Plant-Lice and Scale-Insects. 85 



a satisfactory and just award ; and, if they make one, it cannot fail to create 

 bickerings, jealousies, and unpleasant reflections on their action. No con- 

 sideration could induce me to serve on such a committee, because I should 

 be convinced beforehand that no satisfactor}^ result could be reached. 



Why not, then, confine ourselves, in our actions, to objects within our 

 reach ? Why not fix premiums for certain localities .'' Let us make more 

 of them, and smaller ones. Let us have premiums for the best white wine, 

 the best red wine, and so forth, within the limits of a State, or several 

 States, but not over the whole country, with a climate and soil so very dif- 

 ferent. Let us require of every exhibiter to state the quantity made from 

 the acre, and the location of his vineyard. Let us have discussions on the 

 subject, freely and fully, and give them to the public through the press. 

 Thus shall we establish our famous locations, have our American yohannis- 

 bej-g, Rudesheim, Burgundy, and Port, if not in name, yet in quality. I am 

 confident we have grapes already equal to the Riessling, Traminer, Bur- 

 gundy, and Oporto ; but we must not persist in forcing them upon an un- 

 congenial soil and climate. Let us drop the " universal " Yankee when it 

 comes to varieties ; but let us make grape culture universal throughout the 

 land, by making experiments, and planting only such varieties as are suited 

 to each locality. George ffusmann. 



Hermann, Mo., June 4, 1867. 



PLANT-LICE AND SCALE-INSECTS. 



Among the chief pests of the orchard and garden, as well as the green- 

 house, are certain insects of small size and delicate structure, but extremely 

 prolific. The creatures with which I propose to deal belong to the second 

 division of the bug order, or He}7iiptera ; and are characterized, among other 

 features, by a nearly uniform texture of wing from base to apex. These 

 have been associated under the name ffomoptera, signifying " uniform or 

 similar wings ; " while the other division, Heteroptera, or " differing wings," 

 includes the squash-bug and its kindred, which have the basal half of the 

 wing generally stiff and shell-like, or horny, and the remaining portion 



