DECAYED GRAIN INJURIOUS TO STOCK. 
145 
those applications that have so frequently been 
recommended; for, however beneficial these nos¬ 
trums may be in other diseases to which the 
peach tree is liable, they will be found of no 
avail in this, as any remedy sufficiently power¬ 
ful to kill an insect so well defended, will also 
destroy the life of the tree, and their numbers 
and minute size preclude the idea of destroying 
them with a probe, as in the case of the common 
peach borer, the Algeria. 
The tormici assume the beetle form in Au¬ 
gust, when-most of them quit their parent tree, 
and seek a more healthy home for their proge¬ 
ny ; the eggs are then deposited in the bark, 
where they remain until the following summer, 
when they come into life, and unsuspected begin 
their work of destruction. 
It will now be seen why the disease caused 
by the tormicus has been considered infectious, 
and why the trees most in contact with the 
sickly tree will be the first attacked, and also, 
why a tree that has been inoculated with buds 
from a healthy tree, but on which the eggs of 
the tormicus have been deposited, will show 
the disease simultaneously with the tree from 
which the buds were taken, and thus appear to 
have been inoculated by the sap. 
From numerous experiments tried on trees 
under my care, I am convinced of the correct¬ 
ness of the opinion expressed by a writer in a 
former number of this jonrnal, that nothing can 
be done to stop the disease from spreading, but 
to cut the tree down, and burn it, root and 
branch ; and thus by effectually destroying eggs, 
larvae and perfect insect, prevent the escape of 
the beetle from the present tree, to the injury 
of the surrounding ones. Whether in the beetle 
or grub form, this insect is seldom more than 
one twelfth of an inch in length; but what is 
lost in size, is made up in numbers, and thus 
their destruction becomes hopeless, unless by 
the sacrifice of the parent tree. 
M. H. Morris. 
Germantown , Pa., March, 1850. 
DECAYED GRAIN INJURIOUS TO STOCK, 
I recommended a friend, some time since, to 
feed his cattle on rotten or refuse corn, which 
he did, and maintained for a while that it cer¬ 
tainly fattened them; but after some time his 
steer was paralysed. It however soon recovered 
upon change of food. I have seen no such 
effect. I have just killed what we consider good 
beef fattened chiefly in that way. A young 
friend in this county, P. Graye, was the first who 
suggested it. 
N. M. C. 
Calm Point, Va., Feb., 1850. 
There is great danger of feeding to animals, 
diseased or decayed food of any kind. Some 
species of decay are not injurious, others are 
positively dangerous. The rot in the potato of 
late years, has in many instances, not diminished 
the fattening properties of the root, as it was the 
tissues or nitrogenised portions of it that were 
decayed, while all the starch, from which the 
fat is principally formed, remains unimpaired 
for some time after the commencement of rot. 
So it is frequently with grain. The starch is 
little liable to decomposition, or disease, and is 
only induced to it, by the proximity (close juxta¬ 
position) of the albuminous (nitrogenised) 
parts, which communicate incipient fermenta¬ 
tion, which, under favorable circumstances, rap¬ 
idly proceeds to destructive decomposition. 
The ill effects of this species of food is shown 
in the fact quoted by our correspondent above, 
that a steer fed upon it became paralysed, and 
a change was essential to prevent this terminat¬ 
ing fatally. We have known a choice herd of 
swine swept off by feeding on wheat that had 
been damaged by leakage on ship board. To 
insure safety under such feeding, a person must 
know just what he is about, and the precise 
quality and condition of the article he is feeding. 
PATENT-WIRE RAILING. 
Below, we give another pannel of the beau¬ 
tiful wire railing noticed at page 81 in our March 
number. It is well suited for guarding low 
windows, balconies, and the lighter kinds of 
fence, as well as ornamental gates. It is strong, 
durable, and may be painted any color desired. 
Fig. 46. 
This article, we again repeat, may be advan¬ 
tageously introduced in all situations where 
wood and cast iron are used for railing, grating, 
&c., at less than half the cost of the latter. 
MERINO SHEEP IN VIRGINIA. 
My time is now much taken up in improving 
the old fields and waste lands of this neighbor¬ 
hood, with Merino sheep, which pay a better 
profit than any other stock or method of farm¬ 
ing lately tried in this country. I have pur¬ 
chased and driven into Fairfax and Prince- 
William counties, ftetween 3,000 and 4,000 head. 
They are scattered about on different farms and 
are doing well. They are hardy and yield su¬ 
perior wool, which is in much request with the 
manufacturer. 
Lam in want of a shepherd and other assist¬ 
ants, and would give good wages to steady men, 
and contract with them for several years. It 
would be a good chance for young farmers 
here. H. N. Andrews. 
Fairfax, Va,, March, 1850. 
