263 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
nily at this gathering, of exhibiting their wares to very 
Hrge numbers of visitors, anil they usually avail them- 
selves very largely of the facilities offered, so that in 
general the show is well worthy a visit. 
Rrakex in Pastures.— C. Crocket, Pe- 
nobscot Co., Me., and several other subscribers. We 
know of no other way of getting rid of brakes, short of 
grubbing them up. The long root-stocksor underground 
stems are very indestructible ; we have turned them up 
after they had been plowed under for several years, and 
they seemed to be as sound as ever. Drainage would 
doubtless render the land less suitable for them. There 
are but few ways in which any particular plants can be 
killed. The land can be rendered uncongenial as regards 
moisture ; they can be crowded out by cultivated crops ; 
they can be exhausted by repeated mowings, and they 
may be grubbed up root and branch. Besides this, thistles 
and burdock may be poisoned with salt. This is the ex- 
tent of our present knowledge about exterminating par- 
ticular plants. If our readers have any facts on the sub- 
ject, we should be glad to learn them. 
Marble Dust as a Fertilizer. — Wm. 
C. Chipman, Barnstable Co., Mass., and others.— Lime- 
stone, marble, and chalk are alike in composition, for they 
are each composed of lime and carbonic acid. The main 
difference in composition is the presence of a very small 
quantity of iron, or other metal, which darkens the lime- 
stone, and shades some beds of marble. The compactness, 
the degree of crystallization, and other causes, give a dif- 
ferent physical appearance to the three forms of carbonate 
of lime. Burn limestone, marble, or chalk, to drive off the 
carbonic acid, and in each case you have caustic lime re- 
maining. Grind or pulverize them, and in each case you 
have a powder which is chiefly carbonate of lime. On 
some soils entirely deficient in lime, the unburned powder 
may be beneficial, but we suspect noi greatly so, from the 
fact that on soils filled with limestone, and even partly 
made up of the detritus of limestone, good results are de- 
rived from burning a part of the limestone, and applying 
it in this siate to the soil. The expulsion of the carbonic 
arid leaves the caustic lime in a state to act more ener- 
getically as a neutralize! - of acids in the soil, and as a 
decomposer of organic materials to fit them for plant 
food. The fact that air-slaked-lime, which is in a meas- 
ure re-carbonated, is somewhat beneficial, would indicate 
that very finely powdered limestone, or marble, or chalk, 
should be of some value, though its comminution is infi- 
nitely less ttian when disintegrated by fire. Marble dust 
may be used on heavy soils as an ameliorator to change 
the physical condition, and to ultimately affect the 
chemical constitution. 
E.:nnln vg or Weevil-proof Wheat. 
— Jos. Henderson, Mifflin Co., Pa., writes to the Agricul- 
turist that this variety of wheat, which has been highly 
extolled in some quarters, has proved very inferior in 
his locality. Four years since, he and several neighbors 
procured and sowed 80 bushels. The heads were short 
and loose, and where the straw appeared as heavy as the 
Lancaster Bearded variety which stood beside it, the 
yield was at least one-third less. The latter kind is al- 
most the only wheat now sown in that section. 
Stock tor tHe Michigan Agricultu- 
ral College. — We were recently gratified by a short 
visit from our friend Dr. M. Miles, the Professor of Zoolo- 
gy, etc., in the above institution. He has been among the 
celebrated herds of the Eastern breeders, purchasing 
stock for the farm of the College. He purchased from 
Samuel Thorn, Esq., of Thomdale, the short-horn bull 
Fatalist and the cow Dielytra, and from F. M. Itotch, 
Esq., Otsego Co., N. Y., the short-horn heifer Haze. Al- 
so the following Devons from the herd of E. G. Failes, 
Esq., West Farms, N. Y. : the bull Cherokee and the 
heifers Zuleika 2d and Eveleen 5th. We are glad to 
learn that such valuable slock has been acquired by this 
College, an institution which has every element of suc- 
cess except the hearty appreciation of the farmers of 
Michigan, and this we bespeak for it. 
Insects. — "J. T.," of Southport, Conn., sends 
us an insect which he says cuts off the leaves of his fig- 
trees. The insect is one of the Tree-Hoppers, and judg- 
ing from the rather imperfect specimens, is not a species 
common about here. We think that the leaves must be 
eaten off by something else, as these insects live entirely 
by sucking the juices of leaves and tender twigs. The 
young insects live in the ground, upon the tender roots of 
the tree, and it is in this state that they do the most dam- 
age. No remedy has been proposed, to our knowledge. 
John Chislett, of Alleghany County, Pennsylvania. 
The insects were, as you supposed, the too common 
Rose Bug. As the eggs are laid in the ground and 
the grub subsists there until it comes out a perfect beetle. 
there is no time at which it can be successfully fought, 
save in its perfect state. Jarring them from the trees on 
to sheets and then destroying them, is the only feasible 
remedy we have seen proposed. If half the insects 
destroyed in this way are females, the crop for the next 
year will be much diminished. Birds destroy many of 
them, and they are devoured by fowls as they are about to 
enter the earth to deposit their eggs — The specimens 
from A. L. Child, Cass Co., Neb., were Doryphora decern- 
lineata, or the Ten-striped Spearman. It is a beetle 
which has of late become very troublesome in Iowa, Ne- 
braska, and other far- Western States. They are particu- 
larly fond of the potato and tomato, but in the absence of 
these will devour any green thing. The eggs are of a red 
color and are laid upon the leaf, and the sluggish grubs 
which come from them, eat with great avidity. Several 
generations are produced in a season. The grub under- 
goes its transformation in the ground, and comes out a 
perfect beetle, about half an inch long and about as 
broad, of a pale yellow, with 10 black lines on the wing- 
covers. The principal damage is by the larvae. Mr. C. 
finds that by hand-picking he is able, with great labor, to 
reduce their number. We as yet know of no other way 
to treat them. 
Insects on Wlieat. — John McKibben, 
Walworth Co., Wis., M. H. Taylor, Walworth Co., Wis., 
and W. E. Abbs, Fon du Lac Co., Wis. The insects for- 
warded are the grain aphis, which appeared in countless 
numbers upon grain, especially oats, in many of the north- 
ern States, last year. They do considerable injury by suck- 
ing the sop of the plant and making the grain shrivel. This 
year they do not appear to be as abundant. We know of 
no means to prevent their ravages. They have several 
natural enemies to keep them in check, the principal one 
of which is the small insect known as the lady bug, or 
lady bird (coccinella.) 
tiice on Cattle, etc. — Demarest, of Essex 
Co., N. J., finds that the "Insect Powder" commonly 
sold, destroys lice on cattle. He rubs it along the back of 
the animal and works it down to the skin, and in the 
same way on the head and face. It is also good for fleas 
on dogs, and to keep lice away from setting hens; for 
the latter purpose he sprinkles it over the nest several 
times during the period of setting. This powder, which 
was formerly put up by some parties as a secret article, 
is now for sale in bulk at the drug-stores. It is mainly, if 
not wholly, the powdered leaves of a European species 
of Pyrelhrum. 
SIol>l»ering in Horses. — Francis E. Rum- 
ford, Newcastle Co., Del., writes to the Agriculturist, 
that cabbage leaves fed to horses occasionally, with a 
little salt, will remedy slobbering. 
Hardiness ot* Apple 'Frees in Illi- 
nois.— "J. H." writes us from "Washington Co., III., 
that of an orchard of 3500 trees set out in 1859 and '60 he 
found about 600 damaged by frost. Perpendicular cracks, 
1 to 3 inches long, appeared at the base of the trees, and 
some of them had three or four of these cracks, and the 
bark apparently dead for ten inches above the ground. 
He hilled up the dirt to the hight of 12 to 18 inches around 
each of the diseased trees and, by the middle of July, 
new bark had formed under the old, and by this treat- 
ment he saved all but some 50 or 60 of the affected trees. 
The varieties which suffered most were Prior's Red, Rox- 
bury Russet, and Caroline Red, the latter being injured 
badly. Rawles' Jannet, Summer Queen, Fall Pippin, 
and Wine Sap were slightly injured, and Red June, Early 
Harvest and New-York Pippin were all sound. 
Pears -\vnicn Rot at the Core. — 
Mr. H. Morgan, Harford Co., Md., asks if there is any 
remedy for pears which become " mushy " while they are 
fair outside. This is one of the faults of otherwise good 
pears and there is no help for it. Better graft the trees 
over with sorts which are free from this bad habit. 
Crops and Xliings in Decatur Co., 
Indiana. — John W. Smith says : It has not been so 
dry here for several previous years. Our wheat crop was 
good ; our corn would make a pretty fair crop if it had 
rain ; our oats were very good ; our early potatoes are 
good but late ones are poor; peaches and apples are 
plenty ; no quarreling among neighbors ; our Union men 
are in the best of spirits ; our Copperheads down in the 
mouth ; our ladies industrious and— pretty of course. 
Soap Suds for Rlackuerries. — L. 
Farnesworth, Ashland Co., O., writes to the Agriculturist 
that last season Lawton blackberries were almost worth- 
less from a severe drouth occurring as they were about 
maturing. This year drouth occurred again in that vicin- 
ity, but he gave the blackberries the suds left after wash- 
ing every week, and the yield was superior to any thing 
of the kind he had ever before seen. 
Fuller's Seedlings. — C. Saunders, Mo., 
asks our opinion of the Col. Ellsworth and Monitor 
Strawberries, as he saw they were not noticed at onr ex- 
hibition. These berries had already been exhibited at 
two shows, and Mr. F. having other new sorts, did not 
care to bring in the above varieties. The vines are all 
devoted to making plants, and are not allowed to fruit. 
44 Minnesota Flax." — Richard Chute, 
Minn., sends us a sample of a fibre with the above name, 
the product of a native plant which we cannot name, 
without leaves and flowers. The fibre is quite fine and 
strong. We have no means of judging of its market 
value. That probably could not be told until its value 
had been tested. The sample given to a party interested. 
Plants For Names. — L. H. Andrews, 
Marshall Co., Ind. Commetyna Virginica, which may be 
called Virginian Day-flower, fur a popular name. Also 
Hypericum prolijicum. Shrubby St. John's Wort — a fine 
plant, and worth cultivating Mrs. S. B. Morris, Port- 
age Co., Ohio. The plant, as near as can be judged from 
the specimen, is Neirembergia gracilis, a good bedding 
and house plant. The " Flowering Maple" she asks 
about is probably the Abutilon, figured on another page. 
J.H.Ferguson, Rensselaer Co., N. Y. The plant 
sent is the Trumpet Creeper, Tecoma radicans, (called 
Bignonia in the catalogues.) It is one of our most beau- 
tiful climbers, and is a native of Pennsylrania and south- 
ward. It is quite hardy around New-York. The specimen 
came in perfect order, being nicely packed in a tin case. 
....J. G. Foster, Riley Co., Kansas. The specimen is 
Jpomma Itptcphylla. As it is not generally known, it has 
no common name. It might be called Willow-leaved 
Morning-Glory. It is a perennial species of Morning- 
Glory with a large fleshy root. We should be glad of a 
few seeds — G. Hurd (place not given) sends Similax 
Pseudo-China, a species of China Brier. 
Lemon Jluds.— J. C. Lain*:, Tuscola Co., 
Mich. You can get them of almost any good florist. 
Isaac Buchanan, of this city, would furnish them. 
Sending- Insects. — We frequently receive 
insects to be named, but they generally arrive in such a 
crushed condition that it is impossible to make them 
out. We again ask those who send usinspcts, to enclose 
them in a small box or in a goose quill. Those arriving in 
good condition will be reported on as soon as practicable. 
l>o l>alilias Clian«e Color ?— So asks 
John W. Cook of Ottowa Co., Mich. We never knew a 
self colored dahlia (i. e.. all of one color) to change, but 
we have known a purple tipped with white to produce 
flowers all purple and all white, especially among the 
first blooms of the season, and this may doubtless happen 
with other marked sorts. 
A No n-1> looming Rose. — A Lady Horti- 
culturist in Utiea, N. Y., says she has a Giant de Bnt- 
tailles rose which will make nothing but vigorous shoots 
ami leaves, and asks what is the reason. As all her other 
roses do well, we cannot suppose soil and situation hare 
anything to do with it, and venture the guess that she 
planted a budded bush, that the budded portion died out, 
and that the rampant portion sprung up from the stock. 
Room in an Bee-IIouse. — II. ][. Bech- 
bel, Juniaia Co., Pa. Schooley's patent preservalory, 
described in the Agriculturist volume 17, page 120 (April 
No.) is an arrangement by which a room in an ice-house 
is kept cool for the preservation of provisions, fruit, etc. 
This or some modification of it would probably accom- 
plish the object you desire. 
Wine-making:. — We have several letters 
asking for directions for Wine-making. In September, 
1862, we published an article on this subject as full as our 
limits would allow*. In the present crowded slate of our 
columns we cannot republish it, but have extra copies on 
the usual terms. The subject is too extended for a paper 
like this ; we should be obliged to devote all our pages to 
it, in order to describe all the details. To those who wish 
to go into wine-making extensively we say that they can- 
not do better than to buy " Haraszthy's Grape Culture and 
Wine-making." This gives all the European processes, 
and though the price is rather high, they will perhaps 
save by it in the end. Price $5, for which we can send it 
post-paid. It is fully illustrated. 
Work on Bees. — C. J. Atwater, Ontario 
Co., N. Y. Qulnby's " Mysteries of Bee-Keeping" is a 
good, practical work on the subject. We can forward 
it post paid on receipt of the price, $1 25. 
