1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



383 



tempts that have been made to put it in practice 

 have sadly failed. 



On reviewing his figures, our author remarks 

 that "if they show a somewhat more moderate re- 

 turn than other writers have promised, they are 

 at least likely to be realized, and, with a good 

 market, offer sound inducements to the enterpris- 

 ing capitalist." 



Five Aches too Much. A truthful elucidation of the 

 attractions of the Country, and a careful considera- 

 liou of the question of I'roflt and Ljss as involved in 

 amateur F.rming, with much valu ihle Advice and 

 Iiintructiin to those about purchasir-g Large or Small 

 Places in the rural Districts. By R^birt B. RooHe- 

 V. It, Author of "Game Fish of North Ameiica," &c. 

 New Yoik: Harper & Brothers. Boston: A. Wil- 

 ji.ims & Co. 1869. Priue $1.50. 296 pages. 



This volume is dedicated to the writers of such 

 books as "Ten Acres Enough," and is an extrava- 

 gant burlesque on their representations, as illus- 

 trated by the experience of a city lawyer in an at- 

 tempt to reduce their advice and directions to 

 practice. 



Connecticut State Board of Agriculture. — 

 The following officers were elected at a meeting 

 held June 8 : — 



President. — Governor Marshall Newell, Hart- 

 ford. 



Vice Prm'rf«!«.— Hon. E.H.Hyde, Strafford. 



Executive Committee. — B. B. Plum, Trumbull ; 

 James A. Bill, Lyme; H. S. Collins, Collinsville, 

 and Secretary Gould. 



For the New England Farmer. 



SEASON" AND FBUIT IN CHESHIRE 

 CO , N. H.---A NEW INSECT. 



After passing one of the most peculiar of 

 winters, we are again enjoying the charms and 

 beauties of spring and summer. 



No place on earth is more charming or more 

 enchanting to the lover of nature than the 

 mountains of New England at this season. 

 Here the trees are filled with blossoms and 

 songsters, and the air with fragrance and mel- 

 ody. These little warblers seemed never so 

 plenty as this season ; and God seems to have 

 sent the antidote with the poison, for the 

 worms and insects are very numerous, deter- 

 mined and a(;tive. Let there be peace on 

 earth and goodwill toward birds, if not among 

 men. We will spare them to go south to win- 

 ter, as all their music is reserved for the 

 spring and summer, which is the charm of the 

 seasons. How many more martins and swal- 

 lows we might have about our dwellings, if we 

 would but furnish them with suitable accom- 

 modations ! They love civilization and the 

 haunts of man, and are one of his greatest 

 friends. 



The heavy body of snow of last winter, 

 (which gave us 122 days of uninterrupted 

 sleijhin J.) preserved the crops and trees from 

 frost, and the prospect for all kinds of crops 

 e:;ccpt the apple, is remarkably good. This 

 season is two weeks earlier than last, and ve- 



getation comes on rapidly. Corn, potatoes, 

 rye, oats and barley all look well at this date. 

 There being but little frost in the ground dur- 

 ing the winter, the melting snow readily en- 

 tered the ground, giving the grass a good 

 start, and the continued rains have brought 

 this crop up to a very promising condition. 

 March being the coldest month of the winter 

 season, the snow was kept on late, which held 

 vegetation in check, and carried us safely past 

 the ticne for severe late frosts. 



'I'he apple blossom is liglit, but very strong, 

 full and well set. The trees have taken on a 

 very heavy foliage, and are growing rapidly . 

 They are not so likely to hold their fruit, how- 

 ever, as when they take on less foliage. Pears 

 have bloomed very full and are setting well. 

 Louise Bonne de Jersey, Superfin, Bartlett, 

 Glout Morceau, Flemish Beauty, and Shel- 

 don, are right on their pomolgical dignity. I 

 have the Astrachan and Tompkins County 

 King Apples, on dwarf stocks, but the stand- 

 aids bear best at same age. These dwarf 

 trees should not be "set six or seven feet 

 apart," as nurserymen and others recommend ; 

 mine require twelve feet at six years old. The 

 King is a powerful grower, of the spread eagle 

 style. The Astrachan is more compact, and 

 makes a splendid tree. 



The apple borer comes down on us this 

 spring for a desperate fight, bringing along its 

 natural ally, the canker worm, that the attack 

 may be general and simultaneous. 



I send you herewith specimens of these 

 worms, and of the fly which, I think, begets 

 them, for examination. Is it identical with 

 the "canker worm" that does so much damage 

 to the fruit trees in your section ? This worm 

 attacks the currant as well as the apple, and 

 occasionally the pear. The Brown Sparrow 

 and little Yellow Bird are diligent hunters of 

 this worm, and should be sacredly spared for 

 this purpose. L. L. Pierce. 



East Jaffrey, N. E., June 5, 1869. 



Rejlvrks. — All but one of the worms en- 

 closed were crushed and destroyed in the mail 

 bags. Insects should always be put into a 

 small stiff box for transportation by mail. Be- 

 ing satisfied that it was not the "Canker 

 Worm," we submitted the specimens to Sam- 

 uel H. Scudder, Esq., of the Boston Society 

 of Natural History, who has examined them 

 and kindly furnished the following statement: 



"Editor op New England Farmer,— 

 Dear Sir: — The caterpillars sent by your 

 correspondent are unknown to me, but are al- 

 lied, not distantly, to the Canker Worm. The 

 remedies, however, which check the ravages 

 of the latter, dependent as they are in great 

 measure upon the wingless condition of the 



