insects. It is equally worthy of notice. — " The 

 pine forests of Germany are exposed to the 

 ravages of various lepidopterous insects, such as 

 Smerinthus pinastri, and in particular Gastro- 

 pacha pint. Now, a pine tree once stripped of its 

 leaves, or needles, as the Germans term them, 

 docs not recover like an oak or a sycamore, hut 

 dies. Many hundred acres of the finest timber 

 are thus often destroyed in one district. It is an 

 interesting sight to any but the owner, to visit a 

 forest under the infliction of Gastropacha pihi; 

 the thousands of caterpillars, eagerly feeding, 

 produce a distinct crackling sound as the hard 

 dry pine leaves yield to their persevering jaws. 

 The large moths fluttering lazily about, or 

 perched on the leafless sprays, await the ap- 

 proach of evening, when the game-keepers 

 kindle large fires in the open spaces. Into these, 

 multitudes of the moths fall and are con- 

 sumed; but this, with all that arc destroyed by 

 hand or devoured by birds, would avail little, 

 but for the services of certain insects. Among 

 these, the Calosoma is one of the most active; 

 both larva and beetle mount the trees, and 

 slaughter moths and caterpillars far more than are 

 requisite to satisfy their appetite. Those seasons 

 in which the pine moth is most numerous, are 

 also remarkably favorable to the Calosoma, and 

 to several kinds of Ichneumons, which also prey 

 upon the Gastropacha." — I shall have many other 

 interesting communications, dear Mr. Editor, to 

 send you shortly. — Nannette. 



[A world of thanks be thine, dear Nannette. 

 "We knew the handwriting again, though the 

 "signature" wa.^ changed. We believe, and 

 wish to believe, that your name is Nannette. It 

 is such a sweetly pretty name !] 



Cultivation of the Hop. — I was not aware, Mr. 

 Editor, till recently, that the emanation from the 

 hop was conducive to health. But I find on 

 inquiry that it really is so; and I am naturally 

 anxious to make it extensively known, Dr. 

 Waldrop in his " Diseases of the Heart," has 

 the following remarks: — " Animals as well as 

 man are instinctively impelled to eat substances 

 when they are out of health, in order to assist 

 the digestion of their food ; and no cattle will thrive 

 upon grasses which do not contain a portion of 

 bitter extractive. Even the inhalation of the 

 odor from the flowers of the hop, has a very bene- 

 ficial effect upon the sick ; and in Kent, where it 

 is extensively cultivated, those employed in 

 collecting the flowers are so greatly improved in 

 their health, that many persons who are enfee- 

 bled, quit the metropolis to ' pick hops,' and 

 return to their homes with their appetite and 

 strength materially improved." — If this were to 

 be inserted in the Public's " Own Journal," 

 with a note by the Editor, it might be conducive 

 to much good. — Vigil, Staines. 



[We can most readily believe that hops in a 

 garden are conducive to health, as well as a 

 handsome ornament to the garden itself. Being 

 thoroughly hardy, they will grow anywhere and 

 thrive luxuriantly. We are among their chief 

 patrons, and have pleasure in assisting at their 

 more general introduction. 



Notes on the Yellow-hammer.-— Last autumn, 



Mr. Editor, I bought a young male yellow-ham- 

 mer, and kept him with alien canary during the 

 winter. I intended, if possible, to breed from 

 them ; but by some neglect on my part, on the 

 12th of May, Mr. Y. made hi; escape out of the 

 cnge, and took up his abode in some trees oppo- 

 site the window. Here he remained for two 

 days, occasionally coming and flying to the win- 

 dow of the room in which the hen canary is 

 kept. But he would not enter the room. I then 

 lost sight of him till May 27th. After being away 

 twelve days, I again saw the merry little fellow 

 on the window-sill, calling to the birds in the 

 room ; and from that time till now he comes re- 

 gularly every morning for some seed, or water- 

 cress, which I put out for him. He then goes to 

 the cages of some linnets hard by, for water; 

 and he seems to be on good terms with them. 

 During the day, he has been seen feeding in the 

 yard with the fowls and pigeons. On my calling 

 to him from the window, he will answer me, and 

 fly round about the house. Eor the last four or 

 five days, he has had some sharp work with the 

 sparrows ; and this morning, when I put the seed 

 out for him, down came five sparrows : a sharp 

 battle commenced between them, and twice was 

 Mr. Y. beaten off the field. Still on he came 

 again, as strong as ever ! At last, I was obliged 

 to drive the enemy away, or I think they would 

 have killed him, I do think he would have been 

 a match for any two of them ; but five to one 

 was too much for the young fellow 1 I feel quite 

 reluctant to cage him up again ; and yet I fear 

 the sparrows will set on him in a body, some 

 day, and kill him. During the time he was in 

 confinement, he was very tame, and would answer 

 me when I called to him. So far as I could judge, 

 he seemed very fond of the hen, and I think she 

 was also fond of him. I gather this from the fact 

 of her being very restless when he is in sight, 

 and by her keeping on calling to him. I tried 

 to pair her with a male canary after Mr. Y, got 

 away, but she fought him most desperately, and 

 in a manner I never saw canaries fight before. 

 I verily believe she would have killed him if I 

 had not parted them. — J. A. B. 



[Is not this a case of " true love ? " If so, why 

 not let " two fond hearts" be united ? Let us 

 hope that, for once, the " course of true love" will 

 run smooth. We admire your hen canary for 

 her propriety of feeling, and revere her for the 

 way in which she " resented" the proposals of a 

 new suitor. " Ne sutor," #"c./] 



Grapes spoilt by Mildew.— -The great injury 

 done to the vines, of late years, by mildew, has 

 caused earnest inquiry to be mad e about a remedy ; 

 and many interesting experiments have been tried 

 to vanquish the enemy. I send you the follow- 

 ing, which I have cut from my newspaper. It is 

 in an abridged form, but it will suffice to show 

 the result gained by a practical operator. He 

 says: — " I have tried various experiments, some 

 of which have been only partially successful; but 

 I am happy to say that I have at length hit upon 

 a very simple method of applying sulphur, which 

 has in a short time accomplished all that I could 

 desire— namely, the total extirpation of the mil- 

 dew from every part of my vines. In the first 

 place, I had the stems and old branches painted 



