^» 



98 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 2. 



The CurcnHo. 



We nrs but partially acquainted with the Curculio. 

 Its manner of providing for ita young by depositing 

 the nit in our atone fruit, may bo familiar to most of 

 our readers, — together with several other particulars; 

 but its food after it has passed into ihe perfect state, 

 its place of abode during the autumn and winter, and 

 the age it may attain, are tilings which appear to be 

 Tery imperfectly known. 



If the life of this insect extends to several years, the 

 chief advantage to be derived from having iioga and 

 geese under the trees, must bo to prevent its increase. 

 A few of the old f nes indeed, may be trampled to 

 death; but in a large fruit garden, it is likely that 

 most of the young ones will escape; and if to these 

 we add such us immigrate from other places, there 

 will be an increasing array of them in the trees, be- 

 yond the reach of the hogs, geese, and poultry. 



That such has beta the case in our fruit garden, we 

 are much inclined to believe. Si.\ years ago, the hogs 

 were nut permitted to run there; and wilitout doubt 

 many hundreds of young curculios were added to 

 those already in possession. Wo have lately under- 

 taken to lessen their number by catching them on 

 Bhcels; and wc now have about 1700 on the list. 



From their difference in size, we infer a diflcrcnce 

 in age. Further proof indeed, is wanted; but some 

 of tiiem are not less than four or five times as large as 

 others. If they live through a period of years, they 

 must continue to provide for their offspring in some 

 kind of stone fruit. If we exclude them from the 

 plum tree, the apricot, and nectarine, they will attack 

 the peach and the cherry. The laWer indeed suffers 

 Bnuually to some extent; and a few years ago, owing 

 to a scarcity of other fruit, our peaches were almost 

 entirely destroyed by them. 



These considerations have induced us this season 

 to pay more attention to them than in years past; and 

 we have been surprised to find them so numerous. In 

 B late article on this -subject, we proposed to jar the 

 trees before the tin troughs were put up; but one, or 

 even a dozen jarrings are not sufficient to get them all 

 down. The troughs therefore, should be fixed and 

 filled, very early in the season, before the insects as- 

 cend the trees, or the labor may be vain. We offer 

 Bome proof of this remark: For nine mornings in suc- 

 cession, some of our trees had been repeatedly struck 

 with an axe, so as to produce violent concussions, 

 each time obtaining a goodly number of curculios; and 

 yet on the tenth morning, from the same trees, we 

 caught more than double the number that wc had at 

 ony other time, t)wing to the cold which benumbed 

 them, and rendered them less able to hold on. From 

 the same trees we have since obtained many more. 



Bome persons have doubted the efficiency of water 

 troughs; but from what we have seen of them, our 

 confidence has not been diminished in the least. We 

 liavo frequently caught curculios on the rim, as it 

 waiting for a passage; and have sometimes found them 

 in the water perfectly helpless. Now to prevent them 

 from climbing up, is all that wo can reasonably expect 

 from a water trough. It cannot bring them down. 



For largo trees, the expense of these fixttires will 

 lie greater than on small trees, the amount of materi- 

 bIs to make them being greater, JfoeulUci^Uepacc 

 be left between the trough and the tree however, it 

 may remain several years without being taken 

 down-ahole being made in tho bottom as soon ae the 

 curculio season is over, to lot off tho water which 

 Blight collect there, from rain or from meJtin" snow 

 A small chisel, cutting through tho tin into o block o, 

 w-ood held firmly under, would make o Bumr,cnt 

 aperture, which might be closed the nejt ep-:ir .' tni 

 secured by « drop of sodor. Three or - « „.....-. 

 ^ehtd up bst^rwn the uwb^ ' 

 ■ ■■^- " 



inii 



th 



fi trpft fnstonpH 



by small nails, support the trough; and rags or tow 

 stop up the remaining vacancy. We cap the whole 

 with a coat of mortar to prevent the insects from 

 working their way through the crevices. 



Ilogs Bomefimes neglect to eat the fallen fruit when 

 it is very green; but shorter commons will generally 

 bring them to their duty. If the fruit fies long un- 

 der the tree, the worm escapes into the ground, t 



liocality of the Canker Worm. 



The Nashville "Agriculturist (as quoted in an ex- 

 change paper^ recommends taking up the earth round 

 .•"ruit trees to the depth of six or eight inches, and to 

 the distance of eight or ten inches, for the purpose of 

 burning it, in order "to destroy the germ of the con- 

 ker worn." Is the canker worm an inhabitant of 

 Tennessee 1 Perhaps some of our readers can inform 

 us in rcsard to this particular ; and also the bounda- 

 ries of that district on which the genuine canker worm 

 ( Fhalaui TcmataJ is found. 



Deane in his New England Farmer or Georgical 

 Dictionary says, " It is not less than about filty years 

 since this insect began its depredations in New Eng- 

 land, in the parts which had been longest cultivated. 

 But perhaps there is some reason to hope ihat Provi- 

 dence is about to extirpate them : for a little bird has 

 lately made its appearance in some parts of the coun- 

 try, which feeds upon the canker worms. Should 

 these birds have a rapid increase, the insect will be 

 thinned, eo as to be less formidable, if not wholly de- 

 stroyed." 



The second edition of that work was issued in 1797, 

 "soon after the first," and perhaps we may set the 

 lime of their first appearance about one hundred years 

 agi. It will be safe to conclude they were not newly 

 created about that time, however ; and we may ask 

 whence they came ? or what other tree supplied ihem 

 with food before that period ? 



The little bird was doubtless the cedar bird— one of 

 the greatest marauders of our land ; but having no 

 canker worms for him to feed on in this district, we 

 should be glad to send him where he might find use- 

 ful employment. t 



From jrestcm Farmer. 

 Best Method of Improving New Farms. 



If heavily timbered with oak, maple, beach, bass 

 wood, ash, &.C., together with a heavy growth of un- 

 derwood or brush, the best method in the opinion of 

 the writer, or at least that has fallen under his obser- 

 vation, to clear such land is, if it be undulating and 

 dry, to enter in the months of Juno, July or August, 

 upon the land to be cleared, when the leaves are large 

 and full, with axe and bush hook in hand, and cut 

 down all the trees and brush of and less in sizp than 

 six or eight inches in diameter, on the first five, ten, 

 twenty, or more acies, according to tho means at com- 

 mand, leaving the larger trees standing. 



Trim up the fallen trees by lopping off the branch- 

 es, and then cut up their branches into suitable length 

 for rails, or to be thrown together into piles for burn- 

 ing, leaving the brush scattered over the surface of 

 the ground to dry. Tho next step recommended, 

 will be, after the leaves have fallen from the trees in 

 tho fall of the year, and before the buds start out in 

 the spring, to girdle the timber or trees left standing 

 so effeetually as to kill them ; and as soon thereafter 

 as the weather will permit, (if the season be favorable, 

 the last of April or first of May,) put fire to j-our 

 "fallow," and the probability is, you will get a "good 

 burn." When once cleared off', put on a brisk team 

 -'■ — ..nu cattle or horses, and harrow up your land 

 I'horntTgry till it becomes niCllC".' =""' P''«^l« '» "ic 

 hoe ; you may then plant it in corn or potatoes, or 

 BOW it to oats or other spring grain, at your option, or 

 as your wants may dictate. If you sow to oats, you 

 can immediately seed down alter them to "timothy 

 .-raes," "red top" or "clover," which will soon fur- 

 nish your farm with hay for your stock of cattle, &c. 

 Nor will tho 'girdlings' become dangerous to your 

 cattle, or prove detrimental to your crops for the first 

 threa or four years, and inthe mean time they can be 



or lire wood, and 



I cutaown ana useo '" '»" "TAu, fMm«'» >««> ^^ 

 hsins drv. cut be burned 0*"' 



almost any season of the year when he may have the 

 most leisure time to do it. 



It being generally the case with those hardy indus- 

 trious men who most frequently break in upon new 

 farms, that they are limited in their means, and hav- 

 ing families to support, and some of them large ones 

 too, they require a quick return of the outlay of their 

 small capitals. And this method of clearing the first 

 forty acres of timbered land, if pursued, will place a 

 family in circumstances to raise their own food for 

 consumption, sooner than any other, as much labor, 

 time and expense are thereby saved the first year or 

 two, while the new beginner is beginning anew with 

 every thins; new around him. If "openings," "prai- 

 ries," or "plains," are to be worked, where there is 

 a heavy coat of herbage upon the ground, and no ob- 

 stacles in the way of the plough, in the month of June 

 or July enter upon the land to be broken up with a 

 sufficient team to turn over tho sward with case, while 

 the wild grass and herbs are yet tender and vegetating. 



The depth of ploughing should be regulated accord, 

 ing to the depth of the soil. And as a general rule, 

 prairie can be ploughed deeper than either openings 

 or the willow plains. "Oak openings," the first 

 ploughing should be turned over to the depth of about 

 six inches, and great care must be taken to turn a 

 "clean, handsome furrow," eo as to cover entirely 

 the vegetable matter, for one acre well ploughed and 

 tilled, is better to the farmer than five but half done, 

 and if the whiskey bottle is suffered never to enter the 

 habitation nor the field, and proper care be taken, thi 

 farm work is sure of being not only seasonably, but 

 well done. The land thus ploughed should be suf- 

 fered to He in fallow, undisturbed until the following 

 spring, when it may be cross ploughed, harrowed and 

 prepared for spring crops. 



It may be well, perhaps, here to advert to one reason 

 why the first ploughing in openings or plains, where 

 the sub-soil tends to clay should not be made too deep. 

 ArgillousBoil, in its natural undisturbed state, lies in 

 a compact firm layer, and is of a cold sour nature 

 and as new beginners are somewhat impatient for 

 early crops, th^'y cannot wait for the seasons with 

 their accompanying attribntes of heat and frost, show- 

 er and sunshine, to modify and subdue the natural 

 sourness of a clayey soil if ploughed to the depth of 

 ten or twelve inches at first; so therefore, as eoonaa 

 the vegetation and mould which were turned under at 

 the first ploughing, have sufficiently rotted to mix with 

 the under soil that was turned up, and which being 

 thin, (if ploughed but six inches,) and lying over a 

 compost formed of the vegetable matter soon mace- 

 rates, by exposure and the air changes of the weather, 

 and will if planted or sowed, yield a tolerable crop, 

 tho time is improved by the new beginners, to avail 

 themselves of the earliest possible harvest. And fur. 

 thermore, as all newly cultivated lands, if properly 

 managed, will yield a yearly increase of the products 

 of the soil for the first five or six years ; the de|)lh ol 

 ploughing can be gradually increased without nialcri. 'I' 

 ally lessening the productiveness of the c:op. At the Kl 

 same time the farmer is receiving a rich reward for hif 

 care and labor. As 1 have already occupied a largei 

 space of your useful coluinnsihan may be interesting 

 to most of your readers in partly answering a short in- 

 quiry, I shall dose by observing that if your " Tus- 

 cola" correspondent, "O. S." needs any further in 

 formation on the subject, after he shall have clearec 

 or broken up the first ten acres of land, by so intima- 

 ting through the medium of the Western Farmer, h« Wi 

 can be accommodated by 



" CINCINNATUS." 



Lapeer County, March UOth, 1841. 



iti 



iri( 

 (II 

 lii 



pi 



tm, 



millet. 



Culture. — This plant will grow upon any soil ol 

 tolerable richness, though it docs best on loom. Th( 

 ground should be prepared as for ordinary crops. Thf 

 seed should be so«n broad-cast, and covered with th« ^j 

 harrow. If sown early, the crop may be gathered ir "' 

 August, though if sown any time before the 25th o: 

 June, it will coma to maturity.* If seed is the object, 

 four quarts of seed to the acre will be enough; but itI 

 intended principally for cattle iced, the quantity ol 

 seed may be increased to eight quarts. It grows tt 

 tho height of from two to six feet, according to the 

 quality of the soil. Birds are fond of the seed, and 

 devour it as soon aa it begins to ripen. The croj 

 should be therefore cut before tho whole has matured, 

 and while tho straw is green. It may be cut with l'. 

 sycklo, scythe, or cradle, and should belioueed a« BOOl (I 

 as it is eulilciently dry. 



itfi 



, /odfifi 



1 . WUon J"''"" ^'-."liEi 



:the<*lct-Of'i"i| 



minani»!l>«»''^'"" 





