AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



IG«) 



To Readers and Coirespondeuts. 



Several coitimunitaiions are unavoidably deferred 

 this month, in order to make room for the reports of 

 Fairs itc. We trust however, that this number of 

 oiir paper will not be found delicient iu interest, even 

 IS our most distant readers. 



The sQcond coinmiinication of C. P. T. "on the 

 importance and utility ot the dieacminaiion ol knowl- 

 edge among Fanners," is received, and shall have a 

 place in our next. The author informs us that a want 

 of time prevented him from I'urnishing it several 

 months ago, as wos intende I. 



The Peas received from Ciis. E; Norton, So. Ber- 

 wick, Maine, aie called Knight's Tall Honey Peas ; 

 they are the best variety known for the table, but 

 grow so tall as to make them objnctioi-ablc to many. 



The specimen of Wild Pea from Asa A. Burnham, 

 Esq., Cobourg, is the Lathyrus rcnosus of botanibts. 

 It IS not often, though occasionally, found in these 

 parts. The flowers are quite ornamental, resemb ing 

 the Sweet Pea of the gardens, to which it isneuily 

 allied. 



S. C. is informed that we know of no process by 

 which good wine can be made from the native Frost 

 Grapes. 



" M.inroe," and some others who wish to draw us 

 into an endless Chess conirovcisy, shall receive atten- 

 tion next month. 



Trial of Ploughs at Syracuse. 



The late trial of ploughs at Syracuse, under the di- 

 rection of the State Committcj, it was reasonably ex- 

 pected, would be attended with most important re- 

 sults. Wuen it is considered that the yearly tost of 

 ploughing in the State, amounts to millions, it be- 

 comes evidently a matter of no small macnitudc, ii 

 that cost tan be diminished one third or one half. 



In oiVering a few remorks on that trial, it inay be 

 well to state, that the writer, although of the Commit- 

 tee, was unavoidably absent when the decision and re- 

 port were made, which he lias nut seen, consequently 

 no other of the Committee is responsible lor any thing 

 here said. 



That the trial was unbaiisfactory, none can deny. 

 The failure of the Committee to meet previously, 

 and make necessary arruugements, caused a contusion 

 at the time of the trial, which alone would have prevent- 

 de complete success. Most of the members of the Com- 

 mittee who were present, were appointed to hll vacan 

 cies on that day, and consequently had no time to in- 

 I'orm tbe(n3Plve3 of any particulars relating to the sub- 

 ■cct. S iiiub!e ground hud not been selected, and its 

 unevennoss rendered the strength for draught so con- 

 stantly varying that it was impossible to determine it 

 accurately. The Dynamometer was very imperfcc', 

 though exhibiting v.iih some accuracy the rdatirc 

 draught of each plough. Only one kind of sod was 

 tried, which wos so much drier than is usual in 

 ploughing, that it was not a fair test of the operation 

 generally. The Committee had full opportunity to 

 examine the coivslruction and ojierationoleach plough, 

 so fur as it could be done by a single trial in dry sward, 

 and that their decision is not far from the truth, is to 

 ■ bo tak.en l.ir granted. We doubt much if a finer col- 

 lection of pbujKj or evon so fine a one, was ever be- 



fore seen. The improvement in one year alone, has 

 'cen rery great. And we hope that the unsuccess- 

 t ; competitors will not be discouraged in presenting 

 thi.ir ploughs again next year, when it is hoped a ful- 

 ler tiial may be made. It was to be regretted that 

 some ploughf entered, were, in consequence of the 

 rain and confusion, not tried, among which were on 

 excellent plough from Stephens Cook of Onondaga 

 county, and the celebrated Howard plough, from M. 

 B. Batehamof Rochester.* 



One of the ploughs was rough from the furnace, 

 some had the mouldboords painted, some were well 

 scoured by use, and others were even ground sharp 

 at the point ; ell of which tends to vary the result. 

 As the object always in pointing out errors is to avoid 

 them in future, the writer respectfully suggests the 

 following points, among others, to be observed in fu- 

 ture trials. 



1. Let suitable ground be selected beforehand; it 

 would be better to pay a sum of money for its use, 

 than to have that which is bad. One Held should be 

 clayey, another medium loam, and another sand ; a 

 part sward. a part 6tubble,and a part r jcently ploughed 

 an i harrowed. Let it be the most iven and uniform 

 iiiLt can be found, for the trial of the dynamometer. 

 The ploughs may be tried on rough or stony ground 

 without this instrument. 



2. Every plough should be scoured bright by pre- 

 vious use, an 1 have no additional preparation by 

 gtindingor o bcr\Aite. 



3. The rela.ive force exerted in ploughing difier- 

 ent widths and depths by the same as well ns by dif- 

 ferent ploughs, should be carefully measured by the 

 dynamometer. Especially the force required in cut- 

 ting through, and below, the grass roots in green 

 sward, and in running so deep as to lift the subsoil ; 

 and the comparative friction on long and short mould- 

 boards, in light, and in adhesive soils. 



4. The q- liUy of the work done by each is to be 

 porticulorly'noted. 



5. One ploughman, and one team should be used 

 for the whole. If one of ihe Committee bo the 

 ploughman, all the better. 



6. It is of tlic MOST VITAL IMPORTANCE, 

 that the trial be not made on the daysof the annual fair. 

 To attend properly to oil the above paiticulars, tico 

 or three hours ore the very least that could in any 

 wise be in justice bestowed on each jilough ; more 

 time would be desirable. If fifteen ploughs were en- 

 tered, as was the case this year, several days would 

 necessarily be spent in their proper e.tamination. 

 Some other time shuuld ihercfoie be token, and an 

 agreement bo prev.tuisly ma.le with the members ol 

 the Comniitice, to he iuithfuily at all times on the spot, 

 which they wouid doubtless bo wdllug to do, for the 

 sake of securing a full, faithful, and indisputable dt- 

 cieion, on the merits of this king of instruments in 

 iiuriculture." * 



" Great crc:lit slioiild be ijivcll to Mooers .iiij SLilcr, pro- 

 prietors of " lJ:irii:-hy niul Aloocrs' si.Ie-Jiill .-md level land 

 plough," for their pericveriug e.V|ieiiiiicnts with tlie djna- 

 liionieier. to delerniiiie the furiii for tlie most easy draft for 

 agooii nioutd-bo.-ird, wi:h other hiiprovemciits. 



If ony apology is necessary for the length and some- 

 what too scientilic nature ol the following article, we 

 think the importance of the suliject in relation to the 

 wheat growing interests is a fulficient one. — Eds. 

 Fioin the Allmnij Cultiraltrr. 



The Hessian Fly and other Wheat Insects. 



K.Vl'LiNATtON OF THE ENGRAVINr.. 



1 — Wheat Stalk with the larva of the Hessian fly 

 deposited — diree of the stalks punctured by the Ich- 

 neumon, Ccra/;/irort — natural size, 3 yOths of on inch. 

 — a. a. larva and pupa. 



2 — Section of the wheat stalk, with the larva mng- 

 iiilicd. 



■T — Lara advnui'ed to the pu;ia state, maanified. 



4, 5 — Mfll.' and .'emale Hessian dy, t'uiihmyia ilc 

 stnictvr, n>,.gnitied— 6 antenna of the female. — 7 an- 

 tenna ol the male 



8, !) — .Male tiiul female Ichneumon, Cern/ihron ilr 



sttnctor, magnified. — 10 antenna of the male. — 11 

 antenna of tiie female. 



12,13 — Male and Female wheat worm fly, Ccct- 

 domyia trilica of Kirby, magnified., t 



14 — Section of a grain of wheat with the young 

 wlieot worm within it magnified. 



There is, perhaps, no period ofour agricidtural his- 

 tory, wheiein the ravages of the Hessian fly have at- 

 tracted more attention than during this stoson ; the 

 memorial to Congress of the individual who professiB 

 to have discovered a remedy, end who is r.sking for a 

 compensoiion ; the reference of this memorial to the 

 Commiieeon .Agriculture at the very moment thut 

 elforts are tr.aking to establish a National Society ; 

 the observations of Margakltta Morkis, attracting 

 the attention of so many eminent men and so mony 

 acute observers, joined to the extent of the insect's de- 

 predations, and to the odvoncement of agricultural Bci- 

 eiicc inollitfi departments, except entomology, havo 

 combined to attract this attention. Among other con- 

 tested questions, arising out of the discuKsion, is the 

 identity of this destructive race, Ccc'utowyia destructor 

 of Kirby with the wheat worm ef iNew England, the 

 Cccidomyiu trilica of the same author. The circum- 

 stance ot the great Linnaeus making but one species^ 

 under the name of Tipula tritica, io itself a strong in- 

 dicnlion of their identity. Whether lulnre investi- 

 gations will enable us to restore the system and the 

 nomenclature of this great Swccdish natuiidist, time 

 alone is to determine. I frankly acknowleiige that I 

 dislike innovations upon such perfect sys;ems, and 

 think, ns the Ilibernion would say, that the two in- 

 sects are identical ; but v\'hilc we should frown upon 

 all attempts by vtcn of science to introduce new naiiiea 

 for the purpose of cxierding their own pretended dla- 

 toveries, we sh.inld be equally disposed to encounig« 

 accurate investigation into the true character, habits, 

 transformations and operations of Insects : 



'• The saered sous of vengeance, on whose loyrse 

 Coirosive. famine waits, and kills the year." 



Having recent y returned from a visit thiongh « 

 wheat couiiiry where its ravogcs have been scveicly 

 ell, and found that farmers ha\e n r.i<y n cie woiili 

 hin ii'-"as tc'pictin^ ii ; tl'iii tlnr if ii uih iiiilisitn 



