FLIES. 



From the Kentucky Farmer. 



We are sorry to hear that these insects are do- 

 ing much mischief in various rjuarters. We hear 

 of their ravages in Clarke and Woodford, and 

 have seen a specimen of their labors in this county. 

 They attack a crop of beets, potatoes, or other 

 plants having soft succulent leaves, and they de- 

 spoil them utterly of their foliage. The conse- 

 quence is, great damage is done to the crops at- 

 tacked. 



We are not entomologist enough to describe 

 the fly technically ; but believe it is a species of 

 the cantharides genus. At any rate, we are ad- 

 vised by Dr. Parker of Shelby and Dr. IMartin 

 of Clarke, that they make a capital blister. Dr. 

 Parker asserts this upon late experience ; and 

 we suggest that, as some small indemnity for their 

 ravages, it would be well to set the children of a 

 farm about gathering them for sale to the apothe- 

 caries. They are supposed to be worth quite as 

 much as the Spanish flies, and owing to their 

 great number, it would be a lucrative business to 

 get two, three or four dollars a pound lor them. 

 A farmer told us he shook at least 500 of!" one beet; 

 and they could nearly all have been taken in one 

 minute and bottled, being sluggish in their action. 



It is a black or dark-colored fly, near an inch 

 long, with a small head proportioned to the size 

 of the body, which enlarges towards the tail. 

 There is a white stripe along the back. We 

 have had but little opportunity of making any 

 observation on the '■ black bug" as some call the 

 insect; and would be thankful to anyone for a 

 description of it as well as a suggestion of the 

 means of preventing its ravages. They have 

 been increasing of late years. 



TOMATO FIGS. 



From the American Farmer. 

 Patent Office, July 10, 1841. 

 Dear sir, — The medicinal qualities of tomatoes 

 have greatly increased their cultivation, and every 

 new preparation of the article is deserving consi- 

 deration. A sample of " tomato figs" has just 

 been deposited at the patent office of a very supe- 

 rior quality, — from the taste I should suppose all 

 the good qualities of the fruit are retained. In 

 appearance the drum of tomatoes resembles one 



of figs so nearly that they might easily be mista- 

 ken lor the same. 



The sample is deposited by Mrs. Steiger, of 

 this city, and the recipe transmitted with it is 

 enclosed lor publication. It is deeply to be regret- 

 ted that since the periodicals of the day are 

 open to communications, so many valuable im- 

 provements are lost to the world barely for the 

 want ol' publicity. Others may have dried the 

 tomatoes with a recipe, however less successful. 



Very respectfully. H. L. Ellsworth. 



Hon. J. S. Skinner. 



Take six pounds of sugar to one peck (or IG 

 lbs.) of the fruit. Scald and remove the skin of 

 the fruit in tlie usual way. Cook them over a fire, 

 their own juice being sufficient without the addi- 

 tion of water, until the sugar penetrates and they 

 are clarified. They are then taken out, spread on 

 dishes, flattened and dried in the eun. A small 

 quantity of the syrup should be occasionally 

 sprinkled over them whilst drying ; after which, 

 pack them down in boxes, treating each layer 

 with powdered sugar. The syrup is afterwards 

 concentrated and bottled for use. They keep 

 well Irom year to year, and retain surprisingly 

 their flavor, which is nearly that of the best 

 quality of fresh figs. The pear-shaped or single 

 tomatoes answer the purpose bejSt. Ordinary 

 brown sugar may be useti, a large portion of which 

 is retained in the syrup. 



TABLE OF MANURES : — THEIR PROPERTIES 

 AND MODE OF APPLICATION; FOR THE USE 

 OF THE AGRICULTUniST ; BY JOHN ROBIN- 

 SON, M. B. 



From the (London) Farmers' Magazine. 



Manures are intended to supply food to plants 

 and ultimately to become consiituent parts of 

 them. Thus, when we wish to apply manure in 

 the case of wheat, it will be proper to ascertain 

 from the stalk and grain, what substances are 

 required. In the stalk we have potash combined 

 with silicious acid; if the soil, then, contain 

 neither of these constituents, we must supply 

 them by artificial means or by manuring. In the 

 grain, again, we find, on analysis, phosphoric 

 acid in combination with magnesia and potash. 

 In like manner, these mu?t be supplied, if de- 

 ficient in the soil. The usual manures give these 

 substances, though the subject is not scientifically 

 understood by mere practical men. 



In the cultivation of the turnip this is striking- 

 ly clear. As that vegetable contains phosphoric 

 acid in quantity, phosphoric acid, if not present 

 in the soil in sufficient quantity, as it rarely is, 

 must be supplied to it. For instance, bone duet 

 answers this purpose, as bone is composed chiefly 

 of phosphoric acid and lime. The excrements 

 of man and animals contain also phosphoric acid; 

 fish manure acts precisely in the same way, as 

 fish contain phosphoric acid in abundance. Fish 

 oil is proper lor turnips on the same grounds. 

 The instances might be multiplied to a great 

 length. It may not here be out of place to re- 

 mark that all substances, whether organic, earthy, 

 or saline, which are employed to fertilize the soil, 

 or become the food o| pinnis, can only be render- 



