542 [Assembly 



Dr. Underbill observed that tbe soaking in the solution of saltpetre 

 stimulated the vegetation. As to planting potatoes, he said that if a 

 potato be cut into three parts, and the middle section only be plant- 

 ed, the crop will be much better in growth, and will be one-third 

 more ; that the fewer shoots sent up by the middle section favor the 

 crop much. . I hope that our farmers will try this plan fully. 



. Judge Van Wyck. — As to the methods of planting potatoes and 

 seeds, there is still much contradictory opinion held by our farmers. 



Judge of New- York, said that according to his experience, 



it was bad farming to plant small potatoes. 



Judge Van Wyck. — The vast power of insects to injure our crops 

 is owing much to their numbers, but yet more to their minuteness, 

 and I may say, to their weakness. On that account we cannot grasp 

 ihera as we can larger enemies more sensible to our sight and touchy 

 and moreover their changes of form are so remarkably great, that we 

 do not know them in their several mutations unless we are very careful 

 indeed in cur observations. They perplex us greatly in our endea- 

 vours to find them out. The caterpillar race attacks root, leaf and 

 fruit. In the grub form they destroy often our Indian corn crops. 

 A distinguished entomologist (Dr. Harris, an American,) considers 

 this caterpillar race as fully destructive, if not more so, than any of 

 the insect tribes. He styles some of them subterranean, (working 

 under ground,) others superterranean, (working above ground.) 

 Among these are the grub, the cut worm, and wire worm ; they are 

 the agrolidean race. The grub cuts off roots, it attacks our Indian 

 corn in June and July. The cut worms come to the surface and there 

 cuts off plants. The wire worm does so to. Those excellent authors 

 Kirby and Spence, of England, throw great light on the subject of 

 insects. When land has been left for some time in turf, then ploughed 

 and corn planted, the subterranean caterpillars sometimes cut it to 

 pieces. A valuable and curious experiment has been tried in Eng- 

 land : From a field where these caterpillars abounded, sixty-three 

 bushels of the mould were taken up and sifted, and out of that quan- 

 tity twenty-three bushels of the caterpillars were found. The crop 

 of grain which had been on that field was entirely destroyed. Some- 



