12 



NEW ENGLAND FARIVIER. 



August 31, 1827 



all have an equal relish for the same kini! of food. 

 Some may prefer one kind of vegctuble proili-.c- 

 tion, and others a different kind. However, be 

 this as it may, they are, when they first appear, 

 omnivorous, having taken no food during the chry- 

 salis state.'*' They do not prefer the foliajje nf the 

 peacli tree, nor that of the pear tree, but will oc- 

 casionally feed on both. In 1825 tliey destroyed 

 the foliage of a tlirifty mountain ash, iind essen- 

 tially injured it; but in 182^!, tlicy scarcely notic- 

 ed it. In a few days alter their first general ap- 

 pearance, especially if the weather bo cool, they 

 seem to be less numerous, but this is, perhaps, not 

 the fact any farther than they may be destroyed. 

 At this time they become more stationary, proba- 

 bly devour loss, leave some plants or trees and 

 assail others, yet the work of destruction goes on. 

 The leaf is an important organ, and when a tree 

 is stripped of its foliage in the mouth of June, un- 

 less it be otherwise healthy and vigorous, it dies, 

 or at least declines. In my garden stood a num- 

 ber of young, promising cherry trees, which had 

 been inoculated. They were assailed by the rav- 

 agers androbbcd of Iheirfoliage — debility and do- 

 cay ensued — a few, however, survived this sliock, 

 and put forth leaves the ensuing spring — but a 

 new crop of intruders came, and it was fatal. 



Those insects, like many others, pass three dif- 

 I'erent stages, the egg, tlic larva and the chrysa- 

 lis, before they arrive to the mature or perfect 

 state. A general description may be necessary, 

 and will be now attempted. 



These insects in their perfect form are nearly 

 all of a size, about 4 lines in length and 1[ through 

 the middle of the body, which is covered with a 

 crustaceous substance, overspread with minute 

 pointed bristles of a light brownish yellow, only 

 conspicuous under a magnifier. There is but lit- 

 tle difference in the general appearance between 

 the male and the female, excepting the latter is a 

 little larger than the former. The posterior seg- 

 ment of the body, or apex of the males is lonjer 

 and larger than that of the female, and the dark 

 line dividing the apex from the other part of the 

 body is most conspicuous in the farmer. 



The head Is flattish and the eyes are black, 

 prominent and immovable. The anlcnn(E are 

 beautiful organs, (viewed thruugh a microscope,) 

 jointed, moveable, small at the articulation, near 

 the eyes, and at the extremity, an oblong cluh, 

 which is divided longitudinally into three portions. 

 These portions the insect opens and shuts hori- 

 zontally, at pleasure, when moving from place to 

 place. — The thorax is broad, hexagonal and con- 

 vex. The eli/tra (wing-cases) are divided by a 

 straight longitudinal suture, covering the back, 

 leaving the posterior part naked. These are ar- 

 ticulated to the anterior part of the back, and arc 

 raised up, as on a hinge, to admit the expansion of 

 the wings. The scutellum lies between the su- 

 perior parts of the elytra, and is in form triangu- 

 lar. — The wings are two, and lie directly under 

 the elytra, folded up by the nicest articulations, 

 membranous, transparent, and show some li?ht 

 shades of red and green in the sun. When un- 

 folded, they extend beyond the length of the body. 

 The abdomen is formed of annular segments, and 

 contains the viscera. The legs are six, long and 

 well jointed, formed of a crustaceous substance of 



* It is admUted, that llipy, on taking llie " VEti.,"lhechr\'s,i- 

 lis state, carry with tliRm all that is necessary for that state of 

 sQclusion ; but eventually, tlieir stores are exhausted by the as- 

 tonishing process of metamorphosis, which is carried on. and' 

 rtey emerge from the earth with strong; appetites 



a reddish yellow, or light chesnut colour, blacki>h 

 joints. Each titiiii is armed with dark thorns, and 

 c.Tch tarsus has 5 joints, furnished with thorns, 

 and at the extremity, two curved claws. The two 

 anterior legs are articulated to the under part of 

 the thorax, the two middle ones, to the anterior 

 and under part of the abdomen; and the two pos- 

 terior which are longer and larger than the others, 

 to the under and central part of the same; and 

 with the two last named, they have, when disturb- 

 ed, a contemptuous motion of throwing them over 

 their backs. 



They, like most other insects, arc oviparous, 

 and deposit their eggs below the surface in moist, 

 light earth, and in grass land. The depth of de- 

 posit is from near tlie surface to 3 or4 inches, ac- 

 cording to the state of llie soil. The eggs are 

 about one thirtieth of an inch in diameter, white, 

 contained in a transparent membrane, of sufficient 

 strength. When they have performed their last 

 work, which is the preparation for a new crop, still 

 more numerous, they, both male and female, in a 

 short time, perish by exhaustion, some in tlic earth 

 and some above it.* With respect to the lime 

 when an individual deposits her eggs, there is 

 some variation. Some perform this office sooner 

 than others; but from a variety of experiments 

 made by placing the insects, male and female, in 

 pots of earth, kept moist, covered with iiiillinet, 

 fed and exposed to light and proper heat, and the 

 frequent inspections of the bodies of the females, 

 carefully made, it is thought, they generally per- 

 form that office in about 20 days from the time 

 they emerge from the earth, but in ditferent places 

 and at different times, occupying the space of 2 

 or 3 Jays, more or less. It is an unhappy circum- 

 stance, that they occupy so much time before they 

 can complete their object. Time, however, is ne- 

 cessary for the eggs to become matured. If the 

 body of a female be inspected soon after her em- 

 erging from the earth, the eggs will be found, by 

 the aid of a magnifier, to be in a confused mass. 

 After a few days they will be more distinctly seen, 

 some more perfected than others, and as the period 

 of oviparition approaches, the eggs approach to 

 maturity. In about 20 days the eggs are matured, 

 distinct, and a little oblong, but after they are de- 

 posited, become round, or nearly so. The number 

 of eggs found in an individual have never exceed- 

 ed 30, generally below twenty. 



To be concluded ne.\t week. 



rOR THE NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



ON PEACHES, ^c. 



Mr Fessekde.x — Among the luxuries whichare 

 the produce of our climate, the peach is one of the 

 most valuable, but, in years of great abundance, 

 as the present is likely to be, large quantities of 

 this delicious fruit are suffered to go to waste on 

 the ground, or even prostituted as food for swine. 

 I wish to invite my brother farmers to lay by, in 

 reserve for another year, the superabundance of 

 the present season, which may be done by drying 

 in the sun all the fruit which they will not be able 

 to dispose of to advantage. 



In plentiful yeais, none but the finest will pay 



for marketting ; and many fall and get bruised 



This refuse fruit 1 invite them to dry, which may 

 be done by splitting, taking out the stones, and 

 exposure to the sun. The day after they are put 



* At the I'inc. when '■ taking leave of absence.'' they W(.re 

 (liund, ;nale and female. 2 or 3 inclies below the surface of the 

 earth, and in one instance, sub rcrpvla. 



out, and have got wilted, the wo;k of dessicatioi. 

 maybe considerably advanced by pressing the out 

 side of the pieces with the finger, so as to push 

 out the inside, and thus exposing it better to the 

 effect of the sun. They rnay be laid out on milk 

 pans or pieces of boards, but if the quantity of fruit 

 to be dried be considerable, I ha\e used with much 

 convenience dryers constructed as follows. I have 

 taken pine slats about one inch square, and nailed 

 on them shingles, so that my dryers are the width 

 of the shingles, and about four feet long; refuse 

 shingles answer the purpose very well, and they 

 may be nailed on with cut tacks : these dryers 

 have the advantage of lightness aud cheapness, 

 and they are quickly made. They may be 'aid on 

 the roof of a shed, and should be housed at night, 

 before the dew falls. 



If the weather comes on wet, the fruit will be 

 liable to moulder ; in that case, it must be finished 

 in au oven heated moderately. Peaches well dried 

 in this manner, will keep in paper bags in a dry 

 room, and be good the third year. 



They are a luxury as a dried fruit, and will alsu 

 make excellent pies. For this purpose it is a great 

 improvement to soak them in a little water, or yet. 

 better in currant wine, 6 hours before they arc 

 wanted for baking. 



TEACH WINE. 



The refuse fruit may also be used to good ad- 

 vantage for the making of wine, which I have done 

 in the following manner. After taking the stones 

 out, the fruit should be well mashed with the 

 hands, thrown into a boiler with a sufficient quan- 

 tity of water, well boiled and kept mashed so as to 

 get it to yield its juice. When boiled enough, it 

 should be worked through a sieve to get the liquor 

 as clear as possible; and for that purpose the sieve 

 should be often washed in cold water. Add thetj 

 good Havana sugar enough to have it pleasant, 

 and let it rest twelve hours for the sediment to 

 settle at the bottom ; and to the clear liquor add 

 of good brandy 2 or 3 jjuarts for a barrel — then 

 barrel it, and bung it down. Tiiis is of the nature 

 of the French boiled wines, Vins cuHs, J'ins dt 

 /j^Mfiic, and if well managed is a most excellent 

 wine, both for its great substance and its superior 

 flavour. 



LiqUOR FROM THE STOKES. 



The stones may be used for the making of s. 

 liquor which will be found equal to the best i.Ti- 

 ported A''oijcau. They should be broken immedi- 

 ately after being taken out, and whatever of the 

 fruit adheres to them should be left on. The al- 

 monds which they contain should also be bruL^ied, 

 and both shells and almonds then put into a demi- 

 john, or other vessel, until it is two thirds filled 



then filled up with good brandy. After six months 

 the liquor may be decanted clear and sweetened 

 with white or loaf sugar. It will improve by ace. 



There can be no doubt but the dried fruit, the 

 wine, and the liquor would he made welcome to a 

 ready and profitable mark'H in the City, and that 

 the dried fruit would he particularly well adapted 

 for cabin use in long voyages. 



With much esteem. 



Your friend and serv,t, J. M.G. 



Weston, .August 27, 1827. 



Rejurks. — To the above judicious artich: we add the fol- 

 lowing from tlie New Enc;land Farmer's Almanack, (advertised 

 in this day's paper). The article is written liy a gentleman ia 

 New Jersey, and describes his peach house : 



He has a small house with a stove in it, and draffl'ers in the 



