372 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Drury, ol London, expended forty thousand pounds sterling In 

 researches of this sort, and j)ublished an admirable quarto, with 

 plates, 1782. His collection of insects was eleven thousand- 

 For a single insect of his collection, the Scarahccus Goliathus, 

 Donovan gave twelve guineas and a half 



So far, our entomology contains over seven hundred orders, 

 each having many species. They are legion. 



Prof Harris, of Harvard College, Massachusetts, and Asa Fitch, 

 of Albany, N. Y., have done us much good in this science. 



We are permitted to hope that, as in other science, it has 

 required ages to establish a few modern truths, such as steam, 

 electricity, &c., so ages of study of insects may lead us to the 

 knowledge of means to control them, too. As they cannot alter 

 their seasons and habits, we may learn to avoid their destructive 

 power, or to destroy them. 



RIPE vs. UNRIPE GRASS. 



Solon Robinson read the following letter, from an experienced 

 farmer in Kentucky : 



Washington, Ky., Jan. 11, 1858. 



Dear Sir: I observe in the proceedings of the Farmers' Club, 

 of December 4, a statement, by Dr. Wellington, that grasses cut 

 for cows are suffered to become too ripe before harvesting. Some 

 grasses may, to most advantage, be cut in the flower state, and 

 some after the seed has ripened. I take the liberty to refer you 

 to some tables in my agricultural essay, pages 233 and 234, given 

 on the authority of Sir H. Davey, from which you will discover 

 there is a very great difference in different grasses in this respect. 

 Timothy, you will perceive, is very much more nutritious when 

 ripe than when cut in the blossom state. Poa angustipolia has 

 double the nutriment when cut in the flower state, (see second 

 table.) In other grasses the nutriment is nearly the same in the 

 seed and flower state. You will perceive, from table second, that 

 the nutriment of different grasses per acre varies from 279 lbs. to 

 1,430 lbs. per acre. The latter is the Poa angustifolia, which is 

 also very productive in hay, though it is exceeded by the Poa 

 fertilis in hay, but not in nutritive matter. In this latter respect 

 it falls short considerably. Pioth these grasses yield m.ost hay 



