1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARIVIER. 



117 



SAXiTINQ GRUBS. 

 A correspondent of the Lansing, Michigan, 

 Eepuhlican, — "S. H." — probably our friend 

 Sanford Howard, — very justly criticises the 

 little paragraph in the Farmer, Dec. 12, about 

 killing grubs with salt. The writer objects, 

 in the first place, that the term "grub" is too 

 indefinite, as the word is applied to the larvse 

 of various insects. In the second place, no 

 part of the field was left unsalted, to see 

 what would be the difference between ground 

 salted and unsalted ; therefore it is possible 

 that the disappearance of the grubs was the re- 

 sult, not of the salt, but of some other cause. 

 Insects appear and disappear in a very myste- 

 rious manner, and "in cases where substances 

 are applied to destroy them when they are 

 nearly ready to pass into the pupa state, their 

 sudden disappearance leads superficial observ- 

 ers to conclude that the application has de- 

 stroyed them, when in fact it has had no effect 

 whatever." 



In this case, the writer doubts whether the 

 salt had any effect upon the worms, and says : 



To test the efficacy of salt for the destruction of 

 "grubs," we have applied much larger quantities 

 in proportion to the surface, in boxes in which 

 cut-worms, wire-worms, and other species were 

 placed, without the least injury to the worms, 

 some of which passed into the pupa or chrysalis 

 state, to all appearance in perfect health. 



Ignorance of the habits of insects probably 

 leads to many wrong conclusions in regard 

 to the effect of substances applied to destroy 

 them. It is not always known that they stop 

 eating when they have reached the full period of 

 their larval stage, and generally pass out of sight. 



The lesson to be drawn from these cases, is that 

 the science of entomology should be studied by 

 every person who has anything to do vdth the 

 larm or garden. A better knowledge of natural his- 

 tory would prevent the occurrence of many ludi- 

 crous and serious mistakes ; would save the ex- 

 pense and trouble of applying useless nostrums 

 for preventing the depredations of insects, or for 

 destroying them, and teach the best methods of 

 preventing their ravages. 



In this connection we would recommend a work 

 now in course of publication, entitled, "A Guide 

 to the Study of Insects, and a Treatise on those In- 

 jurious and Beneficial to Cmps, by A. S. Packard, 

 Jr., M. D., Salem, Mass." Ihe work is well illus- 

 trated, and is sold in regular numbers, at 50 cents 

 each. 



Reciprocity at the West. — In a letter to 

 the editor of the Ohio Farmer, R. M. Mont- 

 gomery, Esq., a leading farmer of that State, 

 says: — "The first we know, the morning 

 papers will announce the ratification of a 'Re- 

 ciprocity treaty' with Canada, and then — 

 good bye to the growth of combing wool in 

 the States, and (by sympathy) good bye to 

 the profits of wool growing in general. And 



as this is but the 'beginning of the end' — good 

 bye to the arrangement of a compromise tariff 

 between the growers and manufacturers. In 

 short — good bye to any effective wool tariff, 

 and hail to a free competition with Mestiza 

 wool." 



VERMOiSfT STATE SOCIETY. 



We learn by the Bellows Falls Times that 

 the annual meeting of the Vermont State Ag- 

 ricultural Society was held at that place Jan. 

 5, 1869. 



Hon. Joseph Colburn, of Springfield, pre- 

 sented resolutions against the > e-establishment 

 of the recently abrogated treaty with Canada, 

 and they were adopted. 



The following officers were chosen : — 



President, Henry Keyes, of Newbury. 



Vice Presidents, 11. G. Koot, Bkiu ington ; H. 8. 

 Morse, 8he:burne; W. R. Sauford, Orwell; Crosby Mil- 

 ler, of Pomfret. 



Secretaru, Henry Clark, of Rutland, 



Treasurer, J. W. Colburn, of Sprinefield. 



Directors. Edwin Hammond, Midd.e ury; Elijah 

 Cleveland, Coven'ry; Geo. Campbell, Wi-slminster; 

 Henry Hiyward, Kutlaiid; John Gregory, IsoilliReld; 

 N. B. fli.ffo:d, Hartford; Henry B. Ktnt, Dorset; Law- 

 rence Brainard, Jr., 8t. Albans ; David Goodeli, Brat- 

 tleboro'; Edwia S. Btowell, Cornwall; Jas. A. gbedd, 

 Burlington; Henry Chase, Ljndon; Geo. A. Merrill, 

 Rutland; C, Horace Hubbard, Springfield; 8. G. Hol- 

 yoke, St. Albans; L. 8. Drew, Burlington. 



Edwin Hammond was elected the member 

 of the executive committee of the National 

 Wool Grower's Association of Vermont. 



An address was delivered before the meet- 

 ing by the retiring President, Hon. John 

 Gregory, of Northfield. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 NE"W HAMPSHIRE FARMERS' COW- 

 VENTIOJSr. 



Acting upon the advice you have often given 

 to the readers of the Farmer to visit each 

 other's farms, and to attend fairs and discus- 

 sions whenever possible, I was present at the 

 recent gathering in Manchester to learn some- 

 thing about New Hampshire farmers and their 

 agriculture. I will not attempt any report of 

 the various lectures, supposing you will re- 

 ceive one from another source, but send a few 

 thoughts suggested by the occasion. 



The Convention was well attended by an 

 intelligent and appreciative audience. The 

 lecturers were earnest men and manifested a 

 deep interest in their various specialties, and 

 generally came to the subject assigned with- 

 out useless apologies or time-wasting pre- 

 ambles. The managers, in assigning so many 

 topics for two day's work, displayed a prom- 

 inent characteristic of New England farming, 

 — that of attempting to cultivate a large farm 

 with a small capital. Of course, no one could 

 be thoroughly discussed. A spirited discus- 



