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SV10 0 B E ! S BUBAL NEW-YOBKER. 
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(fntomelffgical. 
ORCHARD INSECTS. 
The following article recently appeared in 
the Sun of thiH city, and is from the pen of 
our valued associate, Andrew S. Fuller. It 
contains information and suggestions profit¬ 
able for our readers to regard. 
APPLE TRIE liORERS. 
There are several insects known as apple 
tree borers, but the one most destructive to 
the trees in the Eastern States is the larva 
or grub or the two-striped Saperda,{(Saperda 
Candida). This beetle is about three-quarters 
of an inch long, of a buff color, with two 
distinct white stripes extending from the 
head to the tip of the wing covers. It is 
very shy, hiding in crevices of t he bark, and 
up among tho leaves of the tree during the 
day, and Hying about at night. The beetles 
appear in spring, the females usually depos¬ 
iting their eggs on the bark of the trees near I 
the ground, where they soon hatch, and the 
grabs boro into tho sap wood of the trees, I 
frequently completely girdling the stems. 
gathered and destroyed ; consequently there 
is no excuse for allowing this pest to increase 
or even do any considerable injury to apple 
or other trees. During winter, the eggs de¬ 
posited by the moth can be found in clusters 
glued to the small twigs of the trees, and if 
taken off and destroyed there wifi be propor¬ 
tionately fewer caterpillars the following 
summer. 
COOLING MOTH. 
Wormy apples are common enough every¬ 
body wifi admit, but how the worms get into 
the apples is not so clear, except to a few 
who may have studied their history. The 
worms so common in apples are the larva*, 
of a beautiful little moth (Curpocttpxa purno- 
nella) which was introduced from the Old 
World many years ago. Soon after tho 
young apples are formed in the spring, the 
female moth deposits an egg in the blossom, 
where it hutches, and the grub eats its way 
into the fruit, causing it after a few weeks 
to drop off. The grub crawls out of the 
fruit, and immediately proceeds to climb up 
the stem of the nearest tree, and after find¬ 
ing a suitable hiding place under some piece 
of rough bark or in the crotch of the tree 
aj ntiu»;uu y y KlitulUK IUU KUiLtllS, | . - lt . , , , .. 
r „. • 1 .1 spms itself a thin, silken cocoon in winch it 
The grubs are nearly cylindrical tapering I , , . „ . . . 
.. . ,, , ' ,, , ‘ ,, passes the pupa state, finishing its transfor- 
slightly from tho head to the cud of the I ,, . . * 
° J vr* | 1 nn |j An lr,tr t in loaf rtf .Tiilir nr An 
body. The head is small, brown and horn 
like in appearance. Apple trees that are 
cultivated, with the stems surrounded by 
grass and weeds, are. much more likely to be 
attacked than those receiving the opposite 
treatment. 
The grubs can be found in the trees at this 
season and during the summer, their pres¬ 
ence being readily detected by the sawdust- 
like excrement pushed out from the furrows 
made by them. They should be dug out and 
lulled ; a small gouge or a strong, sharp- 
pointed] knife being used for this purpose. 
Lime or ashes are frequently recommended 
as preventives, being heaped or strewn 
thickly about the stems ; but we arc inclined 
to believe that their efficacy, Jf they possess 
any, is mainly due to keeping the grass and 
weeds from growing up and shading the very 
place which the beetle selects for depositing 
her eggs. The Saperda attacks trees of oil 
ages, but appears to prefer those that arc- 
young, probably because the bark is thinner | 
and affords more ready access to her young. 
The only certain method of preserving our 
apple orchards from destruction is to exam¬ 
ine the trees once or twice every season, and 
dig out every grub found in them. If the 
base of the stem, for a foot or more from tho 
ground upward, is enclosed in oiled or tarred 
paper, or any similar material, the female 
will seldom attack the trees. But even with 
these precautionary measures the trees 
should be annually examined. 
The next most troublesome insect is the 
“flat-headed borer,’’ This grub is the larva 
or small, flattish beetle about half an inch 
long, of a gi’eenish-blaek color above and a 
bronze appearance underneath. The name 
of this beetle is Chrysobothri# femorntu, and 
it appears at various times during the sum¬ 
mer, the females depositing their eggs on the 
stems as well as in the forks of tin* main 
branches. Tt does not, however, coniine its 
ravages to (he apple or trees belonging to 
tin*, same family, like the saperda named 
above, but attacks the peach, oak, and sev¬ 
eral of our forest trees, as well as other kinds 
of fruit trees. The grubs bore almost entire¬ 
ly between the bark and wood, the latter 
dying as they advance. They are very fiat | 
and the head appears very large in propor¬ 
tion to the body ; hence the common name, 
“fiat-headed apple tree borer.” In some 
parts of the COUUtry t his insect is very abun¬ 
dant, and large patches of dead, shrunken 
bark mark their presence in the trees. The 
only preventive with which we ai e acquaint¬ 
ed is painting the trees at least twice each | 
summer with strong soap. Of course the 
application, to be effectual, must extend 
from the ground up to and among the larger 
branches. Frequent examinations are also 
necessary, and every grub should be dug out 
and the wounds made by it covered with 
some kind of wax to prevent decay of the 
exposed wood. 
THE TENT UATERPILIAR. 
This is one of our most destructive as well 
as common insects. Toe large web-like nests 
of ti.'eso caterpillars, located among the 
branch*.'* ;l ppic trees, are objects far too 
common b. all parts ul the conn try to require 
any further description. The caterpillars 
am the larva?, o, a small, rusty or reddish- 
brown moth krtem’' ;li; 1 18 ('Ifeiocampa 
Americana. The cate. nillars ,eave 
nests during pleasant wwffm r to / cedu P on 
the leaves and return to them nl Tile 
stripping of the leaves checks tho 
the trees, if it does not kill them oufcrim 
The nests with their contents are readfi r * 
mation by the last of .fuly or August, when 
it comes forth ready for an attack upon the 
apples which escaped tho first brood of the 
season. The fruit is so far advanced when 
this second brood attacks it that compara¬ 
tively few specimens are caused to drop, but 
I what the farmer calls “wind falls” among 
I apples are occasionally quite abundant. If 
the autumn happens to be fine, and the ap¬ 
ples arc not gathered until quite late, a 
greater part of the worms will have left 
them before they are stored ; but their co¬ 
coons may Burnetii?. *sbe found in abundance 
in the barrel?, me v ad in our markets, show¬ 
ing that they were wormy when shipped 
from the orchard. 
Of course the first and most important 
operation to be performed in order to reduce 
the number of moths, is to gather every 
wormy apple as soon as it can be shaken 
from the tree, feeding them to hogs or oth¬ 
erwise making away with both the. fruit and 
their contents. If so simple a preventive as 
this one was vigorously followed, these in¬ 
sects would rapidly decrease in numbers ; 
but farmers, us a rule, are negligent in such 
matters, until forced to do something to 
prevent a total failure of their crop, A 
mare certain method of destroying them, is 
to put hay bands loosely around the stems 
of the trees and koep*them there during the 
entire summer. Tlio worms as they leave 
the fallen fruit and crawl back up the trees 
find these hay bauds a most inviting retreat, 
and will generally rest underneath and there 
spin their cocoons. All that Is necessary to 
do in order to kill them is to go through the 
orchard occasionally, and move these bands 
up and down suflieienUy to crush the worms 
or cocoons underneath. The above arc the 
most destructive insects infesting our apple 
of a Ijtoralist. 
DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of a Centlemnn near New 
York City. 
DAPHNE INDICA ODORATA. 
Dec. 6 .—While admiring, to-day, a hand¬ 
some specimen of this beautiful and highly 
odoriferous winter-blooming plant, I could 
not help thinking how sadly it had been 
neglected during the past few years, or since 
the more rapid growing and easily propa¬ 
gated Bauvardian came into fashion. Of 
course I would not put tho Daplxne ahead of 
the Bauvardia in point of beautiful form or 
in abundance of flowers; but in fragrance it 
is as much ahead of it as the Rose is superior 
to the coarse but symmetrical Dahlia, This 
species of Daplmo ia an evergreen shrub, 
with ovate, thick, green leaves. The habit 
of growth is somewhat straggling, but by a 
little care in pruning an erect, stem can be 
readily secured, the branches forming the 
head usually becoming somewhat pendant, 
each being terminated with a largo cluster 
of small, wax-like incarnate or really pure 
white flowers, which emit a most delicious, 
spicy odor. The flowers being of a very 
firm nature, they remain upon the plant for 
many weeks offer they are fully developed. 
As the plants live to a great age, the flowers 
increase in numbers lu proportion to the in¬ 
crease of branches, consequently a handsome 
largo specimen may be considered worthy of 
great care in preserving and culture. The 
Daphne is well suited to ordinary home oul 
ture, in a rather low temperature, and far 
less sensitive to sudden changes than Camel¬ 
lias, Fuchsias, and similar kinds which arc 
far more commonly seen among window 
plants. It al ways seems to come into bloom 
at the right time, which is just before or 
during the holidays. This species is far 
from being scarce or expensive, but needs to 
be better known among those who delight 
in having a few choice flowers in their win- 
doAvs during the winter months. 
ENTOMOLOGY A OISGUSTIHO STUDY. 
Dec. 7.—So said a fashionable young lady, 
a feAV days since, who, while calling upon 
Claiusslma, inquired what that building 
was, (pointing to my oilice.) and on being in 
formed that it avos my office, containing, 
among other tilings, an entomological cabi¬ 
net. l)f course she shrugged her beautiful 
shoulders, aud emphasized the word “dis¬ 
gusting” at the same time. Poor thing! 
As she Avould scarcely condescend to read 
the Hr ual New-Yorjcer, through fear of 
seeing something in it about pigs or poultry, 
I can say Avhat i please. Avithout fear of 
Avounding her feelings. Now I have fre¬ 
quently seen this sensitive young lady tip¬ 
ping stewed and pickled oysters down her 
swan-like throat without the least shoAV of 
NEW SEEDLING SOCIETY. 
Dec. 0.—Many years since a society was 
organized in England under the above title, 
but Avbat came of it I have never been able 
to learn. Now Avhy cannot we have such a 
society in this country? Let it be distinct 
from all other horticultural and agricultural 
societies, and be national in its scope. It is 
easy to cultivate fruits and flowers, but this 
Is not progressive, and avo shall never ad¬ 
vance by following exactly in the footsteps 
of our predecessors. Let a few or many 
step out. of the beaten track and try t o pro¬ 
duce something new in the way of seedling 
plants and vegetables. Of course there are 
plenty of men trying to do this, and, in fact, 
accomplish it; but they do not receive the 
credit due. them simply because crowded by 
older and popular, if not better, productions. 
The greatest reAvard Bought in producing a 
new fruit, flower, or vegetable, is in finding 
a good sale, for it, and this can only be done 
by making its merits known to the public. 
Thera are scores of new fruits and flowers 
produced every year, and these should be 
brought together, where their comparative 
merits can be ascertained and discussed by 
competent judges. Such a society would 
bring together kindred spirits in horticul¬ 
ture, men who are not content with Avhat 
others have produced, but desire to make 
improvements even upon the best of every¬ 
thing. I have seen so much of this strug¬ 
gling among the really deserving, but per¬ 
haps too modest, originators of noAV plants 
and flowers, to keep their productions from 
being hurried out of sight at great exhibi¬ 
tions, that I desire, to see a change. One or 
a dozen such societies might be organized in 
different parts of the country, and conducted 
without any great expense to members, and 
I think with great benefit, to the community. 
New grain, cotton, fruits, plants and vegeta¬ 
bles only should be. permitted on exhibition, 
and thus the entire strength of the organiza¬ 
tion would be given to improvements, or at 
least an attempt in that direction, instead of 
as now, among all our societies, constantly 
repeating year after year the same prizes 
for the same thing. Wo are sadly in need of 
some stimulus to living out latent talent, as 
well as encourage those who are spending 
time and money in endeavoring to make 
progress in horticultural and agricultural 
productions. What say the readers of the 
Rural New-Yorker? Do we need such a 
society? 
Ctf? 
orchards, but there are others requiring at- I disgust ; but even to handle the beautiful 
tention, and of which Ave may 
thing to say at another time. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 
Controlling Sex in Butterflies. —A sug¬ 
gestive article as to the possibility of con¬ 
trolling sexes in butterflies has been com¬ 
municated to The American Naturalist by 
Mrs. Mary Treat, and from the results of 
numerous experiments she finds occasion to 
believe that the larva? to which the freshest 
foul most tempting food was supplied in un¬ 
limited quantity nearly always developed 
into female butterflies, Avhile those forwhieb 
the supply of food was limited almost as 
uniformly proved to be males. Dr. Packard 
is, however, inclined to think that the sex of 
this insect, as well as that of ail animals from 
eggs, is determined at or about the time of 
conception, or at least early in the embry¬ 
onic condition. In the honey bee, especially, 
it has been proved that the sex is decided at 
the time the egg leaves the oviduct. The 
sex in naan, according to Koefiker, becomes 
fixed toward the end of the second month of 
foetal life. 
Chrysalis of Potato Worm. — (A. O. D.) 
The chrysalis which you send is that of our 
common potato worm. The moth is knoAvn 
as the Five-Spotted Sphinx (S. quinquemacu- 
lata). These moths appear in spring, deposit 
their eggs upon tomato or potato plants, 
where they hatch and soon become the green 
worms kuoAATi to almost every gardener aud 
farmer. Towards fall these worms descend 
into the'ground and there change to large 
brown chrysalids, like the one you send. 
From these chrysalids come the' moths in 
spring, and the same routine of changes 
again takes place. 
have some- | beetles and butterflies, or their larva? and 
pup fie, is to her a disgusting practice. Any¬ 
thing that God has deigned to make is not. 
beneath the study of man, is the platform 
upon Avhich all true students of nature stand. 
The wonderful differences in opinion and 
feeling preva iling in society in regard to such 
subjects are merely the result of education 
and association. The country boy or miss 
may not scream at the sight of every harm¬ 
less spider, like their city cousins; but just 
ask them to rake some shrimps for the first 
TRIMBLE CO., KENTUCKY. 
Ip you will allow me a small space I will 
give your readers Avho Avish to emigrate to a 
nfild, healthy climate, a truthful description 
of Trimble County, Kentucky. It is situa¬ 
ted on the Ohio River, 1)0 miles below Cin¬ 
cinnati, and 40 miles above Louisville, and 
opposite Madison, Md. Our river bottoms 
are excellent potato, corn and hay lands ; 
from a quarter to one mile wide, Avith rather 
abrupt hills, 400 to 500 feet high. Our high 
lands are proving to be excellent for the fol¬ 
lowing fruits: Apples, peaches, plums, pears, 
cherries and small fruits. The beat peach¬ 
es in the Cincinnati market, for years, have 
been from this County, which has iuduced 
tAvo or three parties from Ohio to plant 
about one thousand acres in peaches the past 
year. The fmit can be placed ia the Cincin¬ 
nati, Louisville, Indianapolis or Chicago mar- 
time, and notice tho looks ©f disgust which I ^ ets * n a ^ evv hours, where fine prices can be 
appear at. the very thought of eating these I rGa ^ zt ‘ d I° r ad kinds of fruit. VV e have a 
spider-like decapods. Perhaps I should add 
that ignorance aud superstit ion are the hand- 
maidsof timidity, at least, so far as-it touches 
or comes in contact Avith the minute forms 
of animal life. Who has not heard grand- 
mild, dry, healthy climate, Avith abundance 
of good water. Good forms, any size, well 
adapted for the production of any of the 
fruits named, can be bought from $25 to $50 
per acre, according to location, improve- 
Ben. Morris. 
mothers and nurses tell of the wonderful I ruerds ’ 
1 Hilton, Trimble Co., Ky. 
-4~*-+- 
“ death-watch ” which announced the ap¬ 
proaching dissolution of some near relative 
or friend. No doubt many persons still be¬ 
lieve that— 
“The solemn death-watch clicks the hour of 
death." 
For centuries these little harmless insects 
have been the terror of children, and solemn 
Avamings to superstitious, ignorant people, 
Avhile all the time these beetles were only 
making love to each other, and “ Tick, tick, 
tick,” was equivalent to “Come, my love,” 
among the bipeds Avho trembled with fear at 
the sound. In an old school book, which 
was in use Avhen I went to school, there Avere 
many good lessons worth remembering, but 
none containing better advice than those 
two lines which told us to— 
“ Find tongues in trees, books in the running 
brooks; 
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.’’ 
GYPSUM IN IOWA. 
One of the finest and purest deposits of 
gypsum known in the world exists at Fort 
Dodge, IoAva. It is confined to an area of 
about six by three miles on both sides of the 
Des Moines river, and is found to be from 
twenty-five to thirty feet in thickness. The 
main deposit is of uniform gray color, but 
large masses of almost pure while (resem¬ 
bling alabaster) have been found embedded 
in the main deposits. The quantity of this 
article is practically inexhaustible, 'and the 
time will certainly* come when it will be a 
source of wealth to that part of the State 
So far it has only been used to a limited ex- 
extenl for pa\'ing and building purposes, if 
we except tne recent fraud practiced by those 
who manufactured from it that great hum¬ 
bug and swindle of the century, the “Car¬ 
diff Giant 1” 
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“Cro 
