VOL. XIX. NO. 39. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



307 



the history of these insects have been published in 

 the 17tli volume of the "New Kn^hind Farmer," 

 and I hiive received from a lady in Il'ipkinton, N. 

 H., some additional and interostinir information re- 

 specting them. A more extensive seri(^s of obser- 

 vations, conducted with care, and with a due re- 

 gard to dates, is still wanted to complete the history 

 of these depredators. They are said to attack 

 wheat, rye, barley, clover, and limothy-grass. The 

 lady above referred to, states that none of the in- 

 sects could be found in a field of bald wheat, 

 growing side by side with fields of ryo and bearded 

 wheat, where the orange-colored maggots abound- 

 ed, though all these plants blossomed at the same 

 tinne. It appears also, by various statements, ih it 

 very early and very late wheat escape, and bcnce 

 that the rty is li-uited in the period for depositing 

 its eggs. It is therefore important to ascertain at 

 what time the flies begin to appear, and at what 

 date they geiiorilly disappear, and whether, during 

 the whole of this period, they are engaged in lay- 

 ing their eggs. These dates may vary somewhat 

 in different years and places ; but a course of ob- 

 servations, in successive years, will afford the 

 means for fi.ving upon the average dates. Tlie 

 next point to be determined is, the length of time 

 required by the wheat-maggots to come to their full 

 growth, and the size that they attain. After the 

 feeding state is over, do they drop out of the ears 

 to the ground, or do they let themselves down by 

 threads alter the .nanner of canker-worms .' Some 

 persons have stated that they undergo their changes 

 and are transformed to Hies in the ears of the grain, 

 where their empty shells have been observed. Is 

 not this an accidental exception to their usual hab- 

 its, and do they not generally go into the ground 

 about the time t''at the wheat is ready to be har- 

 vested .' Do the maggots undergo a change of 

 form iinn'.ediately after this time, or do they remain 

 torpid, motionless, and without change, till the ap- 

 proach of spring "> What is the form of the insect 

 in its chrysalis state, or just before it turns to a fly ? 

 The writer will be very glad to see specimens of 

 the insects, taken while they are in the torpid and 

 chrysalis state, and preserved in spirit. 



It is said that these maggots or grain-worms are 

 found in the heads of clover and of Timothy-grass 

 as well as in wheat-ears : and some persons have 

 supposed them to be the same as the "clover worms," 

 which have been seen spinning down from lofts or 

 mows where clover has been stowed away. This 

 point miglit be easily settled, if any person would ' 

 take the trouble to keep some of these clover- 

 worms in a covered vessel, partly filled with earth 

 and clover-heads, till they go through their trans- 

 forfiiutions. I am inclined to think that these 

 spinning clover-worms will turn out to be distinct 

 from the wheat-insects. 



Two kinds of flies have been noticed in wheat- 

 fields by some of our farmers ; one, the true wheat- 

 fly, with an orange-colored body and without a pro- 

 jecting piercer ; the other, "a changeable reddish 

 or green fly," with a piercer folded under its belly. 

 The latter uses its piercer for conveying its eggs 

 within the chatfy scales of the wheat-ear; it is 

 said also to lay its eggs in son)e kinds of berries. 

 A complete history and description of this second 

 kind of fly, and of its young in all their states, might 

 throw some light on that of the true wheat fly ; and 

 it is to be hoped that some careful person will turn 

 hia attention to it, and favor the public with the 

 result. T. W. HARRIS. 



Cambridge, March 24, 1841. , 



EXTRACT 



From Robert Hendersoii's Treatise on Swine. 



(Pulilishcd by rfqiicsl ) 



"Of all the sons of hogs I have seen, and that 

 is not a few, I would give the preference to the 

 Cheshire, or rather the Berkshire hog. This kind 

 will grow to a good size, is easily fed, small boned, 

 and of a handsome make. Some of them are brown, 

 spotted with black ; but many of them are of a sin- 

 gular reddish color, and I have seen droves of them 

 that, when the sun shone on them, appeared of the 

 color of gold. Their ears are not large, and bend 

 slightly forward. I wish very much to see them 

 introduced into Scotland ; and am certain they 

 would be more profitable than any other species. 

 Until that can be accomplished, I can recommend 

 the second or third cro-s from the white Cumber- 

 land boar with the black Guinea, Siamese or Chi- 

 na sow. They are sjKitled black and white. Mr 

 Culley speaks well of the Berkshires." 



Broomhill, near Annan, Scotland, 1814. 



From the All)any Cultivator. 



DISEASfCS OF SWINE. 

 Messrs Editors — Is there no remedy for dis- 

 eases in swine.' I have lost twenty valuable pigs 

 in the course of the last six months, by blind stag- 

 gers, consumption, (sometimes with and sometimes 

 without cough,) obtruding of the rectum, and many 

 without apparent cause. I have looked to books 

 in vain for information. Lost week three beauti- 

 ful, healthy Berkshire pigs, as handsome ns I ever 

 saw, and two emaciated, unhealthy animals, in 

 three different pens, were attacked on the same 

 morning, and all ihe remedies known, which I con- 

 sidered as mere quackeries, were resorted to, and 

 in a few hours some, and in 24 hours all, fell vic- 

 tims to it. I wish every man that takes the Culti- 

 vator, would send all his fig and cattle remedies 

 for general condensation and arrangement, and 

 see if we can learn any thii;g by it. I conceive 

 the appointment of scientific men by the State to 

 note the different diseases and experiments for 

 cures, would be of more service to us than the be- 

 stowal of the same amount of legislative aid in 

 any shape whatever. R. L. 



Wo have found charcoal one of the best preven- 

 tives of disease in swine. They will eat it freely, 

 if placed within their reach, and we have never 

 known hogs attacked wiih disease when occasion- 

 ally fed with it. — Eds. Cult. 



DECAYED TURNIPS. 

 To the Editor of the Farmer's Cabinet: 



Sir, — Seeing many inquiries as to the cause of 

 the rotting of a turnip crop, without the least ap- 

 pearance of the disease externally, and having had 

 much experience in the raising root-crops of vari- 

 ous kinds, I would say, the evil arises from a wet 

 and retentive subsoil. Four years ago, I sowed a 

 fiesh broken up piece of land with ruta baga ; it 

 had been in wood, and this was the first cultivated 

 crop that had been raised upon it. 'Ihe plants 

 came well, and flourished for a season, when some 

 of them began to turn blue, and they were then 

 soon full of the animal, called fiimiliarly, the plant- 

 louse ; others, however, retained their healthy ap- 

 pearance, while their internal parts were one mass 

 of corruption ; and it was curious to observe, on 



putting one's foot on a large healthy-looking tur- 

 nip, and full of foliage, how suddenly the whole 

 superstructure would crush down into com|)lete 

 rottenness, the shell not being more than half an 

 inch in thickness. On examining the tap-roots of 

 many of then, they were found rotten, although 

 the disease had not extended, in some cases, to 

 within several inches of the bulb, while the effluvia 

 which arose, from many, even of the comparatively 

 sound-looking roots, was convincing proof of in- 

 cipient decay. Many of the roots, to appearance 

 perlectly sound, were packed away for winter pro- 

 vender, but I believe I may say, that not one of 

 them proved in reality so, and no cattle would 

 touch them. 



The winter following revealed the truth, for, on 

 examining the land, it was found to be full of stag, 

 nant water to within a few inches of the surface ; 

 since then, it has been drained and well cultivnted, 

 and I have no idea that the crop of turnips which I 

 intend to grow upon it the present season, will de- 

 cay on the land. Should they, however, deceive 

 me, I will tell the truth, and inform you of the re- 

 sult, "right or wrong." Jonri Sturges. 



P. S. A writer in the Yankee Farmer complains 

 that many of his diseased turnips were injured by 

 grubs. I beg to say this would not have been the 

 case, had not the turnips been first diseased. 



FACTS. 



" Facts are stubborn things." 



1. A poor farmer will be a poor man. 



2. A large manure-heap makes a full granary. 



3. Intelligence to plan, industry to execute, and 

 economy to preserve — prosperity follows. 



4. Ignorance, idleness and waste are followed 

 close in the rear by distress, poverty and want. 



5. The interest and happiness of the owner of 

 all domestic, animals are promoted by kind treat- 

 ment, full feeding and cleanliness. Try it. 



fi. Poor tillage, poor crops. 



7. To raise an abundance of grass is the founda- 

 tion of all good husbandry, and should be the first 

 and last effort of every person who desires to be a 

 successful and prosperous farmer. 



8. Plants derive their nutriment from the soil, 

 and every crop removed takes away part of its pro- 

 ductive power, which an honest farmer will take 

 pleasure and derive profit from restoring as soon 

 as possible. 



9. Those who trespass on the kindly disposition 

 of the soil to produce crops, without making ade- 

 quate returns to it, are soon brought to judgment. 



10. A wise man will spread neither his manure 

 nor his labor over more ground than will enable 

 him to attain a maximum result. 



11. Postponing doing right, is doing wrong. 



12. A well-cultivated garden is the most profita- 

 ble part of a farmer's domain. — Farmer^s Cab. 



What majesty there is in the christian's death ! 

 What a glory in his hope! As the rivers roll the 

 smoothe-it the nearer they approach the ocean ; as 

 the rose smells the sweetest when dying; as the 

 sun appears most glorious when setting, so it is 

 with the christian. — Buck. 



Pride is the first thing that overcomes man, and 

 the last thing that man overcomes. — Si. Augxis- 

 tine. 



