334 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Drury, of London, a tallow chandler, becoming deeply enamored of the 

 study, expended a quarter of a million of dollars, in his beautiful work, 

 which, as to some insects, is the most interesting for its extreme accuracy 

 of text and illustration. Donovan, of England, also labored for a lifetime 

 in the same insect family with great success. France had her patient, 

 laborious investigator, in the justly celebrated Latreille, whose calm and 

 philosophical mind was also for life devoted to it, and Fabricus, of Den- 

 mark, who studied at Copenhagen, London, Edinburgh, and at Upsal, 

 under Linnaeus ; he was enthusiastic in the study, and published six works 

 on insects; the last was published in 1794. With such pioneers as these, 

 and such valuable aids as our Harris, Fitch, and others, we must and shall 

 understand for real practical purposes how to command these little, but 

 terrible enemies. 



Of the ichneumon fiimily, not yet perfectly known, the great entomolo- 

 gists have named the following genera, each genus having species, viz : 

 Cryptus, bassus, pimpla, joppa, metopius, trogus, alomya, peltastcs, ophion, 

 bauchus — 10 genera. Latreille subjected them to daily scrupulous investi- 

 gation. The vast labor bestowed on the entomologist branch is so much 

 gained as vantage ground for us. We must carry it out to fully utility, 

 by practical operations. As the object is great, indeed, so will be the 

 triumph of the great victors of enemy insects. 



ILL-CONSTRUCTED DWELLINGS. 



The Secretary read an interesting article upon the ill-constructed dwell- 

 ings of America, and the great want of improvement in this respect. There 

 is a great need of schools to teach the art of building, not for show, but 

 utility and convenience of arrangement. 



ENGRAVING GROWING FRUIT. 



There is a simple method of engraving names upon growing fruit. When 

 the fruit is about half grown, cover one side with wax and write the name 

 in the wax, cuttiag through to the skin. When ripe, take off the wax, 

 and the name will appear on the fruit. 



PRESERVING PEARS. 



W. S. Carpenter exhibited several specimens of summer pears, includ- 

 ing Bartlett's, in perfect preservation, preserved in a marble vault in the 

 centre of an ice-house. The person who preserved these pears is Robert 

 Benner, of Astoria. He is able to keep the thermometer at 36°, and this 

 will keep any kind of tender fruit, simply stored in the vault, without any 

 packing. The vault is surrounded with some six feet of ice, top and sides, 

 except a small passage-way into the vault. 



SWAMP MUCK. 



Solon Robinson read a letter from A. B. Chadsey, of Wikford, R. I., 

 which, after speaking in high terms of the interest taken by the country at 

 large in these discussions, asks for information about muck, as follows : 



"What is the best method of preparing peat to be used as a fertilizer ? 



"Will shell lime, or wood ashes and salt, sufficiently neutralize the acid? 



