9 2 



FIELD AND FOKEST. 



destroying the woolen cushions irf apiano 

 forte, intended to deaden the sound 

 by action of the " soft pedal," scarlet and 

 white pupa cases having been found in 

 rich profit ion, suspended from the pol- 

 ished under surface of the cover. The 

 Piano had been closed all summer, in a 

 room little used. 



Insect Ravages among the Wil- 

 lows. — Collecting the three shrubby wil- 

 1 iws, Salix cutteri, repens and argyrocar- 



pa, near the Lake of the Clouds, just south 

 of the summit of Mt. Washington, the past 

 summer, I found it very difficult to collect 

 specimens at all satisfactory, as the leaves 

 were almost destroyed by insects. Has 

 any one else noticed the fact, or detected 

 the criminal. — J. W. Chickering. 



Vegetable Catapult. — One of the 

 thick tough pods of Poincina gillissii from 

 the Botanic Garden had been lying upon 

 my study table lor some days, when with 

 a noise almost as loud as a report of a 

 pistol it exploded throwing pod and seeds 

 several feet. Has any one noticed the 

 pods remaining upon the bush ? — J. W. 

 Chickering, Jr. 



GLEANINGS. 



In an article on the subject of "Recent 

 Inventions for Insect Destruction," by 

 Drniel Breed, in t :e Report of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture for 1876, we find 

 a number of mechanical appliances de- 

 scribed, figures of which are reproduced 

 on the opposite page. Fig. 23 is a trap 

 for the cotton worm, and consists of a pan 

 filled with some viscid substance set upon 

 a post, with a lantern upon a block in the 

 centre. The insects fly to the light and 

 fall into the mixture. 



Fig. 24 is a sheet iron furnace having 

 the form of a half cylinder, tapered at the 

 ends. It is used against the army worm 

 in the following manner: A deep furrow 

 is plowed around the field, made smooth 

 by following after with a round log of 

 wood. The worms fall into this and being 

 unable to get out are easily destroyed by 

 passing this heated furnace through the 

 furrow. 



Fig. 25, which explains itself, is used 

 for sifting Paris green and flour or other 

 substances upon potato foliage for the de- 

 struction of the Colorado beetle. 



Fig. 26 and 27, are mechanical appli- 

 ances used to destroy the same insect. 

 The first is mounted upon two wheels at 

 the rear end of the machine. A trough 

 with a runner-like bow, containing some 

 adhesive matter, is suspended over each 

 side of the row. A vibrating arm or 

 beam, carrying wisps or brushes, is ad- 

 justably suspended from the frame, and as 

 the machine is pushed along astride the 

 row of plants, the insects are shaken into 

 the troughs from which they are unable to 

 escape. Fig. 27 is provided with a pair 

 of crushing rollers which destroy the in- 

 sects as they are collected. The machine 

 is supported upon the two wheels, one in 

 the rear of the other. On each side there 

 are revolving wings which sweep the in- 

 sects into the hopper-shaped body of the 

 machine. In addition there are two gather- 

 ing fingers which support the vines during 

 the passage of the machine. 



C de Candolle has been investigating 

 the structure and movements of the leaves 

 of Dioncea muscipula with the following 

 results : 



1. The absorption of animal matter is 

 no direct advantage to the leaves, and not 

 necessary for the development of the plant. 



