CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 249 



in the middle of each side, which suggested the name 

 Subspinosa, or somewhat spined ; the legs are slender, and 

 of a pale-red color; the joints of the feet are tipped with 

 black, and are very long, which caused Latreille to call 

 the genus Macro dactylus, i.e. long-toe or long-foot. This 

 insect comes from the ground in swarms, in some sec- 

 tions about the second week in June, and especially 

 chooses the grape, taking also the cherry, apple, plum, 

 garden-vegetables, and indeed almost every green thing; 

 feeding indiscriminately upon leaves, flowers, and fruit. 

 Dr. Harris states that they have prodigiously increased in 

 number during the last forty years; though I think the 

 contrary is true for the last ten years, since his opinion 

 was written. In the early formation of Dr. Underbill's 

 celebrated vineyard at Croton Point, N.Y., the rose-chafer 

 was very numerous and destructive ; and would have 

 ruined the vines, had not the doctor taken vigorous meas- 

 ures to destroy them. This can easily be done by shak- 

 ing them into a pan of water, and killing them when col- 

 lected in sufficient quantity. If taken soon after their 

 appearance from the ground, being then quite feeble, they 

 do not attempt to fly, but drop helplessly at the least 

 shake of the branch. John Lowell, Esq., states in the 

 "Massachusetts Agricultural Repository," vol. ix. p. 145, 



