l82 



POPULAR GARDENING SUPPLEMENT. 



ii'cni. 157. Hot Water fur the Root For^i. Mr. 

 Saunders, in his work on Insects Injurious to 

 Fruits, observes that the most successful means 

 yet devised for destroying these root-lice, is the 

 use of scalding hot water, freely poured around 

 the roots of the tree. If the trees are remaining 

 in the soil, the roots may lie laid bare, and the 

 water used nearly boihiig, without injury; but 

 where they have been taken up for the purpose 

 of transplanting, and are to be dipped in the hot 

 water, the temperature should not exceed 150° 

 Fahr., — under these circumstances, from 120° to 

 150° would suffice for the purpose. A mulch 

 placed around the trees for some time previous 

 to treatment has been found useful in bringing 

 the lice to the surface, where they can be more 

 readily reached by the hot water. 



i?cm. 158. Kerosene Emulsion. Same as Rem- 

 edies 6, 57. Prof. Forbes has recommended that 



the roots of infested nursery trees be "puddled " 

 with the kerosene emulsion before sending out, 

 and that if the lice are seen upon the trunks, 

 these be also treated with the emulsion, applying 

 with a brush, sponge or cloth. 



Worms in Pots. Sometimes a little white 

 worm, entirely distinct from the Earth or 

 Angle Worm elsewliere referred to, proves 

 troublesome in plant pots. The following 

 remedies may be counted upon as being 

 effective in their destruction. 



Rem. 159, Carbolic Acid Solutinti. Add one 

 teaspoonf ul of carbolic acid to one quart of water 

 and with this water the plants. 



i?fm. 160, Mvstard Water. Stir a tablespoon- 

 f ul of sharp Mustard in a gallon of water, repeat- 

 ing the stirring at intervals for a day, then soak 

 the soil with the water. 



SOME INTERESTING NOTES ON INSECTS 



INSECT COLLECTING. 



THE word insect, which was derived from the Latin, means cut or 

 notched, referring to tlie cliaracteristic of this group of creatures 

 found in tlie cross-lines or incisions that mark the body. Between these 

 cross-lines are the segments or rings, consisting of numerous jointed 

 pieces, more or less movable on each other. 



Organism. Insects, according to Dr. Har- 

 ris in his standard treatise on tliis subject, 

 have a very small brain, and, instead of a 

 spinal marrow, a liiind of knotted cord, ex- 

 tending from the brain to the liinder ex- 

 tremity ; and numerous small whitish 

 threads, which are the nerves, spread from 

 the brain and knots in various directions. 

 Two long air-pipes, witliin their bodies, to- 

 gether with an immense number of smaller 

 pipes, supply the want of lungs, and carry 

 the air to every part. 



• Insects do not breathe through their 

 mouths, but through little holes, called 

 spiracles, generally nine in nttmber, along 

 each side of the body. Some, however, have 

 the breathing-holes placed in the hinder ex- 

 tremity, and a few young water-insects 

 breathe by means of gills. 



The heart is a long tube, divided into sev- 

 eral chambers, lying under the skin of the 

 back, having little holes on each side for the 

 admission of the juices of the body, which 

 are prevented from escaping again by valves 

 or clappers, formed to close the holes 

 within. The blood, which is a colorless or 

 yellow fluid, does not circulate in proper ar- 

 teries and veins ; but is driven from the fore 

 part of the heart into the head, and thence 

 escapes into the body, where it is mingled 

 with the nutritive juices that filter through 

 the sides of the intestines, and the mingled 

 fluid penetrates the crevices among the flesh 

 and other internal parts, flowing along the 

 sides of the air-pipes, whereby it receives 

 from the air that influence which renders it 

 more fitted to nourish the frame and better 

 maintain life. 



In winged or adult insects, two of the 

 transverse incisions with which they are 

 marked are deeper than the rest, so that the 

 body seems to consist of three principal por- 

 tions, the first whereof is the head, the sec- 

 ond or middle portion the thorax, or chest, 

 and the third or hindmost the abdoincti, or 

 bind-body. 



The eyes of adult insects, though appar- 

 ently two in number, are compound, each 

 consisting of a great number of single eyes 

 closely united together, and incapable of 

 being rolled in their sockets. StJth also are 

 the eyes of the larv;c, and of the active 

 pupae of those insects that undergo an im- 



perfect transformation. Moreover, many 

 winged insects have one, two or three little 

 single eyes, placed near each other on the 

 crown of the head, and called ocrUi, or eye- 

 lets. The eyes of grubs, caterpillars, and of 

 other completely transforming larva-, are 

 not compound, but consist of five or six 

 eyelets clustered together, without touch- 

 ing, on each side of the head ; some, how- 

 ever, such as maggots, are totally blind. 



Near to the eyes are two jointed members, 

 named antennm, corresponding, for the 

 most part, in situation, with the ears of 

 other animals, and supposed to be connected 

 with the sense of hearing, of touch, or of 

 both united. The antennae are very short 

 in larva', and of various sizes and forms in 

 other insects. 



The mouth of some insects Is made for 

 biting or chewing, that of others for taking 

 the food only by suction. 



Repuoduction. Insects, contrary to the 

 supposition of some.are never spontaneously 

 generated from putrid animals or vegetable 

 matter, but are produced from eggs. A 

 few, such as some plant-lice, do not lay 

 their eggs, but retain them within their 

 bodies till the young are ready to escape. 

 Others iuvariably lay their eggs where 

 their young, as soon as they are hatched, 

 will find a plentiful supply of food immedl 

 ately within their reach. 



Ch.vxge or Transformation. There are 

 three periods in the life of an insect, more 

 or less distinctly marked by corresponding 

 changes in the form, powers and habit. 



First or Infant Pcrinrl. In the first, or 

 period of Infancy, an insect is technically 

 called a larim, a word signifying a mask, 

 because therein its future form is more or 

 less masked or concealed. This name is 

 not only applied to grubs, caterpillars, and 

 maggots, and to other insects that undergo 

 a complete transtormation, but also to 

 young and wingless grasshoppers and bugs, 

 and indeed to all young insects before the 

 wings begin to appear. In this first period, 

 which is generally much the longest, insects 

 are always wingless, pass most of their time 

 in eating, grow rapidly, and usually cast off 

 their skins repeatedly. 



The second period — wherein those insects 

 th-at undergo a partial transformation re- 



tain their activity and their appetite for 

 food, continue to grow, and acquire the ru- 

 diments of wings, while others, at this age, 

 entirely lose their larva form, take no food, 

 and remain at rest in a deathlike sleep— is 

 called the pupa state. The pupse from 

 caterpillars, however, are more commonly 

 called chrysalids, because some of them, as 

 the name implies, are gilt or adorned with 

 golden spots ; and grubs, after their first 

 transformation, are often named nymphs, 

 for what reason does not appear. 



Adult Period. At the end of the second 

 period, insects again shed their skins and 

 come forth fully grown, and (with few ex- 

 ceptions) provided with wings. Thus they 

 enter upon their last, or adult state, where- 

 in they no longer increase in size, and dur- 

 ing which they provide for a continuation of 

 their kind. This period usually lasts only a 

 short time, for most insects die immediately 

 after their eggs are laid, bees, wasps and 

 ants affording some familiar exceptions. 



Classification. To facilitate the study 

 of the myriads of insects in existence, some 

 kind of a classification was found neces- 

 sary, and that referred to below and relating 

 to the four great divisions or orders is the 

 one very generally adopted by naturalists. 

 The basis of this classification is founded 

 upon the structure of the mouth in the 

 adult state, the number and nature of the 

 wings, and the transformations. 



1. COLEOPTER.i (embracing the Beetles). 

 AntJLTS with ja»'s, two thick W'm(7-core/'s meeting 

 in a straight line on the top of the back, and two 

 fllmy wings, which are folded transversely. 

 Transformation complete. L arv^, called grubs, 

 generally provided with six tiiie leys, and some- 

 times also with a terminal prop-leg ; more rarely 

 without legs. Pup.i with the wings and the legs 

 distinct and unconfined. 



2. Orthoptek.4. (Cockroaches, Crickets, Grass- 

 hoppers, <ic.) AnnLTS with jaws, two rather 

 thick and opaque upper wings, overlapping a lit- 

 tle on the b-ick. and two larger, thin wings, 

 which are folded in jilaits like a fan. Transfor- 

 niatiim partial. Larv^ and Pup.*; active, but 

 wanting wings. 



3. Hemiptera (Bugs, Locusts, Plant-lice, &c.) 

 Adults with a horny beak for suction, four 

 icings, whereof the uppermost are generally 

 thick at the base, with thinner extremities, 

 which lie flat, and cross each other on the top of 

 the back, or are of uniform thickness through- 

 out, and slope at the sides like a roof. Transfor- 

 mation partial. Larv^ and Txjpje nearly like 

 the adult insect, but wanting wings. 



4. Neuroptera (Dragon-flies, Lac4:^wlnged 

 flies, May-flies, Ant-lion, Day-fly, Wliitc Ants, 

 etc.). Adiilts with jaics, four netted wings, of 

 which the hinder ones are the largest, and no 

 sting or piercer. Tran.^formation complete, or 

 partial. I.arva and Pupa various. 



5. Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths). 

 Adults with spiral sucking-tube; wings four, 

 covered with bi'anny scales. Transformation 

 complete. The Larv.e are caterpillars, and have 

 six true teas, and from four to ten fleshy prop- 

 legs. Pupa with the cases of the wings and of 

 the legs indistinct, and soldered to the breast. 



6. Hymenoptera (Saw-flies, Ants, Wasps, 

 Bees, lie.) Adults with .iatcs, four veined wings, 

 in most species the hinder pair being the small- 

 est, and a piercer or sting at the extremity of the 

 abdomen. Transformation complete. Larv^ 

 mostly maggot-hke, or slug-like ; of some, cater- 

 pillar-like. Pup^ with the legs and wings un- 

 confined. 



7. Diptera (Mosquitoes, Gnats, Flies, *c.) 

 Adults with a horny or fleshy proboscis, two 

 wings only, and two knobbed threads, called 

 balancers or poisers, behind the wings. Trans- 

 formation complete. The Larvae are maggots, 

 without feet, and with the breathing-holes gen- 

 erally in the liinder extremity of the body. 

 Pup.E mostly encased in the dried skin of the 

 larvip, sometimes, however, naked, in which case 

 the wings and the legs are visible, and are found _ 

 to be more or less tree and unconfined. 



Insect Collecting. Few occupations are 

 more pleasant and instructive, especially to 

 the cultivators of plants and trees, than 

 the making of a collection of insects. The 

 first thing needed for the business is a net 



