16 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



A NEW TBEE PROTECTOR. 

 We have examined a new contrivance, patented 

 by Mr. Henry L. Ordway, of Ipswich, in this 

 State, for preventing the injury occasioned to fruit 

 trtes by canker worms, which is more simple than 

 any other we have ever seen. The protector is 

 entirely of tin, and the following diagram presents 

 as well as we can do it, a section of it. 



The protector is in- 

 tended to be somewhat 

 larger than the tree, to 

 which it is attached by 

 common cloth, extend- 

 ing a few inches up the 

 trunk of the tree. This 

 of course must be so tight that no worm can work 

 its way under it. The worms passing down the 

 protector, have a sharp turn to make, on the edge 

 of the tin at a. Being heavy with the eggs they 

 carry, few of them succeed in this, and those who 

 do, have another obstruction to overcome in turn- 

 ing at the angle 6. It is said that, on repeated 

 trial, no worm has ever been known to pass this 

 angle, but should any succeed in doing so, they 

 must repeat the same operation near the outer 

 edge of the protector, before they can ascend the 

 tree. 



The theory of the instrument taken in connec- 

 tion with the form and habits of the insect, is very 

 plausible, and we are assured that in practice it is 

 found to work perfectly. The inventor will give 

 any further information in regard to it ; and we 

 hope that an effectual stop is at last found to the 

 ravages of this pest. 



THE WHEAT APHIS. 



Prof. Glover, Entomologist to the Agricultural 

 Department of the National Government, gives 

 the following description of this insect which was 

 very destructive last year in Mar) land, and which 

 threatened so much damage in various portions of 

 the West. It is also mentioned by Dr. Fitch, in 

 his report for 1860, as having been found all over 

 the New England States, in New York, Canada, 

 and Pennsylvania. 



"The Aphis Acenoz, (Fab.) Grain aphis or 

 plant louse. 



Eggs probably deposited by the unwinged fe- 

 males in the autumn upon late sown wheat, &c, 

 where they remain all winter, and hatch the fol- 

 lowing spring. 



Insects live solitary at first upon the leaves and 

 stems of oats, wheat, rye, &c, before the flowers 

 or heads are formed ; where, by means of their 

 suckers, they drain the sap from the plant. At 

 this time only females are found, which are of a 

 green color, and bring forth their young alive. 

 When, however, the flowers and heads are formed 

 they discontinue their solitary habits and cluster 

 in great numbers at the base of the chaff which 

 envelopes the geain, and, inserting their piercers 

 into the plant, extract the juices which should 



form the grain, causing the kernels to become 

 more or less shrunken and light of weight. When 

 feeding upon the juices of the young grain the 

 plant lice change their color from green to a yel- 

 low orange and orange brown. These clusters or 

 communities of plant lice at the base of each grain 

 consist of winged females and their youug ; which 

 last shed their skins several times before attain- 

 ing their full size. 



During the summer, female aphides give birth 

 to living young, without pairing with the males. 

 These young, when perfectly developed, produced 

 young, likewise, without pairing, and so on for 

 several generations. 



The males appear later in the season, when they 

 pair, the impregnated females flying to the late 

 sown wheat, &c, to deposit their eggs which re- 

 main uninjured all winter and hatch the following 

 spring. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 "WARREN. 



This is the name applied to a township until 

 1834 called Western. Its name was changed to 

 Warren, in honor of the patriot of Bunker Hill. 

 It is situated on the Western Railroad, midway 

 between Worcester and Springfield, and covers an 

 area of 16,428 acres. It is quite hilly, and well 

 adapted to grazing, being irrigated by the Qua- 

 boag River which furnishes power for several cot- 

 ton factories. The well known Whipple Scythe 

 Works are located here, although they are at pres- 

 ent used for the manufacture of other implements 

 than those required by the arts of peace. It is 

 populated by a thrifty set of people, who point to 

 their vacant almshouse as an evidence of general 

 prosperity. 



A portion of the farmers of Warren have, for 

 the past twelve years, turned their attention to the 

 production of milk for the Westboro' Milk Com- 

 pany. During the summer months they furnish 

 one thousand cans per day, and in the winter sea- 

 son about eighteen thousand cans per month. 

 The annual receipts for milk amount to about 

 sixty-five thousand dollars. The present price is 

 thirty cents per can. A farmer, who produces as 

 much milk as any other in town, states that his 

 cows average an annual income of forty dollars 

 each. Neither cotton seed meal, oil cake, nor 

 roots, have been used much in this region, the 

 rich hill pastures rendering extra feed in summer 

 unnecessary ; and in winter corn meal is fed. 



In addition to the demand for the Westboro' 

 Milk Company, an immense supply is now required 

 by the Lewis Brothers for their condensing facto- 

 ry recently erected at West Brookfield. But in 

 spite of all this, there is still a surplus of milk in 

 this region, and in consequence thereof there is 

 now in progress a new enterprise to be called 



THE WORCESTER COUNTY CHEESE FACTORY. 



The extremely low prices which have been paid 

 for milk during the past three years, and the 

 steady advance in the price of cheese, have con- 

 spired to turn the attention of some extensive dai- 

 rymen in the south part of Warren, together with 

 others in the adjoining town of Brimfield, to the 

 feasibility of establishing a factory for the produc- 

 tion of cheese, similar to those now in successful 

 operation in various parts of New York State, and 

 in some localities at the West. Accordingly they 



