1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



73 



feed to-day, as yesterday, or a year ago ; popula- 

 tion and immigration continue to fill the country 

 at a rapid rate ; consumption increases, and the 

 ability to supply scarcely keeps pace with the de- 

 mand. The rush to cities to trade and live gen- 

 teelly has been a curse to the country, draining 

 the farm to fill the cities, and if the general crash 

 shall change the tide and establish more content- 

 ment on the farm, then we shall have gained by 

 the sad lesson. 



Now is the time to review the past, and, if any 

 of us have been bitten by the various delusions 

 of the daj , to draw from them lessons of wisdom, 

 and learn, henceforth, to shun the rock upon which 

 so many have dashed their hard earnings, as well 

 as fond hopes. It is but a poor consolation, that 

 others are in the same difficulty with ourselves. 

 Let us strive to lend aid, not require it. 



Farmers cannot afford to "look at the ele- 

 phant'' often, and when they have once seen the 

 curiosity, it should suffice, remembering that it is 

 the same, whether it's Cochin China fowls at 

 .$50 a pair, Chinese yams or sugar cane, or hunt- 

 ing up a nice, eaay and genteel business, where a 

 person w'ith $25 capital can obtain $100 per 

 month, &c. This is a fast age, and if we appro- 

 priate the good things of this world for our com- 

 fort and convenience, and use them wisely, as God 

 intended we should, a long and happy life awaits 

 the honest sons of the farm, such as few others 

 can equal. That they may blend more of the po- 

 etry of life with the labor of the hands, thank 

 God and take courage, is the wish of a 



Concord, Dec, 1857. Brother Farmer, 



For the New England Farmer, 



CUBCULIO. 



This subject has seemingly been exhausted, 

 and the recent communications upon it but repe- 

 titions of what has been said before, or the fail- 

 ure of remedies recommended. Well, "Hope on, 

 hope ever." Try experiments ; reccommend them 

 to others, and give the results to the world. — 

 The question is often asked, where do curculios 

 live over winter ? I frankly confess that I do not 

 know, but think that they live in the earth, and 

 will give my reason, that others may judge what 

 grounds I have for my belief. It is a well known 

 fact, that curculios come from the earth perfect 

 insects in from two to three weeks after they 

 have finished their work of destruction upon the 

 young fruits in the spring. They prepare for 

 another generation, and according to the general 

 rules of insect life, (ants and bees excepted,) must 

 soon die, whether they can find conveniences for 

 depositing their eggs or not. Now the question 

 is, how do the larva? of this late brood find 

 nourishment to mature a sufficient number, to do 

 the immense amount of mischief that we annu- 

 ally witness? The black knots on plum and 

 cherry trees is one resource, and I have often 

 found them or their work in a ripe apple ; the 

 crescent mark had healed up and resembled a 

 mole on the human skin, and the little worm had 

 not length of life sufficient to reach the core or 

 do but little mischief, yet the unmistakable signs 

 were there. Peaches and plums often have a 

 worm in them, and the egg must have been de- 

 posited after the stone became hard, or the fruit 



would have made but little progress towards ma- 

 turity. Late in July, and early in August, I have 

 seen curculios upon ripe currants and raspberries 

 who seemed to be seeking for a place to deposit 

 their eggs. Late In the season, blackberries, rasp- 

 berries and whortleberries frequently have worms 

 in them, and they are rejected as being maggoty 

 but may it not be curculios ? Who m-111 decide 

 or throw any light upon the subject? Let the 

 ball be kept "in motion. Mrs. N. Darling. 

 New Haven, Conn., Nov. 9, 1857. 



UNITED STATES AGBICUIiTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



SIXTH ANXUAL MEETING. 



The United States Agricultural Society will 

 hold its sixth annual meeting in the lecture room 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington 

 city, on Wednesday, the thirteenth day of Janu- 

 ary, 1858, when the election of officers Avill then 

 be held, and the business required by the consti- 

 tution of the Society will be transacted. 



Officers and members of the Society are re- 

 spectfully notified to attend, and a cordial invita- 

 tion is extended to State and other Agricultural 

 Associations to send delegates, that there may 

 be a general repi-esentatlon of agriculturists "in 

 Congress assembled," to protect and sustain their 

 interests, acting as a national organization on 

 such matters pertaining to agriculture as may be 

 deemed appropriate. Gentlemen from other lands 

 who may be interested in the acquisition and dif- 

 fusion of agricultural knoAvledgc, are also invited 

 to attend, and to participate in the proceedings. . 



The published volume of Transactions for 1857"; . 

 containing reports of the Trial of Reapers av,d 

 Mowers at Syracuse, and of the Grand Annnq,l 

 Exhibition at Louisville, will be delivered to mam- 

 bers of the Society at the annual meeting. 



Important agricultural topics will be publicly 

 discussed, after introductory remarks by eminent 

 scientific agriculturists. Among them will be : 

 "Ilie Chinese Sugar Cane," ^^ The necessity of hav- 

 ing a more perfect laioivledge of the mineral ne- 

 cessities of our oion crops developed," "Meteorolo- 

 gical observations for the benefit of agriculture," 

 '^Manures and Fertilisers," "The disease hioivn as 

 'Hog-c7iolera,'" "The Improved Kentuclty Sheep," 

 "Agricidturcd Colleges and Farm Scliools," and 

 "Ihe Agricultural Politics of our Country." 



Public notice will be given of the time when 

 the discussion of each of the above-named topics 

 will be commenced. Gentlemen having other 

 topics pertinent to the advancement of agricul- 

 ture, which they may wish to introduce or to have 

 discussed, will please refer them to the Executive 

 Committee, through the Secretary, that a place 

 may be assigned them on the prpgramme. 



Propositions from cities at which the next An- 

 nual Exhibition of the Society is desired, wIH be 

 received and considered. 



The business office of the Society is in Todd's 

 Marble Building, one door Avest of Brown's Ho- 

 tel, Pennsylvania Avenue, where all interested in 

 the cause of agricultural improvement are invited 

 to call when in Washington city. Agricultural 

 newspapers directed to the Secretary will be there 

 placed on file for public inspection, and contribu- 

 tions of agricultural works for the library arc 



