1851. 



NEW KNGLAND FARMER. 



383 



others. It will be a subject of deep regret, if any 

 permanent reproach shall be cast iiponthe insti- 

 tution, by recent examinations, and still deeper 

 if any radical defects shall be found to exist. If 

 any such do exist, the sooner they arc corrected 

 the better. No good reason can be given, why 

 the farm and the institution, shall not be made 

 models worthy of imitation in every State of the 

 Union. When the venerable farmer Peters owned 

 the place, it was looked upon as one of the best 

 farms in the county of Worcester. 

 Wtslburo\June 20, 1853. 



INSECT DESTRUCTIVE TO THE APPLE. 



The following article which we find in the 

 Transcript is timely and appropriate, and we give 

 it in connection with a letter on the preceding 

 page letter from Professor Harris. 



NOTES FROM THE MEMORANDCM-BOOK OF H. M. SIMPSON, 

 OF SAXONVILLE. 



June l^th, 1853. — Noticed a new worm upon 

 the apple, cherry, and plum trees, that eats the 

 leaves and fruit. They are upon all the trees of 

 these kinds in the garden. 



June V)th. — The worm before noticed, which is 

 to me entirely new, is very destructive ; it eats the 

 tender shoots and also the fruit. The egg of the 

 perfect insect must be deposited on the end of the 

 shoot as it is growing, and between two apples, if 

 they chance to touch each other ; also, between 

 two leaves. If all the worms go through their 

 transformations, there must be swarms enough to 

 destroy the trees in the next generation. This lit- 

 tle new comer will require looking after. By jarr- 

 ing the trees, they spin a fine fibre towards the 

 ground, suspending themselves by it, and then 

 again ascend, to commit depredations upon the 

 leaves and fruit. Deposited three of the larvae 

 with an apple under glass to note their habits and 

 changes. They may be known by three longitu 

 dinal stripes on the back ; the one in the centre 

 more faint than the other two. They have a bufi" 

 colored, heart-shaped head, and are naked ; have 

 six fore, true legs, and eight fleshy projections, 

 ■with distinct prop-legs. 



June 23rf. — rhe larvae deposited on the 19th have 

 changed to chrysalides. It is very remarkable that 

 this itisect is pervading the State and also the ad 

 oining States. Almost every person I meet, who 

 lives in the country, has noticed them. Many 

 persons suppose it to be the canker worm, but this 

 is a mi-!take. The canker worm belongs to a fam- 

 ily called Geometers, or earth measurers, that 

 creep, with the habit of forming a loop in the back, 

 by extending the fore part of the body and then 

 drawing up the centre in the shape of a loop. This 

 insect creeps like the commmon caterpillar, and 

 has a remarkable habit of springing backwards 

 when taken in the hand. They do not spin a 

 cocoon, nor any tissue of silk for protection, while 

 going through their chrysalid state. Their length 

 is about five-eighths of an inch. 



July G/h. — The chrysalides have opened, and the 

 perfect insect proves to be a little moth, with 

 wings of a dark bronze, wavy, changeable appear 

 ance. When at rest, they have one scollop at the 

 termination, and are very slender and long in pro- 

 portion to their breadth ; have two feathery pro 

 jections at the head, with long antennas, and have 



a regular taper from the end of the wing to the 

 head. The abdomen is like a delicate, light col- 

 ored satin, the legs nearly the same, and the insect 

 presents a beautiful appearance under the micro- 

 scope. They deposit their eggs separately, and do 

 not live in society on the trees, as many of the 

 Caterpillar tribe, but solitary ; each one looking 

 out for himself. When at rest, the fore legs ele- 

 vate the head and thorax, presenting an angle from 

 the ends of the wings to the head, of about thirty 

 degrees. These insects, it is to be hoped, may 

 disappear as suddenly as they have come upon us ; 

 if however, they remain, their number must be 

 legion, as already we have had two generations 

 this season. 



They may be destroyed by syringing the trees 

 with whale oil soap, when the worm is first 

 hatched ; also by placing a sheet under the tree, 

 and jarring it, when those that fall upon the cloth 

 can be easily destroyed, as well as those which sus- 

 pend themselves by the silken thread which they 

 spin. I suppose the egg to be laid about the first 

 of June. They extend their wings about seven- 

 eighths of an inch. 



SALERATUS. 



Saleratus is said to be injurious to the human 

 system, and that it destroys thousands of children 

 and some adults every year. In New Brunswick, 

 contiguous to Maine, the physicians are wont to 

 say that half the children are killed by the use of 

 saleratus. The evil is fiist spreading throughout 

 the Union. Families of moderate size already use 

 from ten to twenty-five pounds yearly. 



Remarks. — Storekeepers who have been engaged 

 in the business for many years, have told us, that 

 formerly they used to purchase three or four small 

 kegs of saleratus for a year's supply in a country 

 village, but that now they purchase more than as 

 many large casks, weighing some six or eight hun- 

 dred pounds each. Large quantities are used in 

 making bread , the most common food , and of which 

 all partake. Milk should take its place there. 

 Many persons are in the habit of adding a little 

 saleratus to most kinds of pastry. We are inclined 

 to believe the remarks quoted above have much 

 truth in them. We do not know how far the 

 power of saleratus may be neutralized by a mixture 

 of other substances used as food, but it may be 

 known by the chemist, and should be explained to 

 the people. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 FERRY'S PATENT CROSS-CUT FEED 

 CUTTER. 



Mr. Editor : — Your correspondent from Brat- 

 tleboro',-Mr. Holbrook, says, "farmers are very 

 much in want of a powerful effective chaflT-cutter, 

 which shall take in a generous mouthful of corn- 

 stalks," &c. I have long felt the need of an im- 

 provement in machines for feed cutting ; and first 

 I would say they should be so constructed that all 

 stiff stem hay or straw, may be cut at least four 

 inches long ; this will induce the animal more ef- 

 fectually to masticate it, thereby giving more nour- 

 ishment to his feed, and will not be as likely to 



