60 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ April, 



Historical Section. 



Four envelopes, containing over fifty clippings of 

 sundry historical and biographical reminiscences, 

 per S. S. Rathvon. 



Library. 



Twenty-five volumes of the Geological Survey of 

 Pennsylvania, with a letter from Dr. Wiclcersliam ; 

 a treatise on insects injurious to potatoes, by Prof. 

 Riley, donated by Prof. S. S. Rathvon; bulletin of 

 new fishes, by Messrs. Good and Bean, Smithsonian 

 Institution; donation from the publisher, G. P. Put- 

 nam's Sons; the biography of Lieutenant-Colonel C. 

 Anderson, a soldier and pioneer of the Revolution, 

 which contains much of historical value ; part III. 

 for October, November and December, 1878, proceed- 

 ings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Pliiladel- 

 phia ; from the Department of the Interior, about 

 the "Turtle Back" Indians of the District of Colum- 

 bia, by W. J. Hoffman, M.D.; on the Crinoids, by 

 Fred. Brau, Cincinnati, Ohio; Southeran's Price 

 Current of Literature ; proceedings of the Kentucky 

 Hislorieal Society ; sundry book circular* ; The 

 Lancaster Fakmer for March. 

 Paper Read. 



No. 516. Dr. Rathvon read a paper on the Pedipal- 

 pian Arxchjiids, showing the gradation between 

 spiders and scorpions. 



New Business. 



The necessity of book shelves was discussed, for 

 the third floor room. On motion, the treasurer was 

 authorized to have the shelves made, and the Jonr- 

 nal of the Acadetny of Natural Sciences and The 

 Lancaster Farmer liound. 



Scientific Gossip. 



On a letter read by Rev. J. S. Stahr, from Prof. 

 Porter, about a species of Equicetum found on an 

 island near Safe Harbor, supposed to be a new species 

 for the county. About the diseased mouse. Dr. 

 Davis, without a close inspection, said he would not 

 express an opinion as to the e.tcrescence, but would 

 like to have time for a closer inspection of a ease 

 before put into alcohol. After a pleasant and profit- 

 able meeting the society adjourned until Saturday, 

 April 26, lh79. 



Entomological. 



The Imported Currant Worm. 

 (Ne-inattts Vt^itricostta,) 



It is less than twenty years since this exceedingly 

 injurious enemy of the gooseberry and currant was 

 first introduced into the United States. It seems to 

 have been first introduced from Europe with some 

 gooseberry bushes imported by Messrs. EUwanger & 

 Barry, of Rochester, N. Y. From there it spread in 

 various directions at the rate of about twenty-five 

 miles a year, till a large part of the Northern and 

 Eastern States is completely overrun with it. It is 

 probably also that this same insect has been intro- 

 duced by importation to other points, from which it 

 has spread as from the place named above. Wherever 

 it has been introduced, whether from abroad or from 

 some other part of this country, it has Bpr9j,d with 

 great rapidity, and wherever it has gone it has laid 

 the currant and gooseberry bushes under contribu- 

 tion to such extent as to almost entirely prevent the 

 further production of these fruits. It often keeps the 

 bushes so completely stripped that in two or three 

 years they are killed. This insect belongs to the saw 

 fly group, and is of the order of clear-winged flies. 

 The most of these are strong vegetable feeders dur- 

 ing the larval period of their existence. 



This group of insects usually have, during their 

 larval state, eighteen, twenty, or twenty-two legs, 

 which is a greater number than the larvae of moths 

 are supplied with ; they generally number about six- 

 teen. The eggs from which the insect under consid- 

 eration is hatched, are laid along the principal veins 

 on the underside of the leaves of both currants and 

 gooseberries. In a few days there hatch out from 

 these eggs small, twenty-legged larvas. They are of 

 a green color, with a black head and numerous black 

 spots on the body ; but after the last moult all the 

 black disappears e.xcept the large, eye-like spots on 

 each side of the head. After tliis moult the entire 

 body is of a green color, except that the first and 

 last two joints are of a yellow color. There is quite 

 a difference in the appearance of the sexes of this fly 

 in its perfect state. The general color of the body of 

 the female is a light honey yellow, and that of the 

 male is black. The female is considerably longer 

 than the male. The difference between the sexes is 

 so great that they have been described by able ento- 

 mologists as two different species. When about three- 

 fourths of an inch long the larvse attain their full 

 growth and leave off eating ; they then go into the 

 ground, generally under the bushes on which they 

 have fed, or iu some cases they simply hide under the 

 leaves that lie on the ground. They here spin asilken 

 cocoon in which tliey go into the pupa state. In some 

 cases they are said to spin their cocoons on the open 

 bushes. The eggs are laid for the first brood during 

 the fore part of .May. These go through all their 

 transformations and come out as perfect flies about 



the first of July ; sometimes a little earlier and some- 

 times later. These immediately proceed to pair and 

 lay eggs for another brood, which, on account of 

 their great numbers, are even more injurious to the 

 bushes than the first brood was. 



The insects of this last brood remain in the pupa 

 state till the following spring, when they come out 

 perfect flies ready to continue the propagation of the 

 species. Fruit grown on bushes infested with these 

 caterpillars has been reported poison, but such is not 

 the case ; on account of the loss of foliage the bushes 

 do not mature the fruit properly, and it is therefore 

 not a very wholesome article of food. This insect 

 has proved a great scourge to small-fruit raisers 

 wherever it has been introduced. They multiply so 

 rapidly that in but a few years after introduction 

 they will completely strip the foliage from the largest 

 plantation. 



When the brood is first hatched the young larvie 

 remain together on the under side of the leaf, 

 through which they eat numerous small holes. Their 

 presence may be readily detected by these holes, and 

 the leaves should be gathered and burned. By watch- 

 fulness and care at the proper season they may be 

 kept in check by this method. But when they have 

 become larger and scattered over the bushes, other 

 means must be employed for their extermination. 

 Probably the best remedy in this case is powdered 

 hellebore sprinkled on the hushes while wet with 

 dew. Paris green will probably prove quite as effi- 

 cient. Of course after the use of these active poisons 

 the fruit cannot be used with safety. I have found 

 fresh, unleached wood ashes a successful remedy. 

 Strong soapsuds are also good to expel them from 

 the bushes. So destructive are these insects that, if 

 allowed to multiply unchecked, a few years will be 

 sufficient to drive the currant and gooseberry from 

 the country. Every person who has a bush of either 

 of these fruits should unite in an early, persistent 

 and determined war of extermination of these very 

 injurious enemies of these useful garden fruits. Such 

 a course well followed would soon result in such a 

 reduction of their numbers that their ravages would 

 no longer be seriously injurious.— i. J. Templin, in 

 Practical Farmer. 



The Tobacco \Worm. 



This insect {Mocrosila Carolina) ,a.s is well-known, 

 belongs to the class of hawk moths, (spfiiuf/idfe) , 

 large, beautiful moths, that are frequently seen hover- 

 ing like humming birds over the blossoms of the 

 petunia and other sweet-flowering plants just at sun- 

 down or iu the deepening twilight. They scarcely 

 ever alight, but flit gayly from flower to flower, very 

 shy and difficult to approach, flying only at night, 

 and hiding usually during the day. After pairing, 

 the female lays her eggs on the leaves of the tobacco 

 plant iu the species under consideration. Another 

 species feeds on the tomato, and is more generally 

 familiar to us than the tobacco worm. Anotlicr 

 species feeds on the leaves of the potato, and is also 

 quite common. The habits of all the species arc 

 familiar, and most people have seen the great, savage- 

 looking worm ; a few have admired the perfect moth, 

 and still less know the pupae in its mahogany-colored 

 case, with the long proboscis of the perfect insect in- 

 closed in its case and folded over like the handle of a 

 pitcher. Farmers and gardeners are familiar with 

 these pupie,but few know them to be the destructive 

 tobacco or tomato worm. 



There are but few birds that will eat or even touch 

 the tobacco worm, and turkeys are the only domesti- 

 cated fowl that will eat them to any great extent. 

 The principal remedy to prevent their ravages is 

 hand-picking — takingthe worms from the leaves and 

 crushing them. A flock of turkeys will materially 

 assist at this business. But a correspondent to the 

 Clarksville Tobatco Leaf, recommends poisoning the 

 parent moths, with a solution of "cobalt" (oxide of 

 arsenic and cobalt). The sphinx moth usually gets 

 its food from flowers like the petunia, "jimpson 

 weed," (datura stramonium,) and the latter grows 

 freely in localities favorable to the cultivation of 

 tobacco. 



The writer mentioned says that the "cobalt is most 

 conveniently used by melting an ounce in a pint of 

 water and adding half a pint of liquid honey. The 

 bottle containing this should be kept out of the reach 

 of children, as a number of cases of poisoning have 

 occurred owing to negligence in this particular. An 

 ounce phial, with a cork stopper, into which is in- 

 serted a small quill, is suitable for putting the poison- 

 ous solution in the stramonium flowers. The best 

 time fordoing this is every evening about sunset. Two 

 or three drops are sufficient for one blossom. Stramo- 

 nium has a tubular blossom, which opens about an 

 hour before sunset and remains open until after sun 

 rise the next day, when it closes, withers and dies. 

 Every evening there is an entirely new blossom. It 

 is a mistaken notion that the cobalt kills the blossom. 

 The moth sucks the poison by means of its long pro- 

 boscis, and is killed. The time required to produce 

 death depends upon the amount taken. I have often 

 seen them killed by the poison in fifteen minutes. 



" One or two dozen stramonium plants should be 

 set in a rich, moist spot on the tobacco ground early 

 in the season — say May or June. All others on the 

 farm should be cut down, for the moths prefer to 



feed from the unmedicated blossoms. In order toj 

 work the destruction on the moths effectually, the! 

 planters throughout every neighborhood should use! 

 the cobalt as directed. Planters should not rely tool 

 exclusively upon this preventing them from finding 

 worms on their tobacco. The moths often do not getl 

 enough of the poison to produce death the first doseT 

 and are apt to shun it afterwards, unless it be dii 

 guised by using another sweet instead of the honey.'- 



The Utility of Entomology. 



The science of entomology is daily gaining impor- 

 tance in a practical sense. The term " bug catcher," 

 as opprobriously applied to its professors, carries 

 with it, to intelligent minds, a far higher considera- 

 tion than that of millionaire. When Henry Edwards 

 —one of the most celebrated modern entomologists — 

 sought to dispose of his admirable collection, worth 

 over $25,000, for 812,000, he was snubbed by the 

 ignorant and unreflecting who wondered what use 

 could be made of a vast array of dead bugs. But 

 within a few days new aud hitherto unclassified in- 

 sects of that sort have greatly aroused the fears of 

 that bigger, self-conceited bug, called man. The 

 Connecticut farmers complain that their corn is 

 being devoured in great quantities by a bug not be- 

 fore known. It is described as a " good-sized, six- 

 legged, evil-looking bug, rather larger and much 

 fiatter than the potato bug ; in color brown, having 

 a wide body and a very small head, provided with a 

 pair of small feelers." From Santa Monica comes 

 the report of a marine worm that has destroyed, or 

 greatly injured, the wharves at that place. It is 

 described as being very destructive, and rather more 

 rapid in its operations than the ordinary teredo 

 navalis. The services of a first-class entomologist 

 would probably point out some way for preventing 

 the depredations of these fearful pests. 



Remedies Against Worms and Insects. 



A correspondent says : The insect question is a 

 very important one ; they will destroy us if we don't 

 destroy them. The following modes I use as occa- 

 sion demands, aud never fail : Melon and cucumber 

 bugs like radish leaves better than any other kind. 

 I sow a few radish seeds in each and never lose a 

 plant. Earth-worms, cut-worms, white grubs and, 

 in fact, all soft-bodied worms, are easily driven out 

 by salt sown broadcast. You can do no harm with 

 ten bushels to the acre, but a half bushel is ample. 

 Dry slacked lime is also effectual. Potato bugs find 

 their "anti" in Paris green, one tablespoonful ; 

 flour, ten spoonfuls ; water, one bucket ; mix and 

 keep mixed as the Paris green settles ; apply with a 

 watering-pot. For cabbage-worms apply dry salt 

 if the plants are wet, or strong brine if they are dry. 

 Turnip-flies are destroyed by fine slaked lime dusted 

 over the field. But the whole tribe of depredators 

 are woiiderluily kept down by making friends with 

 the birds. They are the natural enemies of all 

 insects, worms, grubs, &c. In fighting vermin we 

 must not try to oppose nature, but to rather follow 

 her plants, and assist her if she fails. — Western 

 Farmer. 



Agriculture. 



Harrowing Wheat in Spring. 



The Country Qentlemau publishes an article on 

 the above subject from Mr. Franklin. Sherman, of 

 Ash Grove farm, Fairfax coimty, Va., which is of 

 particular interest. Mr. Sherman, says: "P. Y. 

 wanted to know if wheat or rye would be benefitted 

 by harrowing in the spring, if it was sowed broad- 

 cast and covered either with the harrow or shovel 

 plow 3 If I have not heretofore occupied too much 

 of your space on this subject, will you allow me to 

 say to him that it will not huit either the wheat or 

 the rye, however sowed or however covered. Only 

 two precautions I have found desirable to observe: 

 Do not harrow when wet ; and harrow before the 

 stalk is formed. 



" I have no hesitation in offering P. Y. this advice, 

 as I have done the same thing myself, and with only 

 good results. After experimenting sufficiently to 

 satisfy myself on this point, I (two years ago) har- 

 rowed a field of wheat aud rye which had been 

 sowed broadcast and covered partly with the har- 

 row and partly with shovel plows. The result was 

 most satisfactory. 



" One other item is of importance — harrow 

 thoroughly, lap sufficiently to break and pulverize 

 the whole surface. Advice given by the editors of a 

 paper like this should, above all other things, be 

 safe ; and iu this case as in others, that given P. Y. 

 is eminently so ; when you say provided such a har- 

 row is used as will not injure the plants. Will you 

 allow me to say to him, and to all others thinking of 

 harrowing their fall grain this spring, it is not neces- 

 sary to get a 'smoothing' or sloping-tooth harrow to 

 do this work. 



" A proper harrow for the purpose is a sharp, up- 

 right, square-toothed one, of medium weight, with 

 teeth three-quarters of an inch of one-inch iron, and 

 projecting six to eiglit inches below the frame. If 



