20 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



tremely bad qualities. I had the pleasure of pre- 

 senting him a few Concords and Dianas, and he 

 became satisfied that his was really no great 

 thing after all ! 



For the Neic Eni;land Farmer. 

 ENTOMOLOGICAL. 



Mr. Editor : — Some time since I sent you 

 specimens of an insect new to me, or at least rare 

 heretofore in this region. As no description of 

 them has appeared in the Farmer, I venture to 

 send you this, hoping that from it some profes- 

 sional entomologist will be able to tell what they 

 are. 



Length to tip of abdomen 0.25, to tip of wings 

 0.40 long. Antennir, black, hairy, erect, four 

 jointed, 0.50 long. Head, small, brownish-black ; 

 eyes, small, brown; thorax, brownish-black, slight- 

 ly hairy, 0.10 long; wings four, hairless; fore wings 

 brownish-black, purplish in sun, transparent ; 

 veins at base, whitish, black at tip ; conforming 

 to abdomen, to tip of same, concealing hind wings; 

 then erect, the under sides touching, 0.30 long ; 

 hind wings white, veins black, 0.15 long ; legs, 

 six, three jointed, hairy, brown ; tip, with a single 

 stout claw, 0.25 long ; abdomen, conical, black, 

 somewhat hairy, encircled by eight pale yellow 

 bands from thorax to tip of abdomen. Found 

 mainly upon the trunk and large limbs of many 

 kinds of trees ; only seen this year between Aug. 

 8th and 2Gth ; then very numerous, coming and 

 disappearing almost at the times named. 



Are they a new enemy added to the already 

 frightful list, or are they useful ? s. A. N. 



Georgetown, Mass. 



Remarks. — We received the insects sent by 

 "S. A. N.," and some of the same from one or 

 two other sources. They were quite numerous 

 upon our a])ple trees, clustering close together, 

 and upon approaching, or touching them, would 

 rapidly diverge in every direction like the rays of 

 a star, and in a few moments return and cover a 

 spot not larger over than half a dollar. We wish 

 to inform our obliging correspondent that we have 

 made repeated application to such entomologists 

 as we have access to, in order to learn the name 

 and habits of the insects he sent us, but as yet 

 without success. 



Rhubarb Wine. — A correspondent of the 

 Prairie Farmer who attended the State Fair of 

 Wisconsin, says, the several specimens of pie-plant 

 wine which we tasted were really delicious, whole- 

 some, and much better than any "boughten" wine 

 we get — even surpassing the best currant wine. 



Agricultural Reports of California. — The 

 Editor of the California Farmer complains round- 

 ly of this State publication. "The presswork is 

 miserable, and when we come to examine the 

 matter, we find it worse. The work abounds in 

 errors, which are a disgrace to any printer, proof- 

 reader, or editor," &c., &c. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FLOWING -WITHOUT CONSEINT. 



Mr. Editor : — One of the most important pe- 

 titions for legislative action before the last Gen- 

 eral Court, it seems to me, was that in relation to 

 the flowing of the Concord and Sudbury river 

 meadows. The whole course of action upon this 

 matter, and the final disposition of it, was looked 

 upon with deepest interest by many persons not 

 immediately connected with the petitioners, who 

 are subject, like them, to similar or even greater 

 evils, from a like cause, and equally anxious for 

 some enactment by which property so exposed 

 may bo preserved from ruin. 



Now, as no final action upon the matter was 

 had before the adjournment of the Court, would it 

 not be well to call a public meeting, at some con- 

 venient place, of all persons throughout the State, 

 whose lands are affected by flowing, as are those 

 on the Concord and Sudbury rivers, for the pur- 

 pose of consultation and concert of action with 

 reference to some measures for general protection 

 and benefit ? 



The existing law, giving to mill owners the 

 right to flow any lands, under certain conditions, 

 is, I believe, a part of the old Colonial law of 

 Massachusetts, enacted for the encouragement of 

 saw and grist mills in the neighborhood of settle- 

 ments, at a time when such conveniences were of 

 the greatest importance. It could never have been 

 intended to empower the immense manufacturing 

 corporations of the present day to avail them- 

 selves of a privilege which is manifestly ruinous 

 to the property of so many farmers and land own- 

 ers in the Commonwealth. Nor could it have been 

 anticipated that the grant of such a privilege 

 would become so detrimental, as it is now known 

 and acknowledged to be, to the public health, 

 where large bodies of meadow land are annually 

 flowed in this way. 



We have the testimony of medical men to facts 

 in relation to this matter, which are of serious 

 importanse to the public. And we have been told 

 by counsellors of the highest authority, that the 

 existing law in this Commonwealth, in relation to 

 the flowing of lands by mill owners, is essentially 

 diff"erent from that in almost every other State, 

 and much less favorable to land owners. 



\n common with many others, I should be glad, 

 Mr. Editor, if you and others interested in tho 

 subject, would consider my suggestions, and if it 

 is thought advisable, that a public meeting be 

 called as early as possible, before the approaching 

 session of the General Court. Norfolk. 



Nov. 12, 1860. 



Remarks. — We are glad to receive and publish 

 this communication, and to learn that the Norfolk 

 county people are looking to their true interests 

 in this important matter. "Middlesex," we do 

 not doubt, will respond to a call by "Norfolk," to 

 hold a public discussion of this matter. Now is 

 the time, while the weather is favorable, to bring 

 out a large collection — and the time to prepare 

 matters for the coming Legislature. The inhabi- 

 tants of Concord river valley, and those of Nor- 

 folk county, have already spoken, and those of 

 other localities, we know, are preparing to do the 



