14 



ages. When its economy is fully understood, we shall be able 

 to judge better in regard to the best means of attacking it. 



Another insect which was unusually numerous in this section 

 and over a large portion of the New England States and New 

 York, the past season, was the grain aphis — AjjJiis avena of some 

 authors — a species of plant louse. It appeared in vast numbers 

 on spring-wheat and oats, and for a while occasioned no little 

 alarm. The injury it did, however, was generally less than was 

 anticipated. The insect subsists by sucking the sap from the 

 grain-heads, and when it becomes numerous while the crop is 

 quite green, the grain is prevented from filling, and is more or 

 less shrunken. It is assailed by various insect enemies, among 

 which are several species of lady-bird (or bug), which in some 

 cases destroy immense numbers of the aphis. 



In Anrjust the Committee visited the farm of E. R. Andrews, 

 of West Koxbury, for the purpose of witnessing the operation ot 

 a reaping machine. It was the well known Buckeye ^Mower, 

 with reaping apparatus attached. It was worked in a field of 

 spring-wheat, which was estimated to yield about twenty-five 

 bushels per acre, the crop for the most part standing tolerably 

 upright. The machine was drawn by two horses, driven by Mr. 

 Andrews himself, and the work was done in a satisfactoi-y manner. 

 It was the opinion of practical and experienced farmers, that the 

 crop was secured with less waste than it could have been by 

 the use of the cradle. In fact, a comparison made by cutting 

 alternate breadths with the cradle and Avith the machine, resulted 

 in showing that the quality of the work was in favor of the latter. 

 Some of the Committee have had extensive opportunities of seeing 

 grain cut by machines of various kinds, and have no hesitation in 

 saying that where fields are large and free from stones, stumps, 

 &c., and the surface is not very uneven, reaping machines can be 

 used with economy. In this section of the country, grain is gen- 

 erally cultivated in rather small lots, and it is not unfrequently 

 the case that the surface of the ground is broken by stones. How 

 far reaping machines can be used to advantage under such cir- 

 cumstances, remains to be proved, as they have not as yet been 

 tried sufficiently to justify a final conclusion. It may, however, 

 be sua'srested, that if the farmer has a mowing machine and a 

 reaping apparatus, that will enable him to cut his grain well, can 

 be attached to it with moderate cost, it may be an object to do it, 

 in many cases. 



Mr. Andrews showed us Gaboon's machine for sowing grain and 

 grass-seed, broadcast. It is a handy thing ; is just slung over the 

 shoulders of the sower who " goes forth to sow " with it filled with 

 the seed, aiid by turning a crank sets in motion a gearing and 



