If. 3. KAN DA Mi, LI. D., EDITOR, 
Or Cokti ami VtM.A'-.E, CoiiTLZKK Copnt*, New York. 
THE WINTER AND THE SHEEP. 
We have neither kept, nor referred to any 
regular records ot the weather, hereabouts, 
but it is in the mouth of every one, and is 
undoubtedly true, that more snow has fallen 
bet ween the first of December and this writ¬ 
ing (Jan. 22d) than has before fallen be¬ 
tween the same dates within the memory of 
man. And we are under the impression the 
same is true in regard to many other por¬ 
tions of Central New York, and perhaps 
other parts of the country, At the same 
time the temperature has been unusually 
uniform and mild. In the latter respect we 
hear the same from Vermont and some other 
Slates. 
These are highly favorable conditions to 
the tipparmt well-doing of sheep. The deep 
snow prevents their moving about much; 
they are not pinched by cold; they eat with 
more heartiness and regularity than in more 
open and changeable weather, and if the 
hay is good, and especially if it is well 
sprinkled with bright, green clover, grown 
sheep ot good constitution and age will gain 
in condition on hay alone. 
This thrift, however, may become more 
apparent than real. Want of exercise, though 
it promotes fattening, is not conducive to 
health;—and in the case of inlambed ewes, 
it and the fattening (or the plethora) together, 
are prejudicial to the development ot the 
unborn progeny—especially where the ewes 
are confined to dry feed. We have again 
and again expressed the belief that these con¬ 
ditions, brought,about by modern systems of 
management, were strong predisposing caus¬ 
es ot those, destructive epizootics which, in 
one form and another, swept away sileh mul¬ 
titudes of lambs down ton recent period, 
and until a heller system of management be¬ 
came prevalent. We ha ve never, indeed, sup¬ 
posed that they were either proximate or 
sole causes — hut that they became thus 
operative when the epi/.ootieal influence was 
prevalent. Hut without any reference to 
special epizootics, there cannot be a doubt, 
that offspring are horn better developed, 
stronger, and more healthy in every partic¬ 
ular, when the laws of nature are not vio¬ 
lated by the dam during the period of gesta¬ 
tion. And we repeat it, close confinement, 
excess of nutrition, and especially of dry 
stimulating nutrition, is a gross violation of 
the laws of nature in regard to pregnant 
animals, from the family of man downward 
through all the viviparous domesticated 
brutes. No person possessing a. particle of 
sense or experience would think of closely 
confining the marc or sow to stall or sty, 
and feeding them fat during pregnancy. 
Deep snow, unless care is exercised, pre¬ 
vents all sheep, and especially inlamhed 
ewes, from moving about much. This should 
lie seen to. We know an admirable sheep 
farpier who daily drives his sheep around 
his range of bams, until they have traveled 
at least half a mile. They would be driven 
still further, hut they receive much exercise 
besides, in being exhibited to visitors. A 
broad path is made through the snow for 
them. This is prepared with little trouble 
by a t wo-horse .snow plow, (consisting ot two 
planks, faHlciied together in the form of the 
letter A,) and such a plow can he used as 
well to open the way to a spring or stack, or 
to clear away a foddering place in the field. 
Bill deep snow prevents sheep from getting 
to the grass; and if it is too long continued, 
a feed of loots should he given to them, and 
especially to breeding ewes, once or twice a 
week. It prevents a constipated habit, which 
is fruitful of colic and other diseases, and 
tends to prevent plethora—that state when 
the blood and other vessels are overcharged 
to an improper extent. 
Beyond all doubt the safest way, both for 
dam and offspring, is to allow breeding ewes 
to enter the winter in plump, fair con 
dition, and then keep them just, there. 
As already said, choice hay is a little more 
than sufficient, for this in favorable weather, 
and one of the three daily (beds may be 
straw. The cleanness with which the straw 
is required to he eaten, should depend upon 
its kind and quality. Barley straw, cut 
when greenish and well cured, may be fed 
about as close as bay. 
When Iambs are to be dropped in April 
or May, portions of the breeding flock, (i he 
very old, very young, and thin ones,) obtain 
more strength to go through the yeaning 
season, and make better bags of milk, if fed 
a little grain after they get within three or 
lour weeks of lambing. Store wethers, and 
ewes not put to breeding, do not require 
grain at all. We think it pays well to feed 
legs a light grain teed all winter, and con¬ 
sider oats and bran, (one-third of t he former 
and two-thirds of the latter,) one of the best 
and safest of grain feeds for t hem. 
After so long it continuance of deep snow, 
it will he prudent, should a thaw suddenly 
V-Efc '-r.J J £J ! 
jLiii £* 
uncover the ground, to let the sheep to it 
gradually—especially if they have not pre¬ 
viously received roots. Let out to grass an 
hour each day at first, and somewhat longer 
afterwards, they do not lose their appetite 
for dry feed. But if suffered to gorge them¬ 
selves on lirost-bitteu and innutritions grass, 
t hey will not eat dry feed enough to keep up 
their condition. They rapidly grow thin and 
weak, and sometimes scour. It is not easy 
to bring t hem back from this state, and where 
thaws are frequent or protracted, the result 
is often fatal. 
There is nothing new in these views. But 
we have felt it would be well to remind our 
readers that those winters in which the snow 
lies deep and long—and in which sheep seem 
fora time to thrive so well—do not always 
end so auspiciously for them, without their 
treatment is adapted to the weather and cir¬ 
cumstances. 
We have been speaking more particularly 
ot sheep management in Now York and 
similar Stales, and of Merino sheep kept for 
wool growing. Such ideas of grain feeding 
a have been here advanced would he pre¬ 
posterous in the Western States; and to the 
growers of mutton sheep who adopt the Eng¬ 
lish forcing system. And they would ho no 
less preposterous to those breeders of Merino 
sheep who force and lit them for sale, and 
who keep their Hocks in what, is termed 
“ show condition.” We may also say that in 
recommending the feeding of roots to breed¬ 
ing ewes only once or twice a week, we are 
addressing chiefly those who are not w illing 
to make them an article of regular supply. 
Our own sheep have been fed them daily, 
throughout most of the winter, for more than 
thirty years. 
-- 
THE WOOL TRADE. 
James Lynch, Wool Broker, IS and 20 
Broadway, New York, presents the follow 
mg valuable tables, lor reference, in liis“ Slu 
tislies "I the Wool Trade of New York.” 
The decline in foreign imports since the 
tarill went, into effect (March 4, IHlii',) show 
how thoroughly the law is accomplishing its 
intended object. Let the line wool grower 
take the cases of Buenos Ayres and t'apcof 
(,»ood Hope wools those which previously 
chiefly competed with Ins own and note 
the decrease ot the import in I MO i'and lSiiH. 
it will he seen that the import from Buenos 
Ayres in both those years did not greatly 
exceed luilf the import of I8(!lj, and was two 
millions of bales less than the imports of 
either I Slid or 1804. The fulling off in im 
ports from the (Jape has been vast ly greater 
compared w ith 1800, or with the average of 
two preceding years. 
Forciuu Import* nr New York, January 1, 
to December 31. 
1*58. 
1,8117. 
1800. 
18415. 1801. 
Wliuro from. 
IkiltK, 
Unit «. 
Hair.. 
Hale .. Huh .. 
Biii'im* Ayres 
7,i I'M 
22,018 
14,120 It,111 it) 
Vtiailovtiieu.. 
. i in 
t 
I.IHtJ 
77(1 a,UBS 
ltlo Grande... 
.2,l'.rr 
i 
INI/ 
l.o,| IOW 
i llllll . 
2,2511 
Til 
2.5117 2,187 
West Indie* 
... !Hi 
■ 
U*f) 
,10 1.1251 
< Vl pO »•! i it mmI 
Hope. 1,5*6 
ikf 
14,1167 
0,617 2, ,51111 
Australia 
1,188 
1,1. .2 
1.109 
Ell,•Fla ml 
.4,1151 
1 I.ikii; 
51.7.751 
51.70., 17,007 
Fra nee. 
а, ;i*u 
б, 281 
:co 
1,01.7 20,5172 
IlaSHtn.. 
.H,;t77 
.2,1.71 
Vll.. !),i!5 
Ilainl.un. . 
— 
e.a 
lot 1,0,,1 
A iil ivei |.. 
. 178 
-- 
8517 
1 .770 1,740 
Uoinliuy. 
1110 
t,;n2 
5,070 5(,,kS0 
Sundry. 
. 171 
8.1 
no 
810 51,018 
lie-exported 
27,;Y/.I 
. 1.771 
25,788 
^8,870 
88,'dk 
Hilled. 
52,4251 112,008 
Total Foreign 
....low. 
25,788 
17,71)1,701 
... .ISliV. 
118,87(1 
h.5104,7751 
. H.,. 
68,724 
20,Of/,.170 
It 
,7.1,1751 
20 700,510 
...1861. 
I Ut,t!08 
51,753,51151 
Foreign Wool Imported into ilie l ailed 
Stale*. 
(Not for 1808exclusive of re-exports.) 
1868. 
1807. 
llm. 
Mb. 
New York. 
.... 12,51151.701 
17.5104,779 
Huston . 
.10,27s.,"H 
17.21.7.081 
Philadelphia..... 
L‘i.'t.8(i0 
Haiti more. 
580,850 
30,8;.',,3oy 
1 st 10 . 
1865. 
1801. 
Urn. 
III. 
Ilht. 
New York. 
1 |l» 
li'l.'MO .,10 
5I,V!I8.!I|:! 
Boston. 
20,021 .'.US 
It, "12,117 
20.7.80,121 
Philadelphia. 
r, i.ooo 
1.70.‘100 
l.ift.lKI) 
Baltimore. 
. 55*7. loti 
'.HI 
50,802.281 
4.7,004.7,/! 
74,002,017 
Gon*twist! At’l-iviils 
Jan. 1 In 
Dec. .11. 
1808. 
1MK7. 
1*0,7. 1861. 
From 
Krill-. 
Uni. ,. I).,lm. 
Son Francisco.... 
... 0.202 
2,847 2,500 
Son Fran, isco via 
A 8- 
pinwall. 
...20,110 
O.OfKI 5.1,a 
5,071 6,221 
Texas. 
. ■ T.ttffl 
!i,H5‘t !I.S'J4 
1,011 
Now iirloana. 
.. 5.142 
1,070 2,0)8 
1,011 
Savuitnal,. 
... 1,4) 
7i*t 
Ofjft 
Son,try Southern 
.,. 2,71 
oil 508 
248 
lnturiui' hy rullnutil 
canal and river- 
steamers.. 
♦71,1‘Jfi Uo.04.) 
70,0510 I00.IKKI 
SiearnttiH ID tninnit.. 
IV, 18 251,117 
1-1.000 22,01X1 
Tn|ul Arrival* iu New 
York, in 
11^6*8. 
Kultgii. 
Foreign. 2 |*gg^. 
... 25,788 
12,819,510! 
California. 
.... 26,702 
13201,50(1 
Texas. 
... 7,5X154 
2,2!io,7oil 
New (>i leans. 
... 6,112 
2,070,800 
Savannah. 
5K0 
25,2 V > HI 
Soiidvv Southern. 
:«i 
00,700 
From interior... 
. .. K5,»V)5 
10,071,600 
1808. 
... .1111,808 
47,087,501 
1807. 
. , .17.1,8518 
it: 1 , 020,5170 
1.800. 
... 150,707 
5!*,0:i2,2i0 
1805. 
.. 1510.622 
2Si.MHI.705; 
1864. 
.. .'225,184 
77,009,443 
- 
CreieiiiiK Merino mat Mexican sheep.—J. \v'. 
II of Kosciusko, Miss, writes that lie proposes 
to emliark in wool growing in New Mexico, and 
can get the Mexican sheep at titty rents per 
heart, tie wishes to know if these will do to 
cross with Merinos. Certainly they will. The 
late Gkokok Wii.kinh KrmjAll, and many 
other largo wool growers in Texas,-farted the 
bulk of their Mocks in (Ids way. Those who 
succeeded bred to the pure Wood Merino rani, of 
course. And the progress upward in tin-qiuilHy 
of tho wool was unexpectedly rapid. We think 
no sheep so speedily absorbs or impresses its 
characteristics on other herds of sheep ms the 
Merino,—and wc attribute this to the length of 
time during- which its essential characteristics 
have been “ established." The big-tailed sheep 
of A ta and Africa arc a greatly older stock 
than the Merino, but the latter had, there is 
ever,\ reason to believe, flourished for ages tie- 
fore any of ihe present approved or improved 
breeds of coarse wool sheep were known. 
11 our correspondent could contrive away to 
transport sheep suilicontly cheaply from some 
of the Western States, tie could far more advan¬ 
tageously start with high grade Merino owes, 
shearing about four pounds of a very high 
quality of wool—wool as fine or liner than that 
of hirii'n Jlee.cnl, full blood Merinos. During the 
miserable most miserable puttie of last fall, 
good Hecks of such sheep sold in Illinois and 
some other Western States for ono dollar per 
head, and sometimes for lens! 
—- +++ - 
Italiliits vh, sheep in Australia. —Tim Montreal 
News states the following singular facts: "Our 
Australian feJIuw-coloiiistsni'csiilTeriug from an 
evil of which they bitterly complain; but as it 
appears to lie niioof which they were themselves 
the authors, they do not elicit much sympathy 
from outsider*. A sentimental feeling impelled 
tlie settlers ltie large majority of whom were 
imi'ii in the Itrtttsli Isles to endeavor to accli¬ 
matize to their new homo animals, birds, and 
plants with which they were familiar in their 
early days. No fairer field for the experiment 
could be found (halt Australia, as It boasts many 
climates none severer than England, some al¬ 
most tropical and presents a boundless an a .of 
soil rich in I'uod. Jo a luckless hour some en¬ 
thusiasts Imported rabbits from England, and it 
is needless to say that with a boundless expanse 
of feeding ground a nd few enemies, they propa¬ 
gated themselves rapidly'. In England repro¬ 
duction is kept under by the incessant slaughter 
which coni inues many months in each year, and 
the population is so denge Mini. I he rabbits' ene¬ 
mies prove the masters. In Australia the re¬ 
verse holds good. There is little clianecot keep- 
fog reproduction within moderate bounds m a 
region so thinly inhabited, and where enorutous 
wastes spread out totally unoccupied by mm. 
Tho consequence has been Mint the rabbit lias 
multiplied so rapidly that lie disputes the herb 
age with the great stork owners, or squatter* as 
they are t ailed, and what eoneerus them is the 
extermination id' the intruder. They see their 
sheep runs devoured by millions id rabbits, who 
Imfile fin* attempt ', to destroy (Item. The best 
proof of the magnitude of the e\ it may be ga.Hi- 
ored from tin* statement of one stock-owner 
that lie hud already t.-xpended Ub.lKX)sterling in 
tiisetforls to eradicate the pest,mid that lie must 
incur tlie expcndtltire of another L‘5,001) before 
lie will be able to overcome them, 
-- 
Ini port* of Wool at New Vo-.U in - The 
statist left below were obtained for ns at our re¬ 
quest. by Hie Wool Appraiser in Hie New York 
Custom House: 
( I t'lio lloltsu. New VoltK, > 
Coi.i.i-.i i on(Jl'nt i;, ,lun. Ukli, 181151,) 
Du Ait 8 ik: Tho value and number of pounds 
of wool imported into this Di- 'rict since .Ian. 
1 st, 1 81 W, are as follows;- l;j,.V,“i lot pounds, value 
5*1,801,1116. 
As the entries are at present made up it is im¬ 
possible to ascertain which is clothing, combing 
or carpel wool. 
The number of pounds and value of the wool 
paying I lie dilfereiil rales of duty are: 
Wool paving 3o. Put y. .. A.MNU.’IN 06!l,!l|l 
*• “ tic. (I Ml I -.iio !I1H,H*W 
“ “ Me., It jicl-et, duty... 2,073,1434 3U.'I,I'.«1 
“ “ 12 c., 1 Upar ct. duty. . ttt.stil 7,5)17 
Total, ....12,524,184 1,834,916 
The total amount of wool entered for ware¬ 
house that has Iieeii exported during the past 
year is 1,151.7,45!;: pounds, value $19V,li53. 
1 remain yours, (to., 
John Romans, Clerk, 1st Div., C. II. 
--— 
OiKiiulngii Go. (Y, V.) Wool Grower*’ \**o<-hi- 
tion. At a meeting of the Wool Growers' Asso¬ 
ciation, held at the Mayor's room in the City 
Hall, on tlie 5tli lust., tho following ollieer .8 were 
elected for the ensuing year: PrcxMent, Davis 
Dossil; FTr*/ Vim-Prexlttent, Chester linker; See- 
•nut \ hi •1‘Ksiili nl, L. A. .Sweet ; ti.rceuMvr. Co/n~ 
wilier, Sidney Suilth, J. Hubert. Kuril, A. II. 
Avery, A. II. Clapp, Win. Plumb; ('urrc*i>nndln(j 
Seen hnii, C li. Thorne; Tramnn r, Aset E. Wil¬ 
t-ox; ttevimung Sc-neloty, 11 , It, I,. Sweet. A 
resolution was adopted, designating Onondaga 
Valley as the place of holding an Annual Fair in 
Slay next. 
-*-♦-*- 
Destruction of Sheep in Oregon. An exchange 
says : The burning of Hie forests in Eastern < )re- 
gon (Ids season caused Hie death of many thou¬ 
sand sheep. Hundreds of them tn pausing over 
tin* charred dialri< is had their feel, so burned the 
drivers wore obliged to shoot them. The hears 
and wolves feasted on mutton. Deer and elk 
collected along Iho mountain streams in sur¬ 
prising numbers, and were at tlie mercy of pan¬ 
thers, wolves and hunters. 
-- 
Sheep lienelleiiil to n Farm.—The profits of 
keeping -heep are not all to he derived from tho 
wool they produce, or increase in numbers; for 
their manure is one of the \« ry bed fertilizers 
we have. Although sheep will not thrive it 
kept loo long- upon tin same field, yet the soil 
upon which they run will routimmlly uiercase 
in product iveness. Every fanner knows that a 
moderate coating of sheep manure will reiinv ate 
worn soil more i h.tu u lie.tv y coating of common 
barn-ya.nl manure- and inoi< particularly may 
it be used with profit on wheat laud. 
Greater pains should be taken in seasons when 
sheep are yarded to secure their droppings. 
Straw, forest leaves, etc., are good absorbents, 
and a fresn coating should be put in Hie sheds at 
least once a week. Before putting on the fresh 
bedding, clean from tin- surface all that can lie 
removed; and not into a pile, thus keeping ll„- 
sheds in a healthier and sweeter condition, and 
beside: sax ing u greater .-iinoiiut of manure. 
We have heard men assert that they could 
make an absolute profit greater from tlie m ,- 
unit! I heir sheep would fimiidi. by saviour belli 
solid and liquid excrements. Hum from their 
Itocees. A fanner ill Hie East say* that he be¬ 
lieves Hie profits derived from sheep by way of 
nmnmo will amount to live dollar; per head tu 
value to him every winter. 
There has never jet been one-half the atten¬ 
tion Paid to -aviug this fert ilizer among farmers 
generally Hi.it there should h ive been, and wo 
hope tin- discouraged wool growers, who talk 
about 0 " profits from fleece and lnereu-e, will 
turn I heir attention to bringing their farms iq. 
into a hi; her state of product ivc-ness, and make 
tln-ir Hooks the lueansof this wise improvement. 
Where sheep are not kept clo*.-|y yarded, 
during winter the Hocks may tie fed upon tin 
poorer spots in tin-pasture when tlie weather is. 
line. A marked ddt'eivnf-e will In- seen in tin- 
growl li ot grass upon these plots ithe next sea¬ 
son— Ohio Farmer, 
SNOW BLOCKADE. 
Protecting Rond* Against Snow Drill's. 
At this season, residents of snowy Ideali¬ 
ties will not. be apt. to t urn a deaf ear to the 
suggestion of mean t whereby the inconve¬ 
nience of impassable snowdrifts in public 
highways may lie avoided. Little concerted 
etliirt Lms yet. been made to prevent, these 
oftentimes serious obstructions to the trav¬ 
eler, although the, causes are apparent and • 
with some expense and patience may lie 
easily obviated, Flying snow falls in drifts 
to Hie leeward of an object which pirtiaMy 
breaks the force of the wind. When the 
barrier is open the acquired impetus carries 
the snow through ami just, beyond it,ami it. 
there collects because the broken force of Ihe 
wind is unable to urge it further. If the 
barrier is close and high enough the snow 
will be cheeked on the windward side, 
These tacts suggest two methods of pre¬ 
venting snowdritls from forming in the high 
ways, either tho removal of all barriurs from 
the side whence come the prevailing winter 
winds, or the rearing of those which shall 
prove an effectual check to the driving snow. 
On the first plan we have seen good results 
follow the taking; down of roadside fences or 
building them of wire, which, in this case, 
has nearly the same effect. However, if Ihe 
road happens to run somewhat to the lee¬ 
ward of the Itrow of a hill, or if it is in a 
cut, having hanks on the sides, these plans 
will not answer. And if it. passes over the 
summit or to the windward of it, the sweep 
ing and persistent, winds oftentimes clean 
the snow from the track and leave hare 
ground for the sleighs. 
Tlie forming of permanent ami impregna¬ 
ble barriers to the snow is more feasible,.and 
meets more widely the necessities of the 
case. Siieh ha ve I.. constructed of boards, 
by railroad companies, to some extent.; but 
it, is not desirable, in view of cost, durability 
or effectiveness, that, their example he gen¬ 
erally followed. A strip ol laud one rod in 
width, densely sol with evergreen I t ecs, would 
form the In st imaginable wind break. Less 
expensive and of quicker growlb would lie a 
double lino of willows on soils adapted to 
their growth. A deep, well enriched bed 
lor the cuttings to strike root in,and to assist 
their growth, would make them succeed in 
most localities. Some cultivation and head 
ing hack to thicken the lines (which should 
he six or eight feet apart) would he neces¬ 
sary lor the lirsl years. 
We commend this subject to the attention 
of farmers. It is an important one, but the 
results can only be attained by co-operative 
labor. Let tlie inhabitants of every road 
district that is subject, to drifted highways, 
counsel together and move to action. And 
when railroad companies pay due. attention 
Lo their roads and less to doubtful stock 
opera! iotib, they may deem it to their interest, 
to plant harriers of evergreens, which shall 
render snow-blockaded roads a thing of the 
past, 
-- 
EXPERIMENTS WITH MANURES. 
A Chester Co., I*a., farmer writing the 
Maine Farmer concerning experiments made 
on tin* State Experimental Farm, says:— 
One of the lirsl, experiments was to test the, 
value of some of the popular commercial 
manures in this market, as si top-dressing for 
grass, Accordingly, about, a dozen different, 
kinds of our most noted fertilizers were pro¬ 
cured, and early in the spring applied very 
carefully to sections of grass measured oil' 
for the purpose. Between every section 
upon which the phosphates were applied, 
there was left, a section without, any applies 
tion at all. Besides the- phosphates thus 
applied, plaster (gypsum) was sown upon 
om; section, and also diluted sulphuric acid 
sprinkled over a section through the nose of 
a watering (iot. Now for the result: Diir 
ing the growing season quite a perceptible 
difference, in the. appearance of the grass 
was visible in same of the sections, yet when 
t he grass was harvested and the hay uate- 
IvtVllly weighed, the increase on the sections 
fertilized, compared with the standard see- 
lion not fertilized, was not sntlicient to war¬ 
rant, a tanner to purchase even the best, of 
these manures us a top-dressing for grass. 
The increased quantity of hay from the 
application of these fertilizers cost, from 
accurate calculations of the yield in the 
various sections, from forty to eighty dollars 
per ton! It won't do to raise hay at, that 
cost. The sections upon which the piaster 
and the diluted sulphuric acid were applied 
paid the best ; those articles being much 
cheaper, and the increase of hay neatly the 
same. 
-♦-*-*.- 
When to Cm Timber Im- t»t»ko«. fn answer to 
an inquiry, \vh<*n to cut takes I'm* grapes, a 
writ.** of experience, who is in the vineyard 
tnismes*, ay : “(’ill your slakes in July anil 
\ii-/u i and snarpen thotn ; li t them season, at 
least oil (In* iic.I Mai.ii l.aiyia- it you can. 
Sharpen the top end. There is a difference of 
live or six years in their lasting. Distribute 
them liefore the frost is out of the ground in 
the sfiriujf; t hen, just as soon as tho I rosl. is out, 
—in March, or sooner, set tho slakes without 
usina- anything hut tlie stake itself, also without 
injuring tho small roots. You can pul, them 
down in flint way sixteen to eighteen inches 
with a very tew blows on I,lie slake. I can set 
inure in one day in that way Ham throe men can 
after tin* yi oim.l is settled ; and after the ground 
is settled they will tool »a if they hud grown 
there.” 
THE AMERICAN MEROMYZA. 
( Miromy.:a Americana, Firm.) 
Attaching Wheat Just liefore It Kipcas. 
UV ('. V. RILEY, ST. LOUIS, MO. 
< >n page two hundred and ninety-nine ol'his 
first and second reports, Dr. Fitch describes 
the above named 11 y as occurring quite com¬ 
monly in the wheat, fields of New York 
Slide. The doctor siispeeted that its larva, 
attacked the wheat, but did not. know in 
vvliat manner, being unacquainted with the 
preparatory states of the lly. Having ob¬ 
served the habits of lliiv species, a brief ac¬ 
count of it will be interesting alike lo your 
readers in New York as well as those in any 
other Stale in the Union 
About the middle of Hie month of June 
fist, in all the wheat fields which I exam¬ 
ined between I'lulfton, on the Missouri river, 
and Si. Louis, i noticed Hud a great many of 
llm ears bad prematurely ripened. They 
had turned yellow and were stunted and 
shorter than the rest, and upon examination 
the kernels proved to lit: withered and 
shrunken. This appearance was variously 
attributed to Hessian tlx. Midge, etc., etc., 
no one seeming to know the true cause. 
Upon examination I found that the last or 
ear hearing joint, could invariably he pulled 
out oJ its sheath with but a. very slight effort, 
and that it was perfectly yellow and dry, 
while the lower end bore an irregular and 
gnawed appearance. Upon splitting open 
the first joint of the stalk, a space of about. 
a quarter of an inch was 
found to he completely cor¬ 
roded, so to speak, and filled 
with excremeutiliouH mutter, 
as shown in the annexed 
figure, at a. In this space 
would generally he found a 
pale, watery-green maggot of 
the form of /., attenuated at 
one end and hlunt at the other, 
in due time these maggots 
changed to pupa* of a green 
color and of the tbrm and ap¬ 
pearance ol’fl. Before t hang¬ 
ing to pupa, the maggot would 
sometimes crawl away from 
the joint and get nearer to 
the head, between tho stalk and the sheath 
The pupa State, lasted lfom twelve to four¬ 
teen days ami produced the fly described by 
Dr. Fitch (Mewwyza America mi) as above 
stated. 
In Europe the larvae of the closely allied 
genera, C/doroiin and Ostium have long been 
known to attack some part or other of llm 
stalk of wheal, rye, barley and other small 
grains. Several species are figured and de¬ 
scribed by the English Entomologist UtiKTHt, 
in his “Farm Insects,” and one of them — 
the Omni* mutator — though a very different 
tly,seems to have almost precisely the sumo 
habit, as our insect. It is quite probable also 
that in this country as in Europe, there arc 
two broods during the year, the second brood 
of larvai attacking grain sown in the fall; 
hut further investigation alone will decide 
this point. 
In the way of remedies, much can lie done 
as tin artificial means, by cutting oil* and 
destroying all the infected stalks, which may 
readily he recognized by the signs already 
given; lmt oven if this plan should he faith¬ 
fully carried out, it is doubtful whether it 
would pay in a country where labor is so 
scarce and demands such high wages as in 
ours. \Ve therefore have to fall back on the 
only practical means within our reach, viz: 
that, of varying the culture by alternate 
courses, and this rotation in crops will have 
to he more generally adopted, should this 
piguiy foe sufficiently increase, as to greatly 
decrease the \ield ol our “stall ol life.” 
There is every reason to believe, however, 
that nature has her own means of keeping 
these Hies within due bounds, lor they are 
known to he preyed upon by parasitic Ich¬ 
neumon liies in Europe, and 1 noticed many 
flies uf this last, description, of polished hues 
and active movement-.deftly darting Hi rough 
and resting upon tin; wheat plants of tho 
fields infested with the 4 h ronnjza. 
— —- - 
In-MtroyiiiK Potato ltn;i«. H Fenn writes: —“I 
have sulfered severely from potato bugs. Iu 
l«Stt I tried various methods to destroy them, 
but with no effect. In 1WI they came on anatn, 
and I tried them apaln tint with no avail. I then 
took a handful of Ioiir kiss:* and went IliroUKh 
cat h i«*w ;ind whippi’i! them tliemuylily, and 
(j-et a line i-rop. (11 *•*•> I li.nl no trouble With 
them, and raised a fair erop. others tried the 
same remedy with the same success.” 
