A WOMAN’S GOSSIP OF BUGS AND 
THINGS. 
managed right, and asks for suggestions. 
We can only say that our own experience is 
not favorable to canaries pairing before the 
first to the fifteenth of April, so no time is 
lost. But it is not infrequent that birds do not 
pair at all, whether owing to unoongeninlity 
or physical defect we have not been able to 
determine. Food, sometimes has to do with 
it. The suggestions from our correspondent 
in the Rurai, of March 15, are excellent. 
Gold finch and Canary .— Can any corre¬ 
spondent tell me why I cannot mate my 
goldfinch with a bright yellow canary 1 Al¬ 
so, I would like to ask again if any one can 
tell me now to breed meal worms for mock¬ 
ing birds ?— E. R. 
In the “Diary of a gentleman near New 
York City,” I discover an admirer of bugs ; 
and although lie might be able to present the 
subject of Entomology in such a way that all Feed on hard-boiled egg, chopped fine, and 
would be interested, it yet seems to me that bread crumbs mixed. Chopping the egg is 
the natural aversion that all mankind have a tedious process. It saves time, and does 
to the crawling, creeping, biting insect world, the work more thoroughly, to use a small 
would be very hard for many to overcome, box with a bottom of perforated zinc, through 
MANAGEMENT OF HEN CANARIES, 
THE NEW YORK STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 
I confess to have been somewhat sur¬ 
prised at seeing, in a late number of the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yokkicr, the remarks of Col. H. D. 
Harris of Ohio, in regard to the value of Dr. 
Fitch’s labors us State Entomologist. Of 
course, I indorse all that you said in his fa¬ 
vor, but would make the'statemBTits as much 
stronger as possible ; for the example, labors 
and discoveries of such men cannot be esti¬ 
mated in dollars and cents. It is true, how¬ 
ever, although every man who prizes knowl¬ 
edge above wiiat il, will bring in money, re¬ 
grets it, that we have men among us who 
take upon themselves the office of censor, 
and decry every scientific pursuit which hap¬ 
pens to be above their Comprehension, 
Not a great discovery, or a move toward 
the enlightenment and progress of the hu¬ 
man race has ever been made, which these 
men did not oppose with all the force at 
command. The greater the prospective ben¬ 
efit, the more bitter and persistent were its 
enemies. The case of Dr. Pitch is one in 
which the seemingly natural antipathies of a 
certain class, who appear (<< be u lUicted with 
short-sightedness, have wielded a powerful 
influence. The meager salary paid to so 
worthy and learned a gentleman as Dr. 
Fitch was always a disgrace to the State for 
whose benefit he labored, and no more appro¬ 
priate/inah to the long years of patient toil 
for the good of his follow man could have 
been suggested than the insulting manner of 
his dismissal by our New York State Agrieul 
tural Society. 1 use the word appropriate, 
because the closing up of' this man’s labors, 
through the willful negligence of the Socie¬ 
ty, is in accordance with the indifference 
which the members, or the greater part of 
them, have treated him and his writings for 
several years past. 
If our State Entomologist had passed his 
best days of usefulness, why not have ap¬ 
pointed an assistant, who could have taken 
up the good work begun, and.pursued it, un¬ 
der so able and experienced a teacher < 1 
will venture to assert that the reports ol' our 
State Entomologist are valued more by the 
world at large than the remaining portion of 
the ponderous volumes of which they form 
so small a part, published as the Transactions 
of the State Agricultural Society. They are 
sought for by scientific men everywhere, and 
I know of more than one instance where the 
volumes of Transactions were purchased and 
the Entomological Reports taken out and 
preserved, the remainder being sold for waste 
paper. 
Now, 1 am far from desiring to extol the 
reports of our State Entomologist above 
their real value, because 1 am well aware 
that they contain errors, and are faulty in 
many respects ; at t he same time, their value 
is far above what they cost the people. The 
investigations of Dr. Fitch, in regard to hub 
its and history of the Wheat Midge alone, 
was worth to this State millions ol‘ dollars. 
Hundreds of farmers sold out at a sacrifice, 
and left the State, believing that wheat cul¬ 
ture was forever at an end, on account of 
the ravages of this insect; but those who 
read our Entomologist’s reports upon this 
pest, and the parasite that had commenced 
its destruction, took courage, and held on to 
their homes in the great wheat-growing re¬ 
gions, and the result showed that their con¬ 
fidence in the advice and knowledge of this 
public officer was not misplaced. Some of 
my own neighbors were panic-stricken in 
consequence of the ravages of this Wheat 
Midge, and sold their farms for one-half their 
real value, and they have lived to regret the 
folly. 
Now, for one, I would prefer to see half a 
dozen State Entomologists, each with a sala¬ 
ry of $5,000 a year, instead of the paltry sum 
of $1,000, or a little over, which was paid to 
Dr. Fitch, than to have none, as at the pres¬ 
ent time. If our scientific men are not to be 
encouraged, what inducement is there for 
our sons to study science l Are not Ento¬ 
mology, Chemistry, Botany, Geology, and 
kindred sciences of any value to the Agricul¬ 
turist i Who shouldkuow more of the earth, 
its structure mid products, than the farmer ? 
But how is he to obtain this knowledge if 
politicians are to have their way, and deprive 
us of every means for obtaining useful infor¬ 
mation in relation to our occupation i It is 
no wonder that our sons leave the farm, 
when to be a farmer iff equivalent to being 
in a position where one’s needs or desires 
command no respect, either in legislative 
halls or agricultural colleges ? It is time we 
asked for and demanded our rights. 
Rochester, N. Y. Monroe. 
PIPE FOR WATER 
In answer to “ D. B. E,” in regard to 
bringing water one-half mile through a % or 
? ,-inch lead pipe, I would say that it would 
be perfectly feasible where the descent is 
gradual from fountain head to point of de¬ 
livery. It is true that the friction on a long 
pipe is much greater than in a short one ; 
but not sufficient to prevent the flow of 
water where there is any head to force it 
through. I know of one party who laid over 
three thousand feet of %-incli pipe in 18(ib, 
and it is still in use. Another party, who 
laid twenty-six hundred feet of 1-inch pipe 
about a year ago, from a spring to his house, 
passing through a ravine fifty feet in depth 
and delivering the water in a tank only 8W. 
feet below the fountain head, and discharging 
about fifteen hundred gallons in twenty-four 
hours. The pipe above-mentioned was tin- 
lined lead pipe, which, having a very smooth 
surface, presents less resistance to the pass¬ 
age of the water. Hydraulics. 
Plan for Ventilatino Green-Houses.— (See page 298.) 
xy possibly possess many which t he egg can be squeezed with the 
cntle graceful ways and blade of an ordinary dinner knife. Stale 
an interesting study to bread is best for the purpose, as it can more 
imeh prefer to consider easily be crumbled by rubbing between the 
than to inquire or ex- hands or l>y grating. I always use the 
/ter ; for to me every crumbs dry, mixing them in about equal pro- 
■>bru Cupella, and every portions, bulk for bulk, while the birds are 
nUila. I could possibly quite young, and increasing the quantity of 
uly “ the ways that are crumbs as they grow. Some prefer to soak 
moving beetle tribe, or the bread in water and squeeze it dry before 
>lc angle worm ; but the mixing with the egg. While the hen is sit¬ 
ting she will not frequently leave her nest 
ifiects, pestiferous and except to take a hasty mouthful of food. If 
ion, forced me long ago, the cock be kept with her ho will supply 
• windows with wire all her requirements ; and it is well, especially 
•tly announces to select towards the close of the period of incubation, 
s, and the great beetles to give a supply of soft food. It is decidedly 
ic bumping against it in best to take away the eggs till she has la id 
r shaft thou go and no J the fourth. This is desirable on many ac¬ 
idly exult at their dis- counts. Should she evince a strong desire to 
aiuc wire gauze can bo commence sitting as soon as she has laid the 
er good qualities. For first egg, and be allowed to do so, the young 
uurded with it, I have ones will not be hatched at the same time, 
•aches and sweet corn, and a difference of a day in the age of newly - 
a worm or weevil, the hatched birds means this—that the older and 
tlis being entirely ex- stronger will get the most food, and the 
younger and weaker will in all probability die. 
amishness and dread of I know there arc many who oppose the re¬ 
ts, my attention was, a moval of the eggs, and who ailirm that their 
Aid to a singular looking young ones are always “ chipped” all on the 
on a plant of the strong same morning. But it’s simply stuff and 
minus or Fraxinella, nonsense. It may be that a hen will occa- 
ecimens that appeared sionally pop on licr nest and sit a while, and 
itched with a good deal may be seen doing so perhaps two or three 
in was about two inches times in the day, and so lead an unthinking 
icli longer than the rest observer to suppose she has commenced to 
a velvety appearance sit in earnest; but, as a rule, liens do not 
i a delicate lilac-green— begin to sit till they hare laid their comple- 
we called it our “moss meat, and it is not desirable, for the reason 
hing in its coloring re- above assigned, that they six mid. The pres- 
llie . ence of the eggs is an inducement to sit, 
, , , ; and for that reason they should be removed. 
OBSTINATE SCREWS, 
If the screw is turned into iron and not 
very rusty, it is only necessary' to clear the 
head with the edge of the driver, and let a 
few drops of oil penetrate to the threads : but 
finding that excessive heat or rust has almost 
fixed the screw immutable, then heat it, 
either by placing a piece of hot iron upon it, 
or directing the flame of the blow-pipe upon 
the head, and, after applying a little oil, turn 
out gentlyq but care'must bo taken not to let 
the tool slip go as to damage the notch. If, 
however, the screw happens to give in, or 
rather remain in and refuse to come out, try 
to force it back with a blunt chisel, smartly, 
but carefully tapped with alight hammer; 
but, if evidently nothing can dislodge the 
enemy, it is best to cut the head away and 
drill out the screw. When an obstinate screw 
happens to be in wood, merely give it a few 
taps on the head ; but failing that, heat it 
with a piece of hot iron, when it will turn 
out easily .—H ub. 
BRIEF NOTES 
Adjusting a Three-Horse Evener.—A cor¬ 
respondent of the Country' Gentleman says : 
Take a lath of the length to accommodate 
the swingletree used ; put a loop of string 
over it, and hang from one end say' a pound, 
from the other two pounds. Slip the loop 
till these weights hang even, and put the 
shackle on the bar according to those meas¬ 
ures. The power of the lever is us the square 
of the length, not as the length. The line 
horse should have the long end. 
lee Water in Cisterns .— John Quincy 
Aikins of Minnesota packs his cisterns with 
snow, late in winter or early spring when it 
can be obtained—packs it solid—and say's he 
finds it pay's, since it will keep good until 
after harvest and furnish good ioe-water for 
daily use. 
Tobacco Smoke, according to Eulenburg 
and Vohl, does not contain, as it is often 
supposed, nicotine ; but ammonia, pyridine, 
picoline, lutitude, collidine, formic, acetic, 
propionic, butyric, valerianic, and carbolic 
acids, and creosote. 
Rain Water Filter .—Can any of the Rural 
readers give a plan for a filter to be dug in 
the ground, and the water taken from a cis- 
tern. I want to know how to build the filter. 
Fig. 2—Sectional View of Plan for Ven¬ 
tilating Urekn-Hou.ses.—(P age 298.) 
sits thirteen days—that is, suppose ymu give 
the heu her three eggs on the morning on 
which she lays her fourth (I put min i- in 
over night) and that day be, say' Saturday, 
she will chip on the Friday, which is the 
thirteenth morning following. w. a. 
Carbolic Soap as an agent to drive away 
red aunts from a room has been found effect¬ 
ive ; but it should not be used where milk, 
cream, or butter are kept, for it will taint 
them all. 
Rye Flour for Paste for paper hanging, 
is said to be much better than any other. It 
should be rubbed smooth in the water and 
just brought to a boil. 
paled the bright speck, when presto I instant¬ 
ly it was changed to a dull bronze ’ Its daz¬ 
zling brilliancy was gone in a flash. Its beau¬ 
ty', like a dream, or the hopes of youth, had 
faded to somber hues in the twinkling of an 
eye. Did the geut.le man near New York ever 
have a like experience t and does he know 
the cause of the sudden change. 
Wyandotte, Kan., April 22. Harriet. 
NOTES FOR NATURALISTS, 
Canaries that Do Not Pair. —M. W. H. 
writes, March 24, that about a week since lie 
put together, for breeding purposes, a male 
and female cauaiy, but as yet they show no 
signs of pairing ; thinks perhaps he has not 
