MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
iflaricultural, 
AMAKYLLIS  HENDER80NI  COOdlTEA. 
This  Amaryllis  is  one  of  many  raised  by  Mr.  ^Uj 
E.  G.  Hesdebson  of  London,  from  seed,  artl  is  get 
an  instance  of  the  improvement  made  in  this  f^g 
fmo  genua  by  seedling  cultivation  and  crosding.  ( 
It  is  of  a  scarlet  color,  each  petal  tipped  with  bot 
white  and  dotted  with  crimson.  Its 
funnel-shaped  flowers  have  a  greenish 
star  in  the  center  and  are  from  6  to  9  \ 
inches  in  diameter. 
Many  of  the  Amaryllis  are  beyond 
fiuostion  among  the  most  showy  of 
greenhouse  flowers,  and  would  be  more 
esteemed  even  than  the  Lily,  were  they 
as  hardy.  Exceptions,  however,  may  be  y''Z~-  r 
found  ill  A .  Johngoni,  .1.  belladonna  and.  ^ 
its  many  varieties,  ,1.  Valotlapurjnirta,  ^ 
A.  vittata.  .1,  Longi flora  and  A.  for-  ^ 
mointusima  which  are  axlapted  either  to 
the  sitting-room  or  nut-floor  cultivation. 
Those  of  our  readers  who  have  never 
seen  .4.  fot'inosHiasfima  (the  .Jacobean  ^ 
Lily)  would  bo  pleased  if  they  procured 
it.  The  form  of  tlie  flower  is  strikingly  / 
graceful — its  glossy,  soft  ilark-crimson  /, 
color  is  superb.  Blooming  bulbs  may 
he  purchased  of  any  seedsman  for 
twenty-five  cents  each.  Tlicy  should  be  |  ^ 
plant^  in  the  garden  about  June  Ist,  in  1— 
light  soil  with  the  nock  above  ground. 
The  scape  appears  before  the  narrow 
sirap-ahaped  leaves  are  much  develoiied 
and  large  bulbs  will  boar  two,  sometimes 
three  flowers  in  succession.  'ITie  green¬ 
house  varieties  of  the  Amaryllis  after 
blooming,  may  he  removed  from  the 
pots  and  preserved  the  same  as  a  Tulic- 
rose  bulb — though  it  is  preferred  to 
leave  them  in  pots  placed  out  of  the  way  in  a  wh^ 
temperature  between  40  and  50  dogs,  and  to  give  not 
them  the  needed  rcfsise  by  withholding  water,  anc 
In  tills  way  we  may  choose  our  own  period  for  by 
bringing  them  into  bloom.  f  ha 
Wlien  seeds  ai-e  desired,  it  is  well  to  assure  f’ev 
the  fertilization  of  tlie  pistil  by  artificial  appUca-  jns 
tioii  of  pollen,  and  to  keep  them  in  heat  and  the 
moisture  until  the  flowers  have  withered  and  the  You 
seeds  matured.  They  may  be  sown  at  once  and  sec 
blooming  bulbs  produced  in  from  two  to  four  bej 
years,  according  to  ciicumstances.  goi 
Umi ted  number  of  entomologists  proposed,  for  no 
three  men,  however  capable  or  industrious  can 
spread  themselves  over  the  vast  extent  of  terri¬ 
tory  iafosted  with  the  insects  named.  Still  wo 
shall  be  pleased  to  see  tlie.  bill  passed  as  it  is, 
for  ih  will  be  an  entering  wedge  that  may  eventu¬ 
ally  open  the  eyes  of  congressmou  and  the  masses 
generally,  to  the  fact,  that  entomology  is  not  al¬ 
together  an  ornamental  branch  of  natural  science. 
Of  course  this  biU  will  meet  much  opposition, 
both  ineddo  and  outside  of  Congress,  from  men 
its  effects  upon  the  trees,  some  affirming  that  it 
would  kill,  while  others  thought  not,  wo  conclu- 
<led  first  to  test  it  wth  two  soft  maples,  just  at 
the  time  the  leaves  were  starting.  Wo  cut  tho 
bark  of  one  of  these  in  several  places,  the  other 
we  left  entire.  We  sivm  rated  them  with  kero¬ 
sene  on  the  fiouth  and  sontlnvost  sides.  During 
the  first  week  the  kerosene  was  distinct  to  taste 
and  smell ;  during  the  second  week  a  alight  trace 
only  could  be  perceived,  which  entirely  disap¬ 
peared  the  third  week.  The  buds  which  were 
RAID 
NOXIOUS  INSECTS. 
At  last  a  bill  has  been  introduced  into  Con¬ 
gress,  asking  that  a  commission  be  appointed 
composed  of  scientific  entomologists  to  make  in¬ 
vestigations  in  regard  to  several  of  our  most  de¬ 
structive  kinds  of  insects. 
In  fact  two  bills  have  been  introduced,  one 
asking  for  a  commission  whose  duty  it  shall  be 
to  visit  the  Itocky  Mountains  for  the  piurpose  of 
ascertaining  the  exact  location  and  extent  of  the 
l)reeding  places  of  the  Locusts,  and  endeavor  to 
discover  some  method  of  destroying  this  pest  in 
Its  native  habitats.  The  other  is  introduced  by 
Senator  iMOAius  of  Kansas,  and  looks  to  the  in¬ 
vestigation  of  other  species  of  insects  besides  the 
locusts,  and  in  our  opinion,  it  is  altogether 
preferable  to  tho  former.  The  bUl  as  introduced 
makes  the  following  prorisions : 
'•That  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  shall  have 
authority  to  appoint  a  Board  of  CommisBioners, 
and  to  fill  all  vacancies  which  may  occur  therein, 
on  the  nomination  of  the  National  Academy  of 
Sciences,  to  consist  of  tliree  entomologists  emi¬ 
nent  in  tlieii’  profession. 
The  said  Commissioners  shall  devote  them¬ 
selves  to  the  investigation  of  those  insects  which 
are  most  destructive  to  the  crops  of  farmers  and 
planters,  and  especially  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Locust,  tho  Chinch  Bug,  tho  Array  worm,  the 
Cotton  worm,  the  Hessian  fly  and  other  insects 
injurious  to  the  great  staples,  corn,  wheat  and 
cotton ;  in  order  to  devise  successful  methods 
for  the  destruction  of  such  insects.  The  com¬ 
missioners  shall  report  the  results  of  such  in¬ 
vestigations  and  methods,  at  least  once  in  each 
year,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  by  whom 
the  same  shall  be  transmitted  to  Congress.  As 
soon,  also,  as  the  information  gathered  shaU 
enable  them,  the  commissioners  shall  compile 
practical  instructions  for  tho  repression  of  the 
different  insects  referred  to. 
“The  said  Commissioners  shall  be  appointed 
for  the  term  of  five  years,  and  vacancies  shall 
be  filled  for  the  residue  of  the  term  only,  and 
they  shall  respectively  receive  five  thousand  dol¬ 
lars  per  annum,  to  be  paid  monthly  from  the 
date  of  original  appointment,,  and  shall  have 
clerical  assistance,  office-room,  fuel,  stationery, 
chemicals  and  traveling  expenses,  not  to  exceed 
ten  thousand  dollars  per  annum.” 
The  only  objection  we  have  to  the  above  is  the 
A-MARYLLIS  HENDERSOIN I  COOCINK^V. 
who  are  utterly  ignorant  of  the  subject,  and  caro  ' 
nothing  for  the  personal  interest  of  the  thous¬ 
ands  of  farmers  who  sustain  the  losses  caused 
by  insect  depredators.  It  will  doubtless  be  urged 
f  hat  the  said  commission  will  cost  the  country  a 
I’ew  ttiousands  of  doUars  annually,  but  what  an 
insignificant  trifle  is  twenty-five  or  oven  fifty 
thousand  dollars  in  comparison  with  the  two  to 
four  hundi’cd  millions  destroyed  by  noxious  in¬ 
sects.  Some  of  our  ootoraporarios  have  already 
begim  to  ask.  “  How  arc  these  bug  hunters 
going  to  control  these  insects  ?”  This  is  just 
what  tho  proposed  commission  is  to  find  out,  for 
did  we  know  that  much,  it  would  not  bo  needed. 
Wo  hope  every  farmer  as  well  as  friend  of  the 
agriculturists  of  this  country  will  use  his  influ¬ 
ence  to  have  some  such  bill  as  proposed  passed, 
even  if  some  few  hundred  supernumeraries  and 
leeches  which  are  now  sucking  public  pap,  have 
to  be  cut  off  in  order  to  supply  the  f»nds  for  tho 
support  of  the  commission. 
- - - 
PREVENTIVE  OF  BORERS. 
As  the  season  approaches  when  borers  com¬ 
mence  their  ravages  on  fruit  trees  and  tho  depos¬ 
it  of  the  eggs  has  to  be  guarded  against,  inform¬ 
ation  on  tliis  subject  will  be  in  order.  As  one 
important  precaution,  wo  would  advise  against 
planting  shade  trees,  as  mountain  ash,  near 
whore  apple  and  pear  trees  are  to  grow.  Tho 
borers  breed  in  mountain  ash,  worse  even  than 
in  apple  trees,  possibly  because  the  shade  trees 
[  are  less  carefully  attended  to.  A  writer  in  the 
Prairie  Farmer  has  been  experimenting  ivith 
kerosene,  Avhich,  though  hazardous,  seems  to 
have  been  attended  with  good  results.  Ho  says : 
“  The  borers  have  been  troubling  us  here  for 
1  several  years,  more  particularly  near  Chicago, 
I  where  the  maples  have  been  destroyed  in  great 
quantities.  It  remained  for  tho  year  1874  to  show 
ns  their  destructive  powei'.  You  remember  that 
year  was  the  hottest  and  dryest  on  record.  The 
borers  then  uiadu  terrible  havoc  with  our  trees. 
All  the  mountain  ash  wore  destroyed,  about  fom- 
fifths  of  the  soft  maples,  two-thu’ds  of  the  elms, 
and  one-half  of  tho  ash-leaved  maples.  ITio  true 
ashes,  willows  and  iioplars  were  not  attacked.  A 
great  many  trees  were  killed  by  Uxe  dry  weather. 
I  think  uot  a  single  tree  of  the  kind  they  attacked 
escaped  without  more  or  less  Lujuiy.  We  came 
to  the  conclusion  something  must  be  done  to  de¬ 
stroy  or  counteract  tlie  borer,  or  that  we  must 
stop  planting  trees. 
*‘We  found  that  in  this  section  the  mass  of 
eggs  were  laid  from  tho  last  week  of  May  to  the 
first  week  of  July  (inclusive),  on  the  south  and 
southwest  side  of  the  tree,  seldom  on  the  east 
and  never  on  the  north  side.  A  shaded  tree  they 
do  not  attack,  miless  it  is  dying  or  dead.  To 
shade  all  our  trees  was  impossible.  Soap,  if 
properly  applied,  we  found  would  keep  them  out, 
but  would  uot  destroy  them  once  they  had  ob¬ 
tained  a  lodgment  \  we  found  also  that  a  fresh 
application  had  to  be  made  after  each  hard  rain 
to  be  effectual. 
“Being  told  that  an  appUcation  of  kerosene 
would  be  effectual,  we  determined  to  try  it,  but 
as  no  one  appeared  to  bo  thorooghly  posted  as  to 
well  distributed  throughout  their  entire  length  i 
but  in  the  outlines  of  an  poimdcr  wo  noticed 
tho  bulk  was  thrown  forward  of  tho  ilorsal  fin, 
while  the  tracing  of  a  ton-poimdcr  puts  one  in 
mind  of  a  suntish,  being  soemingly  almost  as 
broad  as  it  was  long,  lliese  fish  are  all  from 
tho  Rangcly  region  in  Maine,  hut  in  attempting 
to  give  tho  size  of  those  monster  brook  trout, 
one  unmodiatcly  places  Ills  veracity  on  trial. 
But  for  the  sake  of  this  noblest  member  of  the 
Halmo  family,  one  ought  to  run  soiuo  risk  of 
criticism.  Professor  Agassiz  is  authority  for  tho 
statement  that  “  no  other  waters  in  the  world 
produce,  such  large  brook  trout  as  tlicso  pure 
cold  streams  in  the  wilderness  of  Maine,”  and 
they  grow  very  rapidly  in  tho  lirst  few  years  of 
their  lives,  but,  of  course,  like  man,  do  not  con¬ 
tinue  in  the  same  ratio. 
Many  of  them  have  been  liberated  after  cap¬ 
ture.  with  weight,  and  year  stamped  on  a  platina 
'tag  insiTti'd  in  the  dorsal  fin,  and  Thomas  Moran, 
the  artist  ol-  tho  Y'cllowstouo,  captured  a  2}^^ 
puimd  lisli  with  one  of  these  tags  attached, 
stamped  1K71,  showing  that  the  trout  had  iu- 
ereased  one  ]iound  and  three-quarters  in  two 
years. 
At  the  headquarters  of  the  ‘  ‘  Oqiiossoc  Angling 
Assoeiation,”  on  the  Rangeley  river,  a  place  of 
annual  resort  by  Mn.  Steele,  and  where  ho  cap¬ 
tured  a  six-pounder  in  June.  187  J.  there  is  a  book 
in  which  a  record  of  all  large  trout  is  kept,  with 
dates,  place  and  weight  affixed,  so  that  any  time 
one  can  turn  over  its  pages  and  note  the  heroes 
of  the  Association.  This  book  dates  as  far  back 
as  18<)1),  at  whieli  liino,  if  we  mistake  not.  tho 
.Association  was  organized.  Here  on  one  page  is 
ail  exact  account  of  tho  mmibors  and  weights  of 
thirty  brook  trout  taken  by  eight  gentlemen 
visiting  this  locality  at  lliat  time,  tho  average 
time  of  fishing  about  six  days  each.  In  this  list 
none  aro  mentioned  under  foim  pounds  each, 
although  a  largo  quantity  of  smaller  ones  were 
token : 
touched  by  the  kerosene  were  killed,  but  new 
buds  pushed  out  and  grow  vigorously,  and  the 
trees  grew  as  wcU  as  others  in  tho  nursery.  Wo 
applied  kerosene  the  middle  of  Juno  to  over  four 
Ihousaud  trees,  with  apparently  good  results. 
The  trees  grow  well  and  have  commenced  healing 
wherevur  jiroviously  attacked.  There  was  no 
sign  of  a  borer  on  trees  washed  with  tho  kero¬ 
sene  ;  even  whore  tlio  ti'ocs  were  dead,  tho  bark 
■was  stripped  off  and  no  sign  of  the  borer  scon. 
Wo  shall  coniiimo  tho  cxporiniout  this  year  (187*5), 
and  note  the  rcsutl.  A  munber  of  trees  wore 
■plantod  on  the  north  and  east  side  of  a  board 
fimcc.  and  some  directly  opposite  on  the  south 
and  west  side ;  those  on  tho  south  and  west  side 
wore  attacked  in  proportlou  to  tliosoon  the  north 
and  east  side  as  three  to  one,  yet  tlie  only  diffcr- 
once  was  the  partial  sbado  alTordcd  those  on  the 
north  and  oast. 
“  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  facts,  I  would 
not  recommend  tlie  indiscriminate  use  of  kero¬ 
sene  until  tho  experiment  has  boon  more  thor¬ 
oughly  tried." 
A  safer  preventive,  and  cIToctual  if  applied  be¬ 
fore  the  eggs  are  laid,  is  to  wash  the  trunks  of 
trees,  hable  to  bo  infected,  with  earbolie  acid  lU- 
luted  with  water.  This  does  no  injury  to  the 
tree,  but  it  will  not  avail  whore  the  eggs  aro  al- 
roiwly  deisisited.  It  is  very  doubtful  whether 
even  kerosono  will  destroy  the  egg  that  is  to 
liateh  out  the  borer  unless  the  bark  is  removed 
sufficiently  to  bring  tho  oD  in  contact  with  the 
egg. 
- «-4-* - 
Rouuh  bark  should  bo  scraped  from  trees  in 
cold  or  wet  weather  to  destroy  insects.  A  little 
wet  will  often  destroy  what  intense  cold  has  left 
uninjured. 
puuacis  each. 
GROWTH  OF  BROOK  TROUT. 
CoNsiDEKMJLE  discussiim  bus  been  provoked 
lately,  in  the  Now  York  City  pajicrs,  regarding 
tho  limit  of  tho  growth  of  biook  trout  (Halmo 
fwUinalis),  one  having  recently  been  brought  to 
Uiat  city  from  Androscoggin  river,  in  Maine, 
weighing  ten  ponds.  An  experienced  guide  at 
Mooseliead  Lake  has  laid  it  down  as  a  law  of 
nature  that  no  real  trout  ever  weighed  more  than 
livu  pounds,  and  unhesitatingly  atflimis  that 
whenever  one  of  greater  weight  is  reported, 
either  the  fish  is  not  a  brook  trout  or  tlie  ftshor- 
mau  is  a  falsifier.  This  story  of  one  of  double 
the  possible  weight,  and  coming,  too,  from  his 
own  State,  would  drive  the  guide  at  once  to  his 
second  altomativo. 
Mr.  Thomas  Sedgwick  Steele  of  Hartford, 
Conn.,  who  has  of  bate  tunied  his  attention  in 
leiamre  hoims  to  trout  painting,  has  among  his 
studies  drawings  of  brook  trout  from  five  to  ten 
pounds  in  weight,  with  the  date  and  place  of 
their  capture,  as  well  as  tlic  name  of  the  fortunate 
angler  who  landed  them ;  and  their  varied  pro¬ 
portions  make  an  interesting  study. 
In  tho  case  of  most  Qf  the  fisli  the  weight  is 
3  Brook  Trout . i  pmmcls  each. 
1  “  '•  . 
1  “  "  . 4H 
2  “  "  . 4:V 
3  *•  “  . 6  '*  “  ’t" 
1  “  “  . ba  "  “ 
4  “  “  . o'A 
2  “  . 6  “  “ 
2  “  . 6K 
2  “  “  . I>X 
2  »*  *4  7  ** 
t  *•  “ 
1  “  “  . 7M 
,,  ,,  „  g  l»  “ 
1  “  "  "  “ 
]  U  .1  . 9  “  “ 
Making  thirty  trout,  total  weight,  pounds, 
or  averaging  over  six  pounds  each. 
Here  is  another  acemmt  of  a  goutloman  taking 
in  throe-quartors  of  an  hour  243.J  poimds  of 
trout.  That  indivulual’s  time  must  have  been 
spent  very  satisfactorily  I 
Mr.  Pago,  President  of  the  Association,  some 
seasons  ago,  took  with  a  fly,  on  the  Rangeley 
river,  a  brook  trout,  weighing  ten  poutuls,  and  if 
tho  reader  has  any  doubts  of  this  statement,  tho 
next  time  ho  is  in  New  York,  if  he  will  call  on  Mr. 
Page,  at  No.  lO  Warren  Rt.,  (second  floor),  he 
will  bo  permitted  to  examino  the  tish  now  at  rest 
under  a  glass  shade. 
A  party,  in  tlio  spring  of  1874,  took  in  two 
weeks,  17.'>  trout,  weighing  232  poiuids,  and 
among  the  lot  were  fish  which  turned  the  scales 
at  three,  four,  five,  six,  six  and  a-half  and  eight 
IMiniids. 
In  July  last,  iu  tliis  same  region,  a  gentleman 
landed  four  in  one  day,  that  averaged  over  five 
pounds  each;  and,  during  one  week’s  fishing, 
there  were  captured  two  of  seven  and  a-half 
poutuls.  and  three  of  six  pounds  each ;  while  a 
novice  to  tho  sport  was  mode  happy  by  a  string 
of  twenty-four,  wliioh  weighed  seventy-five 
pounds.  Tlie  past  seasoti  was  the  host  in  five 
years,  tho  trout  not  being  so  plenty,  but  of 
larger  growth. 
Cargo  trout,  weighing  from  six  to  ten  pounds, 
will  average  from  twenty-three  to  thirty  inches 
in  length,  and  the  width  of  the  tail  is  from  five 
to  eight  inches. 
j  They  have  all  tho  beautiful  spots,  tints  and 
recognized  peculiarities  of  brook  trout,  such  as 
square  tails,  small  heads,  tho  inside  of  the  mouth 
black  (instead  of  white,  like  lake  trout),  and  are, 
no  doubt,  tho  genuine  fktltno  fonfinalis,  as  lake 
trout  are  not  known  in  that  locality.  Some 
epicure  wiU  ask  regarding  tho  taste  of  these 
large  trout  in  comparison  with  those  imder  a 
pound  in  weight.  Bu^tliere  is  little  difference, 
that  little  being  iu  faviff  of  small  trout. 
A  number  of  these  large  trout  are  now  frozen, 
propai'atory  to  then’  exhibition  at  tlie  coming 
Centennial,  ami  they  certainly  have  every  right 
to  be  there,  as  it  is  estimated  that  the  ages  of 
two  of  the  largo.st  combined  would  make  a 
himdrod  years.  These  trout  are  often  very  quiet 
and  sulky,  soon  after  they  strike  the  hook,  and 
one  is  often  deceived  by  tliinkinghe  has  fastened 
to  a  log,  but  when  once  they  move  they  carry 
all  before  them. 
Tho  facts  certainly  prove  beyond  all  question 
the  stattimentregaixling  the  extraordinary  growth 
of  speclUcd  brook  trout*,  still  it’s  considerable 
satisfaction  to  kiioxv  that  there  Is  a  limit,  and 
that  wo  are  O'lt  anmiyed  by  those  of  the  size  of 
'  whales  or  sea-serijoptn. — Hartford  Tinws. 
