S^o. 8. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



121 



Slugs on Fruit Trees. 



EBSRS. Editors — 



About the first of July there appearcJ on the leaves of 

 cpciir trees in this vicinity, a small dark Iirown worui or 

 ig, from one quarter of an inch to an inch in length, with 

 bead much larger than any other part of the boilv, anti in 

 ch numNers as to Ihrea'en the trees tcith immediate dea- 

 iction. Half a dozen of them might of.en lie seen feeding 

 1 a single1e.'if, eating out tiie tender part like young sillt 

 orins. They iriL^reased in nuinticrs for about two weeks, 

 .d extendel their ravages to the cherry trees, but I lie- 

 !Ve no oilier kinds were injured by them. After continu- 

 5 their work of destruction for about three weeks, and 

 ■ippirigmaiiy trees cn:irely of their foilagc, they began to 

 ;, and have now mostly disappeare'K Now cs I am en- 

 ely ignorant of the name, origin and hin'.ory of these in- 

 ts, I write this coininunication in hopes that you or some 

 your correspondents will throw some light on the sub- 

 it A . B. C. 

 Bleemjield, Juhj aC.'J, If !1. 



tlEMACKS —These slugs, nsthey are commonly called, have 

 en quite too well known in this vicinity for three or four 

 ars past. We are not sure that their operations are con- 

 ed to Western IVew York, alihough we do not recollect 

 ving seen or heard of them in other parts. Itisevident, 

 wever, that they are every year e.vtending the field of 

 sir oper.ations, and tiiey will probably continue to do so 

 some natural calamity destroys, or enemy devours thcin -, 

 ■ however simple may be the artificial means for their 

 struction, it seems that people are generally too idle oi 

 jligent to put them in requisition. We last year pub- 

 acd several articles on the subject, and sugges'.ed some 

 ans fjr their destruction (Vol. 1. ) 



This insect appears to be a nondescript : or at any rate we 

 ye been unable to find out its true name, or any account 

 its history. We have discovered, however, that in its 

 ■feet stale it is a fly, about as long and half as large as the 

 nmon house fly, but of slotver motion. It deposits its eggs 

 ing ihe month of June, which appear likesmall glutinous 

 a or scales on the upper surface of the ieaves. These 

 n hatch and produce the slugs, which feed for about 

 se weeks — then curl up and appi-ar to die and fall to the 

 Hnd But insread of dying as most people suppose, they 

 nje into the chrysalis state and escape into the gronnd, 

 ere they remain till the next summer, and then issue 

 b again in the form of flies — multiply their species, and 

 5W their aiisohief. 



he most common and simple mode of destroying them 

 stofore, has been'to throw dry ashes or lime over the 

 s for several successive morninss It adheres to iheir 

 ycoat and kills them. If any of our readers have disco- 

 id any more easy or ellec'.ual method we should Lepleas- 

 41 publish it.— Eds. 



I'Downiug's Lauiiscape Gardening and 

 Rural Architecture." 



'Ti8 appearance of thia work at the present time, 

 ars, on tbe part of the Piibliahera, great confidence 

 he intelligence and good taste of our countrymen, 

 abiting a region but recently made sulject to the 

 Its of civilization, it ia a matter of course that orr 

 e and thoughts should be chiefly occupied with 

 It pertains to the neceaaariea rather than the ele- 

 cies of life. We were, consequently, not without 

 fears, that our ai:t'ior had mistaken his own zeal 

 high estimate of rural improvement, for a some- 

 it corresponding feeling in the community, and 

 refore, like many other writers of merit, his la- 

 a would remain unappreciated, until a more re- 

 !<i public sentiment should do them justice. 

 Jat we are mistaken; and if the plea of ignorance 

 amore credil to our honesty than information, all 

 can say is, that it is very gratifying to find the 

 iTailing taste in advance of our auiicipntions. 

 We knew indeed that huge piles of brick and stone 

 I been erected in the vicinity of our cities and large 

 /D8, with some pretensions at least, to care and la 

 ) in planting about them; but we were not aware 

 «r much had been done remote from these, fai 

 m the busy haunts of commercial life, to catch the 

 piration of Nature, and make her beauties sub- 

 ■vient to our comfjrt and elevated enjoyment. 

 •We bad oflen feasted upon ihe works of foreign 

 I h«rs as thoy described tic magnificent cfiuntry 



seats of the old world; but we knew not that the no- 

 ble Hudson reflected from its silvery waters the light 

 and giacefiil tracery, the pointed arch and the lofty 

 pinnacle of the Gothic style; or that the warm and 

 rich Italian, transported from its sunny home, bad 

 found an appropriate resting place on the quiet banks 

 of the Dolnwnro. But what lias given us more satis- 

 faction than all, and for which we Ibink our author 

 deserves much credit, is, his attempt to bring this 

 species of enjoyment within the reach of every land- 

 holder, however humble. Republicans, as we are 

 by feeling and educolion, we hope never to see the 

 day when loully castles, extensive parks, snatched 

 from cultivation, and highly arlilieinl and costly gar- 

 dens, shall take the place of the elegant, but unosten- 

 tatious villa, the well kept farm house, or the neat 

 and comfortable cottage. The former how beautiful 

 soever in appearance, c'lnstanlly force the reflection 

 upon us, that toil and privation are wrung Irom the 

 many, for the g^atificntion of the few. It is partly on 

 thij account, that an impression seems to prevail, un- 

 favorable to ornamental planting, as being attended 

 with heavy e.vpense: hence also, when a wealthy in- 

 dividual, wishes to improve his grounds, he thinks 

 his object secured by the application of large sums of 

 money; he changes a gentle slope into huge terraces, 

 lays out his approach road in a regular curve, racks 

 his invention to produce a fence of the most showy 

 description; and if, behind these, rises a naked, star- 

 ing front of composite cohmins, his success is com. 

 plele. After all this he looks for enjoyment, and 

 wonders why it does not come; never reflecting that 

 the mind derives its chief saiisfation from the con- 

 templation of Nature in her varied, ever-changing 

 forms. Lot him then who seeks enjoyment in this 

 particular, keep his purse strings nndrawn, except to 

 the calls of the poor and the needy; but let him with 

 his own hands emooth and enrich the verdant turf; 

 let him in this low corner, plant the bending willow; 

 on that kno'l, the graceful, towering elm; lead the 

 circuitous path through this close planted grove, 

 the dark maple and the shelving beech invite 



us by their refreshing coolness; here, open to view 

 the distant prospect; there, thul out by thick under- 

 growth an unsightly object; here, in an irregular pint, 

 suited perhaps to the bend of the walk, plnnt a few 

 choice flowers; and near by if possible divert ihs 

 neighboring rivulet to gladden and complete the 

 whole: Then our word for it, there will be no com- 

 plaint of sameness. This would be a world within 

 Itself which would afllird more of variety than all the 

 architectural display of the city. But some of our 

 readers are ready to eny, perhaps, "all ibis is very 

 well for the v/eallhy, but when sholl we find lima to 

 accomplish a work so e.ittensivt? We reply, in the 

 first place, we should be glad if there was a liiite 

 more allention given to the com/orts of life, and not 

 quite so much exclusive thought, in relation to get- 

 ting rich. And in the second place, let every man 

 strictly conform to his cireumetances, and if his front 

 and back yards occupy but a few rods of ground, why 

 let him improve tho^n in the best mannner. Is it ab- 

 solutely necessary that ihe lawn gate opens predsch 

 in front of the principal door? May wa not have some 

 reference to convenience? and must the straight walk 

 be bordered with flowers in a straight line, and the 

 whole area occupied wiih parallel rows of trees? In 

 fact it is common to find places arranged in this man- 

 ner which have required quite as much labor, as to 

 have laid out the grounds in a simple and effective 

 form. 



We copy below as illustroting our meaning in 

 part, an engraving, representing a plantation of the 

 simplest description: let our readers observe the close 

 planting near the house, the wide spread lawn and 

 the graceful curve of the approach road, then let them 

 in imagination cover the whole with straight rows of 

 fruit trees, shut out the best prospects, if accident de- 

 cide, and lead the approach in a direct line to the 

 house, and then mark the difleren^ e. 



We hope in future numbers to give our readers a 

 synopsisof the work, as we conceive the information 

 contained therein to be inlimately connected with tha 

 real happiness of the commuHily. g_ 



ITEMSl 



CO.IDEXSED FROM E-XCHi.VGE P.VPKRS, &e. 



New Pasture for Cows — Morus Malticaulis.— 

 The American Farmer says "In a recent conversa- 

 tion with a friend from Virginia, he informed us 

 that he had tried the experiment of turning his cows 

 into the field where bis mulberries were growing, 

 ind found that they ate the leaves with great relish, 

 and that the increase in the quantity and quality of 

 the milk was perceptible in a day or two." Should 

 like to kn.iw how many cows an acre would pasture. 

 Silk Culture. — Edmund Morris of Burlington, N. 

 J. announces the entire success ofhis experiments 

 ihe present season in the culture of silk, by means of 

 lis newly invented silk frames. His exper ments 

 ivere performed in the presence of crowds of visitors, 

 and several testimonials are given of ihe complete 

 success of his frames in other plaoes. Those wish- ' 

 ing further informst^on may have it by reading his ' 

 " Silk Record," a small monthly, sent to all without 

 charge, who are personally interetttd in lb* (illi bu- 



3 RCSS. 



Hen's Eggs. — A correspondent of the Cultivator 

 says he obtains fresh eggs the year through, by regu- 

 larly feeding his fowls as much Indian corn as they 

 will tat. 



A Berkshire Hog in the f ossession of E. Marks, 

 Onondaga county, gained, while fattening, ihreo 

 pounds five ounces daily. 



Working soil, according to Skinner of the Ameri- 

 can Farmer, is "the sovereignest thing" to prevent 

 plants burning from drought. 



Tico Rules of JelTerson are very applicable to the 

 times: — "Never spend your money before you get 

 it;" and "Never buy what you do not want becauaj 

 it is cheap." 



Large Yearlings — S. Hecox of Lyons, writes, in 

 the Cultivator, that he hos two bull calves, rated 

 from Thomas Weddle's stock of Durhams, the one 

 a three-quarter bload , which weighed ot one year oli 

 1015 lbs., the other a half-blood, which at the same 

 age weighed 915 lbs. Their feed during the piA 

 winleT wa» hay and roots only. ' 



