NO. 20. 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



307 



genus Ichneumon, whoso instinctive habits 

 lead them to deposit their eggs in the larva) 

 of other insects, such as caterpillars, &c. 

 They do tins in order that their progeny may 

 feed upon them; but in doing so they also 

 destroy them. Like all other /^ar«.fi7es, they 

 first impoverish, and then destroy their gene- 

 rous supporters. Adapted to the transient 

 nature of their nidus, the larva) of the iclmeu- 

 nions, speedily pass through their several 

 stages, sometimes even before tlie death, or 

 transformation of the worm, ihey inhabit. 

 Hence, we may sometimes see the larva), or 

 perhaps the perfect insect, issuing from the 

 dying or dead caterpiller. A circumstance 

 well suited to decieve incautious observers, 

 and to atU)rd a hint to those who " see cut 

 worms changing tojlies.'''' 



In the ichneumon family, there is fortun- 

 atelv one species which selects the larva) of 

 the wheat Hy, for the nidus of its ollspring. It 

 belongs to the 



Order, Hymenoptera— having four wings, 

 the upper ones largest, not reticu- 

 lated. 



Genus, Ceraphron — of Lattriele. 

 Species, Destructor — of Say. 



Ceraphron-destructor. Body, black ; ab- 

 domen, subovate pointed ; length, one tenth 

 of an inch. Has considerable resemblance to 

 a wasp in miniature. 



It appears to seek out the larvae of the 

 cecydomyia, and to deposit its eggs in them, 

 by piercing the sheath of the leaf, as the pea 

 bug pierces the pod, opposite the green pea, 

 for the same purpose. It may be sometimes 

 obtained from wheat, in the same manner as 

 was recommended ibr procuring the wheat 

 fly. Probably, it does not come out so early 

 as the wheat tly, by one or two weeks. For 

 a detailed description, and figure, see the 

 paper already refered to, in the Journal of 

 the Acad. JSat Science, vol. I, p. 47. 



It is impossible to estimate the extent of 

 influence, which the ceraphron exerts in 

 checking the increase of the cecydomyia. I 

 am inclined to think it very great. Perhaps 

 without it, we might be entirely unable to 

 raise wheat at all. 



Since the foregoing was written, a friend 

 of mine, who is a very correct observer, in- 

 formed me that he once brought home a 

 handful of straws, containing the fly, and laid 

 them in an out building. A day or two after, 

 he observed a considerable number of cera- 

 phrons collected upon the straw ; and appar- 

 ently in search of the young cecydomyise. 

 Should they increase in a greater ratio, than 

 the last named insect, they may be the means 

 of eventually rendering it harmless, if they do 

 not altogether exterminate it. 



JVew Garden, ith mo. ^ih, 1837. 



[We give the following communication 

 from one of nur valued corresporMJents a place 

 in the Cabinet, in order that both sides may 

 bo lieard. No good, we are persuaded, can 

 possibly result from a "war of words," but 

 the greatest benefit may be expected, from a 

 liill and free " investigation of facts." VV^e 

 therefore hope thatour correspondents, waving 

 all personalities, will continue tlie investiga- 

 tion, as we are satisfied that a free discussion 

 of the subject, will have a tendency to correct 

 many of the prevailing errors, with which 

 it is now surrounded.] 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 " Docs the Pltli of the Horn waste awayT" 



Observer's reply to my article, seems so 

 armed at all points, that I feel some reluc- 

 tance in making a rejoinder, for fear it may 

 lead to a war of words, instead of an investi- 

 gation of facts. 



Observer says, that the omission of the 

 symptom of cold horn, in iiis quotation from 

 Dr. Tofts, was quite unintentional ; this is a 

 sufllcient apology ; and whether the symptom 

 is important or not, it was certainly important 

 to rectify the error. 



The next point of difference seems to have 

 grown out of a mistake. Observer says, 

 "during life the blood must circulate through 

 the horn." I understood him to mean during 

 the life of the animal, but Observer appears 

 to have intended it to apply merely to the 

 life of the horn. 



We now come to what Observer calls the 

 "pith of the controversy ;" "does the pith of 

 the horn waste, — yea or nay ] " Here Ob- 

 server repeats his challenge, and grows im- 

 patient for a horn; even asks for a hundred 

 hollow horns :*and from this out, the tone and 

 manner of his reply, seems better fitted for 

 " challenge" and conquest, than for quiet and 

 sober investigation. 



I am glad to see Observer correcting his 

 " speculations" or more properly his quota- 

 tions ; he finds them " more erroneous" than 

 he "expected them to be." 



I will hint to him still further improve- 

 ments ; in page 212 of the Cabinet he says 

 " a vast number of the hides of such cattle, 

 are annually sold to tanners throughout our 

 country. The shell is separated from the 

 pith of the horns, aflx)rding an excellent 

 school for observation." In the regular 

 business of tanning, no such separation takes 

 place ; the tanners cut out the horns, shell 

 and pith together; throw them into a horn 

 house, or place of deposit : there they l:iy 

 until the comb maker comes, and the house 

 is emptied. Tanners know no more about 

 the hollow horn, than other people, only as 

 they have the means of making experiments. 

 I likewise think it would be wise in Observer, 



