82 



THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. 



July 31, 



Rinjs. Of tliia genus, Crioceris, wo Imve several species 

 inliabitini; the United States. One wliicli the reader will 

 be most apt to know, is the Three-lined leaf-beetle, (C. 

 irilinfata,) a common insect upon potato vines, and much 

 resembling the yellow striped bug upon cucumbers, but 

 differing in not having the head black. 



The Asparagus beetle closely resembles this of the po- 

 tato in its form and sht, but not at all in its colors. In 

 the annexed cut at a, it is represented its natural size, its 

 length being a quarter of an inch or a little less. It is a 

 beautiful ii.sect, of a shiuing blue-black color, with the 

 thorax bright tawny red, and on each wing cover are three 

 lemon-yellow spots placed in a row running lengthwise. 

 The wing covera arc further ornHmcnted witli an orange- 

 yellow border upon their outer sides, and the middle and 

 bind spots have their outer ends united with this border. 

 The under side, the legs and antenna!, are black. The in- 

 sect varies in having the spots on its wing covers some- 

 times larger, whereby the anterior and middle spots become 

 united togther. On the thorax, too, there are usually two 

 small black spots, which are sometimes larger and more 

 or less completely united into a single large spot. 



ASPARAOnS Brrtlr. 

 a. The beetle, natural liic. b. Its cbcs. c. II« cbh raoimmeil. 

 d. The young larva, e. The larva full Krown. f. Full grown larva 

 magnified. 



Mr. Westwood, in his Modern Classification of Insects, 

 from which work the fignres of the above cut are copied, 

 informs us (vol. i, p. 374) that these insects grow up and 

 complete their transformations in a few weeks. The eggs 

 (i and c) are oblong oval, and are placed on the plant by 

 one of their ends, one egg being sometimes attached at 

 the end of another. 



The worms or iarva> which hatch from these eggs (see 

 cut, d, e, and /,) are of a dull ash gray or olive color, 

 often with a blackish .stripe along the middle of tlie back. 

 They are soft luid of a llesh-like consistency, about three 

 times as long as thick, thickest back of the middle, with 

 the body much wrinkled transversely. The head is black 

 and shining, and the neck, which is thicker than the head, 

 has two shining black. spots above. Three pairs of legs 

 are placed anteriorly irpon the breast, and are of the same 

 shining black color witli the head. As will be seen when 

 It is crawling, the worm clings also with the tip end of its 

 body, and all along the under .side may then be seen two 

 rows of small tubercles slightly projecting from the sur- 

 face, which also serve as prolegs ; and above these, on 

 each aide is a row of elevated sliining dot.s like warts, 

 above which the breathing pores appear like a row of 

 minute black dots. It moves very slowly, and when 

 menaced with danger, a black fluid comes from its month. 

 When it is done feeding, I suppo.se that, like other species 

 of Crioceris, it crawls into the earth, where it lies dor- 

 mant during its pupa state, which in summer probably 

 lasts ten or twelve days, when it changes into a beetle, 

 and comes out to feed again upon the asparagus and de- 

 posit its eggs. Those larvip which descend into the earth 

 at the close of the season, probably remain there in their 

 pupa state througli the winter, and give out the first 

 beetles which make their appearance the following year. 



We come next to consider how we are to combat this 

 enemy that has now invaded us, and protect our aspara- 

 gus from ruin. 



In Europe they have had long and ample experience on 

 this subject. Every remedy that can be thought ot, every 

 protective expedient which human ingenuity can devise, 

 has probably at one time or another been there resorted 

 to, and its efficacy fully tested. And as the result of the 

 efforts and observations of the gardeners of the different 

 countries of Europe from time immemorial, we are told 

 there is one remedial measure which is effectual, and one 

 only. It is given to us in a single line of Kollar's Trea- 

 tise, as in other publications, that " the only means of de- 

 stroying these insects is picking off and killing the beetles 

 and their larva: by hand." 



Those who see these insects over-running their aspara- 

 gus as they do, perhaps in thousands, will be inclined to 

 regard it as a hopeless undertaking, an endless task, to pick 

 off and destroy every individual of the vast multitude. 

 Header, let me assure you, — as I can from my own ex- 

 perience in this remedy of hand-picking— you will 6nd 

 the labor fur lighter and less irksome than you suppose. 

 When this work is resolutely entered upon, you will find 

 that you soon acquire a love of it. It ceases to be a labor, 

 it becomes a pastime ; so much so that when the last one 

 of these vermin is destroyed, it will be with a feeling akin 

 to regret, that, on looking over the plants, you find there 

 is DO more of this work lor you to do. 



And must we now have this insect to combat, this task 

 to repeat, year alter year, we and our children after us, 



through all coming time? The inquiry is certainly a 

 roost important one. The aspai'agus was brought to this 

 country no doubt, about the time that the first European 

 settlers emigrated hither. For upwards of two centuries, 

 therefore, it has been growing upon this continent wholly 

 unmolested by insects. How has this, its worst enemy, 

 happened to Ibllow it here now, at this lale day ? Proba- 

 bly some enterprising nnr.seryman or gardener in receiv- 

 ing from his European correspondent a choice variety of 

 this plant, in the pot of earth in which the roots were 

 transmitted, has unfortunately had some of the pupic of 

 these in.sects lurking, from which both male and lemalc 

 beetles have hatched. Certain it is, that some such con- 

 tingency has occurred to bring this insect here as had not 

 occurred for two hundred years before, and might notoc 

 cur again for a hundred years to come. Having now ob 

 taincd a foothold, it will undoubtedly multiply and extend 

 itself everywhere over our country. Indeed there is the 

 strongest probability that, like so many other insects when 

 newly iinported, this also will become vastly more nume 

 rous and destrnctivc in this country than it has ever been 

 known to be in its native haunts ; and that the asparagus, 

 hitherto so cleanly and inviting, we shall henceforth know 

 only as being worm-eaten, filthy, and repulsive. 



Hut is it not possible to exterminate this insect, and not 

 allow it to extend itself and become permanently estab 

 lished in our land ? I think it is. I suppose this insect 

 is at present limited to a comparatively small district iu 

 the vicinity of the city of New-York. As it grows to ma- 

 turity in a few weeks, and can subsist upon no other vege- 

 tation but the asparagus, it is evident that by keeping this 

 plant cut down to the surface of the earth for a couple 

 of months in summer, alt the insects must perish for want 

 of food. If no asparagus was growing except in the gar- 

 dens, it would be an easy matter to keep it thus cut down. 

 But this plant is .so fully naturalized that in many places 

 iu the neighborhood of New-York I suppose it occurs wild 

 in the field and upon the rocky shores of the sea. Every 

 occupant of the land, however, or the children in his 

 family, will probably know every place in his grounds 

 where this plant, so peculiar in its structure, is growing 

 Now if these wild plants be cut in the manner stated, say in 

 the first week in June next year, and if with the new shoots 

 which will start up, this operation be repeated every fort- 

 night during two or three months, none of these insects 

 will remain there. And by simultaneou.'ily treating the 

 asparagus in the gardens either in the .same manner, or 

 destroying the beetles, their eggs and larva, by repeated 

 hand-pickings upon all the plants which arc allowed to 

 grow, I am confident this insect can be utterly extermina- 

 ted. I earnestly commeml this subject to the considera- 

 tion of the Horticultural and Agricultural Societies of New- 

 York and its vicinity. Lot those Societies co-operate with 

 each other, ascertain how far this insect has now extend- 

 ed iuseir, appoint a committee in every town where it, is 

 present, and select an efficient man in each school dis- 

 trict to see that the occupant of every plot of ground on 

 which asparagus grows, is next summer on the alert to 

 to combat and subdue this insect, and they can assuredly 

 rid our country of this impending calamity. 



East Greenvfich, July 18, 1863. ASA FITOH. 



Mt latualijit. 



A Marvelous Machine, 



The most curious instrument in the great exhibition is 

 that cxhiliited by Mr. Peters for microscopic writing, that 

 is infinitely more wonderful than Mr. Whitworth's ma- 

 chine for measuring the millionth part of an inch, which 

 excited such astonishment in 1851. With this machine 

 of Mr. Peters, it is stated that the words " Matliew Mar- 

 shall, Bank of England," can be writen in two and a half 

 millionth of an inch in length ; and it is actually said that 

 calculations made on this data show that the whole Bible 

 can be written tmenty'.wo tinux in the space of a square 

 inch. We must leave a detailed description of this moat 

 extraordinary instrument to another occasion, and content 

 ourselves with simply saying that the words to be written 

 microscopically arc written iu pencil, in ordinary charac- 

 ters, on a sheet of paper at the bottom of the instrument. 

 Hut the pencil with which this is done communicates, 

 by a series of levers and gimbals, with another minute 

 pencil and tablet at the Sop, by means of which the ordi- 

 nary writing of the pencil, and the pencil for the micro- 

 scopic writing, both move in unison, though the motion of 

 the latter is so graduated that a stroke of a quarter of an 

 inch at the bottom is only a stroke of a quarter of a mill- 

 ionth of an inch at the top, the shape and character of 

 both marks being nevertheless precisely alike in outline. 

 As a matter of course, the microscopic writing at the top 

 is only visible under powerful magnifiers, and the object 

 of the machine is chielly to mark bank notes with certain 

 minute signatures for the prevention of forgery. Such a 

 precaution, no doubt, would prove an effectual stopper on 

 counterfeit notes, if only all tradesmen supplied them- 

 selves with microscopes to examine them, just as a little 

 ordinary care would now detect any forgery. — English Pa- 

 per. 



(For the Country Gentleman and Cnltlvator.J 



rROGS—INS EOTIV OROUS, Etc. 



It is not generally known, we believe, that the frog is 

 insectivorous, an eater of insects iu a considerable extent ; 

 that OS most of the species stay near water, they lake 

 comparatively few of the insects most prejudicial to vegeta- 

 tion. But we can say that some kMtis of frogs by no 

 means confine their propensities to insects; they will de- 

 stroy young ducks, which go on to the water, or young 

 chickens which happen to come near it. This we had 

 exemplified while residing at Springside. We had a brood 

 of ducks hatched by a hen, which instinctively found their 

 way to a small pool of water, very much to the consterna- 

 tion of the mother hen. After leaving the water, three 

 of the number that entered were missing. On the fol- 

 lowing morning they were watched by the person who had 

 charge of the poultry on the place. Not long after the 

 ducklings had entered on the water, he discovered a frog 

 in the act of swallowing one of them which seemed rather 

 too large for the capacious mouth of the frog, and stuck 

 fast, the head downward and about one-half of the body 

 projecting. A blow with a long pole soon settled tli'o 

 business with his frogship; on drawing him within reach, 

 life was found extinct in both frog and duckling; but 

 whether the duckling was suffocated or killed by the blow, 

 could not be ascertained. On drawing off the water from 

 the pool, three more very large frogs were found. Proba- 

 bly the f^rogs would not eat insects enough to make it an 

 object to harbor them ; and to feed them with young 

 ducks and chickens, it would not pay — it would be alto- 

 gether too expensive — even if we should adopt the custom 

 of the epicures and turn the carcass of the frog to the 

 best account. C. N. Bkmknt. I'oughkeepsie, Jut;/, 1862. 



♦-♦-• 



A WALK WITH THOREAU. 



It was a pleasure and a privilege to walk with him. Ho 

 knew the country like a fox or a bird, and passed through 

 it as freely as by paths of his own. He knew every track 

 in the snow or on tlio ground, and what creature had taken 

 this path before him. One must submit abjectly to such 

 a guide, and the reward was great Under his arm be 

 carried an old music book to press plants ; in his pocket 

 his diary and pencil, a spy-glass for birds, microscope^ 

 jack-knife and twine. He wore a straw hat, stout shoes, 

 strong gray trowsers to brave shrub-oaKs and smilax, and 

 to climb a tree for a hawk's or a squirrel's nest He 

 waded into the pool for the water-pl.ints, and his strong 

 legs were no insignificant part of his armor. On the day 

 I speak of he looked for the Menyanthes, detected it 

 across the wide pool, and, on examination of the flowrets, 

 decided that it had been in flower five days. He drew 

 out of his brea.st pocket his diary, and read the names of 

 all the plants that should bloom on this day, whereof he 

 kept account as a banker when his notes fall due. The 

 Cypripedium not due till tomorrow. He thought that 

 it waked up Irom a trance in this swamp, he could 

 tell by the plants what time of the year it was within 

 two days. The redstart was flying about, and present- 

 ly the fine grosbeaks, whose brilliant scarlet makes the 

 rash gazer wipe his eye, and whose fine clear note Tho- 

 reau compared to that of a tanager which had got rid of 

 its hoarseness. Presently he heard a note which he called 

 that of the night-warbler, a bird he had never identified, 

 had been in scorch of twelve years, which always, when 

 he saw it, was iu the act of diving down into a tree or 

 bush, and which it was vain to seek ; the only bird that 

 sings indifferently by night and by day. I told him he 

 must beware of finding and booking it, lest life should 

 have nothing more to show him. He said — " What you 

 seek in vain for half your life, one day you come full upon 

 all the family at dinner. You seek "it like a dream, and 

 as soon as you find it you become its prey." — R. W. Emer- 

 son in Atlantic Monthly for August. 



A CnmosiTT. — A singular instance of the foresight 

 of a field-mouse has just been brought under our cog- 

 nisance. A person clearing the garden-ground of Mr. 

 Thompson, Ualkeith, came upon a growing turnip 

 which he pulled up by the root. Guess his astonish- 

 ment when he found that the turnip was completely 

 hollowed out as neatly as if it had been done by tho 

 chisel of a joiner, and the intcTior filled by largo 

 garden beans. The work, from the size of the holo 

 whence the inside of the turnip had been extracted, 

 was manifestly that of a mouse, and tho object, no 

 doubt, of filling the interior with beans was to provide ■ 

 against hunger in tho barren winter weather. Near 

 the place where the turnip was growing there was sev- 

 eral stalks of beans, upon whicli some pods had been 

 left, and it is supposed that tho 'cute mouse had helped 

 itself to these. Wo counted the beans in the turnip— 

 a small one — and found that they amounted to no less 

 than six dozen and two. — Scottish Farmer. 



