254 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



[iMarch 4, 



L«W it. l JU?J J--JJ-l-i 1 1 'Tm'M 



NEW ENGLAND FAR MER. 



FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1825. 



CATERPILLARS ON APPLE TREES. 



We have received a communication with the signa- 

 ture " A MarshfitU Farmer;^ relating to the above 

 mentioned insects. The writer states that in order to 

 get rid of them, " I used gunpowder but to no great 

 eflfect. I then tried a match of brimstone on the end 

 of a pole — used quick silver, and rock weed also, as 

 Dr. Deane has recommended, but could not perceive 

 any essential effect from any of these articles."' 



" But having seen the following method, it struck me 

 at once that it would prove effectual. I resolved to 

 make the experiment. I bored a hole to the centre 

 of a tree, as much affected as any in the orchard, with 

 an half inch augur. I then filled the hole with sul- 

 phur, getting as much in as possible ; and lastly drove 

 in a piece of wood, the size of the hole bored, to pre- 

 vent the sap or sulphur's oozing out, and to my great 

 astonishmeat in less then forty eight hours, I snw my 

 tree rejected by the insects ; not a vestige of a cater- 

 pillar remained. If this easy and effec!u;il remedy 

 should become universal the caterpillar w.i.Ui soon 

 quit our orchards." 



[remarks ev the editor.] 



We shonlH be very glad if the remerly pro- 

 posed by our correspondent might prove eflec- 

 tunl. But we fear that it will not answer the 

 purpose anticipated. We acknowledge, that we 

 once had hopes, (though we ever doubled) that 

 it might prove ellicacious ; and have recom- 

 mended making experiments for the purpose 

 of ascertaining the fact. Experiments have 

 been made, and their results published in our 

 paper vol. 2, pages 370 and 377. The article 

 first referred to was written by Dr. Tir.ArHEit, of 

 Plymouth, Ms. Author of the American Orchard- 

 ist, a gentleman whose science and habits of 

 observation have rendered him as competent 

 an arbiter in a case of this kind as could be se- 

 lected. Dr. Thacher not only tried the plan 

 ofinserting sulphur in the body of the tree, 

 with no good effect, but " opened a nest of cater- 

 pillars and filled it with, sulphur^ wrapped a cov- 

 ering of paper round the nest, to confine the 

 insects, and left them completely exposed to 

 the noxious drug for about twenty four hours, 

 when finding them in the enjoyment of perfect 

 health and vigour he subjected them to the 

 fumes of burning sulphur, to which they ilid not 

 yield till scorched by the blaze." 



The experiment detailed in page 377, vol. 2. 

 of the New England Farmer is scarcely less de- 

 cisive against the beneficial operation of sul- 

 phur, in the mode in which it was applied by 

 '■'■A Marshfidd Farmer''' We, are, therefore, 

 constrained to believe that our correspondent 

 was misleil by appearances. Perhaps, when 

 sulphur was apjdied, the time of the year had 

 arrived in which the insects, having finished 

 their labours tor the season wpre about to leave 

 their habitations. They abandon the trees ol 

 their own accord about the last of June, and if 

 the sulphur is used a day or two before their 

 vnlvntunj departure, one might well suppose 

 that they were driven off by the drug, when, 

 in fact, "they merely followed their own incli- 

 nation and instincts, without lieinu; disturbcil in 

 the least by the nie^ins used for their annoyance. 



Besides, granting that sulphur, and as above 

 mentioned, should drive caterpillars from fruit 

 trees, unless it should destroy them, ot which 

 there is no probability, the insects might, per- 

 haps, fall on the crops of the t'armer, and cause 

 as much mischief as if they had been suffered 

 to finish their repast on Fruit Trec^. 



" A Marshfield Farmer" refers to Dr. Deane's 

 New England Farmer, as recommending the 

 use of (luicksihcr, rock weed, &c. for destroy- 

 ing insects on fruit trees. But in the last edi- 

 tion of that work, by Wells and Lilly, Boston, 

 1822, these supposed remedies are omitted ; 

 and the following paragraph substituted, by a 

 gentleman whose observations have been the 

 result of science and experience, and have ren- 

 dered the edition of Wells and Lilly much su- 

 perior to any prior editions. 



" We must enter our protest against all pro- 

 jects of boring holes into trees, and filling them 

 with mercurial preparations, or any other sub- 

 stance, as preventatives against the Curcu'io, 

 the Aphis, and as some say, all insects. This 

 is too empyrical, and there is too much non- 

 sense alre.idy in the world to attempt to in- 

 crease it." — Dca>ie^s A'. E. Fanner, page 299. 



It might not be amiss if further experiments 

 were made with sulphur, used as above by 

 those who have leisure and means to try expe- 

 riments for the benefit of the community. We 

 wish that the question might be put at rest. 

 The name of the person making the experi- 

 ment, and all the circumstances attending it are 

 desirable. In the mean time we will venture 

 Instate our belief that the thumb andJinger^Col. 

 Prkering's brush, a little oil of any kind, or 

 spirits of turpentine are the most iure remedies. 



We are requested by Mr Stcbbins, Chairman 

 of the Viewing Committee of the Hartford Coun- 

 ty Agricultural Society, to supply an important 

 omission in their Report, in our last paper, p. 2 11, 

 which gives a mistaken view of the sentiments 

 of the Committee. The conclusion of the re- 

 marks on Mr Grant's farm should read as follows : 

 "The Committee regard the situation ofCapt. 

 Grant as peculiar ; and would probably not be 

 justified in placing him upon a level with common 

 farmers. But though his advantages are such, 

 as in our view to remove him from a fair com- 

 petition with others, still he has liis re-s:ard, and 

 that a rich one, arising from the profits of his 

 farm, and the consciousness of contributing so 

 extensively to the interests of agriculture ; and 

 we doubt not," Sic. 



JS'ational Leo-islature. 



o 



Sl'.NATF,.— Feb. 18. .Mr King of New York submit- 

 ted a resolution for the nett proceeds of the sale of pub- 

 lic lands, after a cert.iin period, for the emancipation 

 of slaves, and the removal of free persons of colour t^c. 

 wliich was read and ordered to be printed. A resolu- 

 linn to appropriate 6000 dollars for the purpose of 

 I'ealc's I'icture embracing a portrait of Gen. VVashbig- 

 ton, Laiayittc, Hamilton, &c. was taken up, aud after 

 debate laid on the table. 



Feb. 21. Amendments to the fortification appropri- 

 ation bill, rpconimending an appropriation of $30,000 

 for IliP erection of a Fort at Beaufort, N. C. and |50.000 

 for Forts at Cape Fear, in the same State, were accept- 

 ed— '29 to 11. 



r'F.B. 2'i. A Message was received from the Presi- 

 dent respecting the Claims of the i^tate of Massachu- 

 setts for services in the late war ; — in which he ob- 

 serves that he is " confirmed iu the opinion that Con- 



gress should now decide on the Claim, and allow the 

 State such portions thereof as are founded on the prin- 

 ciples laid down in a former Message." This Mes- 

 sage, after some remarks by Mr Webster, was referred 

 to tile Military Committee, 



'I'he bill for the preservation and civilization of the 

 Indian Tribes within the United States, was discussed, 

 ordered for a third reading, aud passed the next day. 



HOUSE— Feb, 18, The President transmitted to the 

 House a report of the Secretary of State "touching the 

 capture and detention of -American fishermen," during 

 the last session. Three thousand copies of the report 

 of the Committee, on the suppression of the African 

 Slave Trade, were ordered to be printed. 



A hill concerning canal vessels and boats, was dis- 

 cussed, and, after debate, was so amended that the 

 several acts regulating the commerce of the United 

 States, and imposing duties on tonnage, &c. shall not 

 be construed to extend to boats emploj'ed, exclusively, 

 in navigating the canals within the respective .States. 



Feb. 21. .\ bill directing a discrimination between 

 importations, by citizens of the United States and those 

 on Ibreign account, was discussed, and has since pass- 

 ed the House. 



The Committee on the Message of the President on 

 his own affairs, made a report, which was laid on the 

 table, aud ordered to be printed. 



Messrs Gales aud Seaton were elected printers to the 

 House for the 19th Congress. 



Feb. 23. Statements of the passengers, who arrived 

 in the United States from foreign countries in the year 

 ending Sept. 30, 1824 (total 9,^60;) and also a return 

 of American seamem were communicated by the Sec- 

 retary of State, and ordered to be printed. 



A communication from the Treasurer of (he U. P. 

 containing the General Account of his office from July 

 1, 1823, to March 31, 1824, (by which it appeared that 

 the total amount in the Treasury, June 30, 1824, was 

 4;7,794,129 and 71 cents) was laid on the table. 



The House, after debate, ordered the bill to be en- 

 grossed, which provided for the payment of interest to 

 the State of Virginia, and negatived an amendment to 

 extend said payment to the several States, 



JMassadiusdis Legislature. 



SENATE.— Feb. 23. The Committee on the sub- 

 jrrt of preventing a debtor from disposing of any wood 

 or timber standing on land under attachment, reported 

 that it is inexpedient to make any alteration, which 

 report was accepted. 



The bill establisliing a free bridge in the city of Bos- 

 i ton, passed to be engrossed, and has since passed both 

 I Houses to be enacted. 



Fee. 24. Resolutions authorizing the appointment 



I of Commissioners to make surveys of scitcs lor canals 



from the Hudson River to the Harbour of Boston, and 



appropriating $5000 for the purpose, passed both 



Houses. 



Feb. 2.5. A resolution was unanimously accepted, 

 that the thanks of the .Senate be presented to the Hon. 

 \ATn.4siEL SiLSBEE, their President, — to which the 

 President expressed his acknowledgment in a reply 

 well adapted to the occasion. 



Feb. 26. The pay roll of the Senate, for the Scs- 

 ion, amounted to $4123 ;— that of the House to$20,558. 

 .Accepted. 



Owing to disagreement between the two Houses the 

 annual Tax Act has not passed. 



HOUSE. — Feb. 24. A resolve passed making the 

 compensation of the I. lent. Governor, so long as he ex- 

 ecutes the duties of Chief Magistrate, (he same as that 

 allowed the Governor. A number of bills, mostly of a 

 private nature, passed to be enacted. 



Feb. 25, The (hanks of (he House wore presented 

 to the Hon, Wii.i.iam C. Jabvis, for the dignified, 

 able, and impartial manner in which he had discharged 

 the duties of Speaker, — to which the Hon, Speaker 

 returned a pertinent and eloquent reply, 



.4mong the bills passed to be enacted, were tho«e (o 

 aid the Bunker Hill Monument Association ; in addition 

 to the several acts respecting highways ; in addition to 

 an act imposing duties on s:-le3 at auction ; in addition 

 to acts to rclirve towns from expenses of persons im- 

 prisoned for debt ; in addition to an act for suppressing 

 rogues and vagabonds. 



