Vol. IX.— No. .33. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



259 



passing round the segments. Two distinct and 

 dirtoront kinds of lines are seen on oacli segment ; 

 tlic iipi)erinost of them is narrower, and consists of 

 larger dots, underneath this there is a broader line, 

 and the dots smaller. The first are easily seen by 

 using the lens to be real hooks bent upwards or 

 towards the tail of the insect ; and on examining 

 the broader line of small dots, ivitli a tolerably 

 powertul magnifier they were found also to be real 

 hooks turned in an opposite direction to the former,' 

 &c. 



At certain seasons of the year tlie parent of 

 this larva attacks neat cattle for the purpose of de- 

 positing its eggs beneath their hides ; and ' al- 

 though its efl'ects on the cattle are so often remarked, 

 yet the fly itself is rarely seen or taken, as the at- 

 tempt would be attended with considerable danger, 

 if the insect is in pursuit of tlie oxen. The pain 

 inflicted in depositing its eggs appears to be very 

 severe. When one of the cattle is attacked by 

 the fly it is easily known by the extreme terror 

 and agitation of the whole herd. The unfortunate 

 object of the attack runs bellowing from among 

 them to some distant part of the pasture or the 

 inearest water. The tail from the severity of the 

 ipain is held with a tremulous motion straight from 

 ;the body, and the head and nock stretched out to 

 the utmost. The rest, from fear, generally follow 

 to the water, or disperse to different parts of the 

 field. 



' When the oxen are yoked to the plough, the 

 •ttack of this fly is attended with danger to the 

 flrivers ; since they become perfectly uncontrolla- 

 Dle, and will often run with the plough directly 

 brward through hedges, or whatever obstructs their 

 way. 



There is provided on this account, to many 

 wloughs a contrivance to set them immediately at 

 iberty. The singular scene attending the attack 

 )f this fly upon the herd has often been the sub- 

 ect of poetical description.' Virgil in his Geor- 

 pcs has given a beautiful sketch of the kind, 

 trhich we have translated as follows. 



Throuijh wavin^^ j^rovc!, whei'e Arno's torrent flows. 

 And where the ilex in redunJance grows, 

 Myriads of insects flutter in the gloom, 

 (CEstrus in Grefice, Asylus named at Rome) 

 Fierce and sonorous : By the horriil sound 

 Driven from the woods and shady glens around, 

 The universal herd in terror fly. 

 Their bellowing shakes the woods and rends the sky. 



It is said that the strongest and healthiest beasts 

 re preferred by this fly. Kirby and Spence af- 

 irm that 'though these insect.s terrify and tor- 

 tient our cattle they do tliein no material injiny. 

 hey indeed occasion iionsideralde tumors under 

 he skin where the botts reside, varying in number 

 rem three or four to thirty or forty; but these 

 eem unattended with any pain, and are so farfrom 

 eing injurious that they are rather regarded as 

 roofs of the goodness of the animal. The tan- 

 ers prefer those hides which have the greatest 

 umber of bolt-holes in them, which are always 

 16 best and strongest.' 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARJJER. 



I ti'd to be, washing tliern with a strong decoction 

 1 of tobacco. At this inclc(nunt season of tlie year, 

 that seems a very harsli, if not inhuman renn^dy ; 

 and mercurial ointment, I have proved to be a 

 very unsafe oi;e. If you, or any of your pracli.- 

 cal correspondents will have the goodness to state 

 via your useful paper any more humane, safe and 

 cfticious method of destri>ying these vermin dm-ing 

 (he cold season, as also any means during the fall 

 and early part of the winter to be used as prophij- 

 tactics you will oblige many fanners in 



/"et." 19, 1831. Essex North. 



Remarks by the Editor. — A writer for the New- 

 England Farmer whose connnuuioation was pub- 

 lished vol. i. p. 307, gives the following method of 

 destroying Vermin on Cattle- 



I have found that a strong decoction of tobacco 

 washed over a beast infested with vermin will 

 generally drive them away ; it sometimes makes 

 the beast very sick a short time. 



But a better way is to mix plenty of strong 

 scotch snufi' in train oil, and rub the back and 

 neck of the creature with it, which will eftectually 

 kill or drive away all vermin from a quadruped. 



Mr John Lane Boylston, in a communication, 

 published. New England Farmer, vol. viii. j). 19. 

 recommends white washing tlie interior of barns, 

 stables, &c, as a remedy for lice in cattle; and 

 likewise advises ' shearing the ears and between 

 the horns, in the full before they are put up to 

 hay.' He says, in white washnig no salt must be 

 used, as is usual in the outside of buildings, lest 

 the cattle should lick itoflf. The same gentleman 

 (who is a practical as well as a scientific cultivator) 

 approves highly of the ])ractice of carding cattle 

 in the winter, after they are put up to hay. 



TO PREVENT SOWS DESTROYING THEIR 

 OFFSPRING. 



Mr Fessende>' — The vexatious propensity of 

 many sows to devour their young offspring, 

 mediately after their birth, is well known. I have 

 never seen in the New England Farmer, nor 

 heard of, an eflTectual preventive. I trust, how- 

 ever, one has at last been found. Last sunmier 

 vessel arrived at Long wharf, in this city, having 

 on board a sow which, very soon after reaching 

 the wharf, produced a fine litter of pigs. — She 

 very soon began to devour them, upon which the 

 captain threw her several pieces of salt pork 

 which she ate greedily, and disturbed the pigs no 

 more. The captain, who was formerly an ex- 

 perienced fanner as well as sea captain, said he 

 bad often tried the experiment, and always with 

 perfect success. This may, or may not, be new 

 to your readers. To me it ajipears very important. 

 Yours truly, 15. 



Boston, March 1, 1831. 



AGRICULTURAL PREMIUMS. 



Mr Editor — I wish to ask through the medi 

 um of the New England Farmer if the Trustees of 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural Society have struck 

 from their list of agricultural products for a pre- 

 mium, the article 'Sprimg Wheat' for the year 

 1831? Also 'Winter Rte' ? As I consider 

 these products among the first to advance the 

 interests of Agriculture, I have thought it may have 

 been a mistake in the jirinterin omitting their men- 

 tion in the list as |)ublished in the last Repository 

 and Journal, No. 3. Vol. X. — An answer to these 

 questions will be gratifying to 



February 25, 1831. A Countryman. 



FOR the new ENGLAND FARMER, 

 BEES. 



Mr Fksskmden — I had on the Ititli day of Inst 

 January a swarm of bees which inelled down, so 

 that one third of the honey ran out, ami half the 

 swarm was drowned in the honey. The weight 

 was fortyeiglit pounds, honey and bees, and the 

 hive was thirteen inches by eighteen. The ther- 

 mometer stood about ten degrees below freezing, 

 and the hive was out in the open air, exposed to 

 the weather. The entrance to the hive was lightly 

 fastened up to keep the bees from coming out on 

 the snow. They had been fastened up one day, 

 when the event happened. It was first discovered 

 by the honey's running out and falling on another 

 hive, which stood underneath ; and on opening 

 the hive the steam ascended from it, as it would 

 from a boiling pot ; and the bees made all possible 

 speed to leave the hive, but were so immersed in 

 the honey that they could not fly, and a great many 

 were lost on the snow. I soon stopped them up, 

 and bored some holes in the bottom of the hive to 

 give them air, and let the. honey run oft'. But 

 there had so many bees fallen down, that they 

 clogged up the holes. I then took up the bottom 

 board, and put the bees into a box six inches deep, 

 so as to see what state they were in. A good deal 

 of the diy comb in the liive fell down, and it has 

 been so melted that it is now in many crooked 

 shapes. I have since carried the hive to Brighton, 

 and while removing it (which happened to be dur- 

 ing a snow storm) I noticed that as fast as the 

 snow fell, it melted on the hive by the heat of the 

 bees within, although it was a very cold day. 



I have some other hot natured bees, so hot as to 

 meltthesnow away from the hive two inclif^s, but 

 not so hot as to melt down the honeycomb. 1 wish 

 to publish this, for to me the above occurrence 

 is unaccountable. It is a thing which has never 

 happened to a swarm of bees in my possession be- 

 I'ore. 



I should consider it a great favor if some one 

 would through the medium of your paper, state 

 the probable causes of this great heat, proceeding 

 from bees, and how they have the power of creat- 

 ing it, so as to melt their comb at any time they 

 please. I have conjectured myself the cause, but 

 should like that some one older than I am in the 

 management of bees, should inform the public 

 the cause of this new phenomenon. 



Ebenezer Beard. 



Biighton, March 1, 1831. 



MILCH COWS. 



Mr Fessenden — I am making arrangements 

 to keep a dairy stock of ten or twelve cows, and 

 as I wish to have none butprofitable ones, I should 

 be glad of the aid to be derived from the informa- 

 tion of those who are more experienced, as to the ' 

 breeds from which the most productive stuck might 

 be selected, taking into view both the qiiantily and 

 the qualili/ of their milk. It is presumed the im- 

 ported breeds of cattle have been long enough 

 with us to test their value for the dairy, compared 

 with the best cows selected from our native stock. 

 If gentlemen, who have tried them long enough to 

 decide upon their comparative merits, would com- 

 municate the result of their experience through 

 the New England Farmer, it would doubtless 

 much benefit the public generally, no less then 

 your humble servant, A Rustic. 



Feb. 24, 1831. 



