No. 199.] • 5-13 



times in meadows, they cut off all the roots, so that the upper 

 part of the turf may be rolled up like a carpet. Dr. Harris advises 

 the soaking of seed in a solution of copperas, the grub then will not 

 touch it. It has been found that sowing a small quantity of common 

 sah in a field, or lime, or unleached ashes, or plaster of Paris, is good 

 to destroy insects. I have seen wheat sprinkled with lime dust saved 

 from the Hessian fly, while the adjoining half of the field was nearly 

 wholly destroyed by that fly. These applications also defend our 

 crops in a measure from the birds, and make them more hungry after 

 insects. 



Dr. Underbill. — The best plan, as to sod, is to plough it deep in the 

 fall, so as to expose the insects to frost for that destroys them ; an<i 

 this method should always be pursued ; millions of the insects are thus 

 killed in one month. But if you omit the ploughing until spring, you 

 will have them all alive. When I was a schoolboy I recollect, that 

 on one occasion, I helped to roll up the sods cut off by worms, in 

 great masses. The destroyer in that case is the black or large white 

 grub, so called. The farmers that season were obliged to plough 

 up their corn fields and to plant all over the second time, on account 

 of the black grub, and they ate up that second growth. They then 

 ploughed again and sowed buckwheat. 



Mr. Pitts. — Wc fmd that grub in cultivated fields, not in new • 

 lands. 



Dr. Underhill. — That is true. 



Judge Van Wyck. — Insects do not like lime or salt. They will 

 not climb a tree washed with lime. 



Dr. Underhill. — Sprinkle lime or ashes on melons and cucumbers 

 "jarly in the morning, while the dew is on them. I have lately visit- 

 ed the fine farm of Mr. Manice, of Long Island. He has a piece of 

 land surrounded by a high fence ; it is about 200 feet long by 150 

 wide. Here are his plum trees, and the whole surface is paved with 

 bricks. The trees are about twelve feet apart. The result of this 

 has been, that instead of the constant loss of the crop he has as many 



