132 TRAXSACTIOXS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



gorge in the rocks. And this is by no means a solitary case. 

 All over the country there are just such locations — just as suita- 

 ble for the purpose — just as worthless for any other. 



Will what I have said to-day induce one single owner of simi- 

 lar swampy spots to clear a single quarter acre, and plant it with 

 cranberry vines? Let us hope. 



Subjects for the next meeting : Corn cultivation, fruits, flow- 

 ers, spring planting, &c. Adjourned. 



HENRY MEIGS, Secretary. 



June 4, 1860. 

 Present — 54 members. Andrew S. Fuller in the chair. 



THE LOCUST QUESTION. 



Judge Meigs, the Secretary, called up the locust question, as 

 one of great interest at the present time. 



The chairman said that Dr. Fitch stated, four years ago, that 

 the seventeen year locust would appear this year in New Jersey 

 and other places. 



Dr. Trimble — Well, they have come, and here is a sample of 

 them. These are the shells, attached to the leaves of this cherry 

 tree, and I have no doubt that one tree contains 5,000. They 

 come out in the night, and adhere to some leaf or branch, and 

 before morning they leave the shells with wings perfect and 

 read}^ to fly. Under some old apple trees there are great num- 

 bers that cannot fly, these are consumed by birds and poultry, 

 and even cats — pigs, too, are fond of them. Already some of the 

 trees appear to be alive with these insects. They came out the 

 first day of June, exactly seventeen years from the time of their 

 last appearance. 



Dr. Trimble then read the following article, which was pub- 

 lished in The Newark Mercury, to allay the fright of some of the 

 people, who are already beginning to be alarmed at the multitu- 

 dinous army of sappers and miners. 



THE CICADA, OR SEVENTEEN YEAR LOCUST. 



I have been very much interested in the reappearance of this 

 singular insect after the lapse of just seventeen years to a day. 

 Last evening and this morning they could be seen coming out of 

 the ground in all places where trees were growing seventeen 

 years ago. They crawl up the trees and bushes, attach them- 



