1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



463 



FINE SAMPLES OF FRUITS. 



Having my attention called to the article of "E. C. 

 P." in regard to the plum, curculio, &c., I agree with 

 him that we may yet enjoy the luxury of the plum, 

 but we must suffer the ravages of the curculio among 

 our other fruits as well as the plum. When I first 

 commenced raising tlie plum, aliout fifteen j^ears ago, 

 I was not troubled at all with that little enemy, but in 

 a few years they began their depredations, increasing 

 yearly. At that time there was no black wart on my 

 trees, but as soon as the curculio had become very nu- 

 merous the wart appeared also, wliicli led me to the 

 conclusion that it was caused by the same insect punc- 

 turing the wood, as well as the plum. Then this little 

 pest coniincd himself altogether to the plum tree or 

 its kindred fruits, but now, after becoming legions in 

 number, their appetites have sharpened, and thcj' read- 

 ily lav hold of apples and pears, and almost all kinds 

 of fruits that adorn our gardens. Some of my pears 

 this season were nearly covered with the crescent fig- 

 ure of this hard shelled bug but, fortunately, the pro- 

 gress of incubation docs not prosper in the pear, al- 

 though where they are badly bit it makes the fruit 

 stunted and inferior. When there is a great blossom 

 and setting of fruit, like the present season, there will 

 be enough escape, but when the reverse, the fruit -will 

 be mostly affected. Hence we see the reason of the 

 plum, in some degree, escaping this year. I send you 

 a sprig of my plums, and some specimens of early ap- 

 ples. 



I send the William's Favorite, Early Harvest and 

 Early Rose and one for which I have no name. Also, 

 a sprig of plums, a fiiir specimen of the whole tree. 

 Some of my plum trees fail, or but few. 



I wish to inquire when is the best time to cut in pear 

 trees and peach trees. Peter Wait. 



Remarks. — Thank you, friend Wait, for the speci- 

 mens of fruit sent. Pomona must be smiling upon you 

 this y ear. 



We should think that after the leaves fall would be 

 a proper time to head in peach or pear trees, 



ENTOMOLOGY — THE CROPS. 



The old adage says "make hay while the sun 

 shines," but as it is the first real rainy day we farmers' 

 boys have had for some time, I will improve it by ask- 

 ing you through the Farmer, how a farmer's boy could 

 obtain some knowledge of entomology. Could I do it 

 without a teacher ? Xvhat books would be necessary, 

 and their cost ? While haying, I have noticed the 

 great number of ditferent insects, and thought I should 

 like to know more about them. We are having a fine 

 rain now. Haying is closing up, and there will be 

 about two-thirds of a crop. Grain of all kinds prom- 

 ises an abundant harvest. Corn will be good if there 

 are no early frosts. Fruit will be much more plenty 

 than it was last year. Sam. 



Enfield, N. H., Aicg., 1860. 



Remarks. — Certainly, you can obtain a pretty good 

 knowledge of entomology, or almost any other branch 

 of learning, without a teacher. Take any of the com- 

 mon works on insects and read them well, — such as 

 Kirby and Spence, Harris or Fitch, and long before 

 you will get through with them you will learn the dif- 

 ferent orders, and the reason why they bear their dif- 

 ferent names. When you have done this, you will 

 liave learned what other steps are necessary in order 

 >o pursue the subject more thoroughly. 



CROPS IN VERMONT. 



In this section of Vermont we are going through 

 such an ordeal as we have never passed through be- 

 fore. Since the first week in April the drought has 

 been severe, and what little vegetation did grow, the 

 grasshoppers have taken. The farmers are in a panic 

 in regard to the staiwing condition of their stock. 

 It will take years to restore as good stock to the far- 

 mers as they had in the spring. Many of our choice 

 flocks have already passed from us, at the gi'eatest 

 sacrifice, rather than see them in such a starving con- 



dition. It makes them very poor to look over their 

 farms and see no herds or flocks, or at least feel so. 

 But we may as well liear in mind that "sufiicient for 

 the day is the evil thereof." S. Aiken. 



Benson, Vt., Aug. 12, 1860. 



PASTURE LAND. 



I have a piece of pasture on which I have com- 

 menced mowing the bushes, which I shall get mowed 

 and burnt up before your next number is out. Part 

 of it bears swale grass, and a part is covered over with 

 sand or clay from the railroad, and a part of it plowed 

 and planted with potatoes. Had I better plow it all 

 up and plant what I can, and let the remainder sum- 

 mer till, or what shall I do with it ? j. m. c. 



Holliston, Aug. 11, 1860. 



Remarks. — If you plant with potatoes what you 

 can tend well next summer, you will certainly do 

 much towards thoroughly reclaiming the laud. Plow 

 in the fivll after the potatoes are han'ested, then plow 

 again in the spring and sow with oats and grass seed— 

 and cut the oats for fodder. Prepare compost manure, 

 and as soon as you can after the oats are cut, give the 

 land a good top-dressing. This will place the land in 

 good condition. 



HUNGARIAN GRASS SEED — OATS FOR FODDER. 



I see by the Farmer that its columns are open for 

 inquiries and replies : I have some Hungarian grass 

 and I v/ant to know how I can save the seed and the 

 fodder, boih. 



In what state must oats be cut that are designed for 

 fodder ? i. -w. 



Clarendon, Vt., Aug. 14, 1860. 



Remarks. — Grass left for its seed to ripen does not 

 make so good fodder as that cut earlier, so that in 

 saving the Hungarian grass for its seed, there will be 

 a depreciation of the stem for fodder. We are not ac- 

 quainted with the best process for securing the seed, 

 but some of our attentive correspondents may be able 

 to inform you. 



Oats intended for fodder should be cut just as the 

 grain is formed, and before it will show any milk, as 

 it is termed, by pressing it between the thumb nails. 



SOWING CLOVER SEED IN THE FALL. 



Please say whether it will do to sow Western clover 

 in the fall ? Will it stand the winter and not kill ? 

 Barre, Aug., 1860. A. Barker. 



Remarks. — It is not the practice in New England, 

 either of a few or many, to sow any kind of clover 

 seed in the fall. The difficulty is, that it does not have 

 time to root sufficiently deep before the cold stops its 

 growth. The roots having only a shallow hold, are 

 thrown out by the heaving frosts, and what is called 

 winter-killing is the result. Buel says "a better prac- 

 tice would be to sow with buckwheat in July. The 

 plants would have time to establish themselves well in 

 the soil. We, however, think that spring sowing is to 

 be prefeiTcd in the Northern States." So do we. 



new INSECTS. 



I discovered on a plum tree in my gardens yester- 

 day, a swarm of insects which somewhat resemble the 

 curculio ; on further examination I found them on my 

 pear and apple trees ; they all appeared to be moving 

 vj) the tree. I should think I killed enough to fill a 

 pint pot ; others I discovered in the act of leaving the 

 ground for the tree ? A specimen of the live insect, I 

 send j'ou for inspection. f. d. 



Lijnn, Aug., 1860. 



Remarks. — We spoke of these insects last week, 

 Hope some of our correspondents will tell us what 

 they are. 



