(Bnixnnclffiitcal 
way of sending minute specimens, as well 
as lai'ge ones, by mail, although the weight 
of the alcohol is greater than the sawdust, 
and the postage more in proportion. 
Numbering’ Specimens.—It often oc¬ 
curs that those sending insects desire to ob¬ 
tain the names of specimens sent, lu such 
cases, all that is necessary is to number the 
specimens, retaining one or more of each 
with a corresponding number. If the spec¬ 
imens are packed either in sawdust or al¬ 
cohol, roll in soft tissuo paper, enclosing 
with each a small bit of paper, upon which 
the number is written with a soft pencil. 
Ink will spread, and. bo obliterated when 
wotted, but a penoil mark will remain legi- 
oiuui .mu urop inese into the vial, covering 
with a thin layer of cork, paper, cotton or 
any similar material that, will hold them 
firmly at the bottom and not prevent the 
poisonous fumes reaching the insects to be 
killed. If this cannot bo obtained, use 
ether, chloroform, gum camphor, or ordi- 
COLLECTING INSECTS. 
How to Collect, Preserve, and 
Transport Them.—Having frequently in¬ 
vited our correspondents in various parts 
of the world to collect and send to us in¬ 
sects, we now propose to give them brief 
but plain instructions iu regard to the sim¬ 
plest modes of collecting aud transporting. 
In every country and locality there are in¬ 
sects whioh interest the entomologist, and 
persons who have no knowledge of the sub¬ 
ject, may do much towards aiding investi¬ 
gation, if they will collect and forward 
specimens to those who make this branch of 
soieuce a specialty. 
The larvaa of butterflies and moths prey 
upon our trees, shrubs, grains aud garden 
vegetables, and those of some of the beetles 
are equally as destructive, while bugs of 
various species are the pests of our fields. 
There are also cannibal beetles and bugs as 
well as various parasitic insect s which aid 
in checking the increase of certain species, 
and the habits of all these must be known 
if ive are to work understandiugly and in 
harmony with natural laws, and thereby 
assist our friends in destroying our enemies. 
The farmer and gardener should be par¬ 
ticularly interested in the science of Ento¬ 
mology, inasmuch as they are constantly 
brought into close contaot with those very 
beings of which we know so little, but 
should desire to know more. Entomol r»crv I 
insects, and prevent their discoloration. 
Ibe tube shown in figure Z is one we have 
used for collecting our ordinary beetles, al¬ 
though not large enough for all species. In 
the bott om, a, is a little cotton saturated 
with benzine; athiu piece of cork is put in 
to hold the cotton in its place and prevent 
small species from crawling into it and be¬ 
come entangled in the fiber. Any other 
form of vial cau bo used instead, but the 
beetles should not be allowed to remain any 
longer than is actually necessary in the drv 
bottle, but should bo emptied iuto the jars 
or larger bottles of alcohol or other spirits 
aud kept there until required for mounting 
or transporting to soiuo other locality. 
How to Pack and Send Beetles aud 
Bugs.—The most certain way of preserv¬ 
ing specimens in good condition, especially 
if sent a long distance, is to send them in 
alcohol. In packing large hottles and jars, 
see that they are corked tight aud the corks 
tied in; or, what is still better, fastened 
with copper or brass wire; but a good 
strong cord will answer. Jf they are to be 
Fig. 1. 
ble for years, even if constantly immersed 
in spirits. If it is desirable to pin the spec¬ 
imens retained, always thrust the pin 
through the right wing case, near the inside 
edge, and at a point whore it will pass be¬ 
tween the second and third pair of legs, as 
snowu in Fig. 4, a, leaving enough ol the 
pin above to take hold of conveniently; 
usually about three-eighths of an inch is suf¬ 
ficient. Smaller species may bo gummed 
upon little lanoe-shaped pallets, or paste¬ 
board. 
in mounting bugs and other kinds of in¬ 
sects, the pin should bo thrust through the 
middle of the thorax.—[To be continued. 
than ever before; but it would advance far 
more rapidly if every man, woman aud 
child would only do what they could, how¬ 
ever trifling that might be. Instead of leav¬ 
ing the entire work to a few, who are so 
overtaxed, that thoir labors must necessar¬ 
ily be very incomplete. 
It should not be considered as labor or an 
irksome task by any one to collect a few iu- 
sccts and forward them to a scientific insti¬ 
tution, or to an individual who may be 
spending his time and money in endeavor¬ 
ing to enrich science and benefit mankind. 
There are scores of men who have traveled 
the world over, but never experienced the 
pleasure or received the honor of contribu¬ 
ting as much as one grain of sand to the 
welfare of mankind, or the advance of 
scienoe. The very butterflies, moths, or 
other insects which constantly crossed their 
path, would have been more highly appre¬ 
ciated by some entomologist, than the most 
precious mineral. Pioneers in our new 
States and Territories, aud travelers in 
foreign countries should not be negligent, 
but observe the habits of local species of 
insects, and forward specimens to us when¬ 
ever convenient. 
Collecting Apparatus.—To collect in¬ 
sects rapidly in summer, a net of some kind 
is quite indispensable. In Fig. 1, two forms 
of nets are shown; a is made of common 
DAILY RURAL LIFE 
FROM THE OIARY OF A GENTLEMAN NEAR NEW YORK CITY. 
all the varieties planted, and I am now 
doing the same with my raspberries. Hav¬ 
ing expended several thousands of dollars 
during the past ten or fifteen years in test¬ 
ing new and old varieties ol’ the raspberry, 
1 begin to think it is time to hold up a little 
aud enjoy the fruits of my experience. 
I have tested about one hundred species 
and varieties in the past ten years, paying 
extravagant prices in a number of in¬ 
stances for the plants; and now, what have 
I gained for all this expenditure of time 
and money? Why, simply a little practical 
knowledge in regard to the habits of the 
different sorts. I have no better varieties 
for my table, or more profitable ones for 
market, than I had fifteen years ago. These 
famous old sorts, such as Miami, Doolittle, 
Franconia. Brinckle’a Orange, ICnevitt’s 
Giant, aud Hudson River Antwerp, have, 
as yet, no superiors. We have, it is true, 
made some progress in numbers of varieties, 
but have added no merits nor made any 
advance on the whole, but only in certain 
important qualities. The Clarke is cer¬ 
tainly a richer berry than the Franconia, 
BEAUCARNEA RECURVATA. 
Tiie Beaucarneaa are of recent introduc¬ 
tion, consequently seldom seen in our con¬ 
servatories. They belong to the Llllaceas, 
or Lily family, and are native of the tem¬ 
perate regions of Mexico. The li. rccurvata, 
of which we herewith give an illustrat ion, 
is an exceedingly graceful ornamental plant, 
quite troploal iu appearance, and alike suit¬ 
able for the conservatory or for bedding out 
in summer. The stem is remarkable for its 
bulb-llke swelling at the base, aud for the 
long tuft of gracefully recurved leaves at 
the top. The plants require considerable 
heat aud a liberal supply of water during 
the season of most active growth. The soil 
best suited to the FicflucdT’neas is one com¬ 
posed largely of fibi'ous peat, with an ad¬ 
mixture of sharp, coarse sand. Large plants 
should be allowed a full exposure to the sun 
during summer, aud kept constantly sup¬ 
plied with water, because they require al¬ 
most as much as the common Calla (Rlch- 
ardi). 
An English writer says that they thrive 
best with their roots iu water and their 
heads in an oven; but we have found no 
difficulty in growing the species which we 
figure in an ordinary green house without 
special care. As autumn approaches, grad¬ 
ually withhold water, and give the plant an 
opportunity to rest and ripeu, and keep it, 
quiet until spring. Youug seedlings, of 
oourso, can be kept growing, both summer 
and winter, until they are a few years old. 
The plants are of slow growth, and the 
specimen from whioh our illustration was 
taken is supposed to be ten or fifteen years 
old. 
-»♦ » - 
Bone for Fuchsias.—The editor of Ken¬ 
tucky People says that, knowing that boue 
dust is an excellent fertilizer for fuchsias 
he pottod several plants, and placed a piece 
of bone over the drnin in each pot. , a 
short time the plants began to sicken, and 
the lives of several fine roses, geraniums 
etc., were saved by transferring them to 
Fig. 2. 
sent by express or similar mode of trans¬ 
portation, the bottles should be enclosed in 
lino hay, grass, or other soft material, and 
then enclosed in a strong box. This, of 
course, is only necessary when a large num¬ 
ber are sent, and a long distance; but where 
a small number, say from one hundred to a 
thousand of various species, large and small, 
they may be scut by mail packed in the fol¬ 
lowing manner: Select a few strong tin 
boxes, holding a gill or more, according to 
tho number of insects to be sent away; get 
some fine sawdust; now take the beetles 
uobo villi. u« jnircnaseci in our 
large oities, but one that will answer every 
purpose for the amateur cau be made of any 
strong wire bent to form a hoop, and the 
two ends driven into the end of a stick four 
to six feet long, that will answer for a han¬ 
dle. In the first or sweep net It will be no¬ 
ticed that the front side is straight, the 
taper being entirely from the back to the 
front. This form is far better for this kind 
of a net than to have it a regular cone, inas¬ 
much as when sweeping along, the insects 
are thrown forward into the point, aud held 
there more securely than they would be if 
the smallest part was exactly in the center. 
Killing Bugs aud Beetlcs.-All the 
harder kinds of insects, such as Beetles 
(Coleoptera) aud Bugs (Hemiptera), which 
have firm wing cases, may be preserved for 
almost any length of time in spirits, suoh 
as alcohol or whisky. Some bottles with 
wide mouths should be provided and these 
partly filled with spirits, into which the 
beetles and bugs may be put as soon as 
caught. Vials holding two or three ounces 
will usually be most convenient to carry iu 
tbe pocket or collecting bag. Entomologists 
use glass tubes similar to the one shown in 
f ig. as these may be emptied more readi¬ 
ly than vials of the ordinary form. Dry 
collecting vials may also be employed by 
obtaimng a few pieces of cyanide of potas- 
Fig. 4. 
and the plants a little more hardy; but the 
berry is too soft for market, and few per¬ 
sons would uotice its superior flavor. 
The Philadelphia is a larger berry than its 
probable parent, the Purple Cane, but it is 
inferior in flavor. 
All these points have been thoroughly 
discussed in the agricultural and horticul¬ 
tural journals; aud now that my spade is at 
work lessening the number of sorts, I shall 
try to make pretty clean work with uncer¬ 
tain varieties. To-night we arc to have a 
grand bonfire. The following have been 
marked for destruction: — Allen, Pearl, 
