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ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
The Grape-Vine Flea-Beetle. 
E. S. Smith, Susquehanna, Co., Pa., asks what 
is destroying his grape-vines, and incloses speci¬ 
mens of au insect that, from tbo first warm days 
of spring, eats into the bads, and then devours 
the leaves, if there are any. There is also a slug 
which is making its appearance on the leaves, in 
his opinion probably a descendant of the other. 
He is anxious to learu how to destroy them, for 
unless destroyed, they will not leave a grape an¬ 
other year. 
Anb—T he specimens, which were excellently 
arranged for transportation, were the adult form 
of Oraptodera chnUjhea, or the grape-vine flea- 
beetle. As mentioned by Mr. Smith, they ap¬ 
pear early in spring. Boon after their appear¬ 
ance, they lay their eggs, aB a second brood is 
found on the grape-vines towards the end of 
July, and other broods are found later. Prob¬ 
ably the “slugs” which are making their ap¬ 
pearance on the leaves are the descendants of the 
beetles, though no specimens were sent to be ex¬ 
amined. The larva of this beetle is of a light- 
brown or chestnut oolor, with eight rows of black 
spots on the back. the spotsof the t wo middle rows 
running together. When full-grown, the larva 
is about nine millimetres long. The head and 
feet are black. There are six true-jointed legs 
under the foie part of the body and there is one 
fleshy prop-leg at the other extremity, but the 
under side of the belly-ritigs is swollen, so that 
there seem to he prop-legs along the belly. 
When the larvra have done feeding, as they have 
in about two weeks after hatching, they go into 
the gronud to change into beetles. Grape-vines 
are mnoh benefited by watering their roots with 
strong soap-suds, and there is no timo when it 
is easier to kill the larvio by pouring suds on 
them than just as they go under ground. While 
they are feeding on the leaves, they may be 
dusted with hellebore or with Paris-green ; even 
lime dusted on the leaves is said to kill them. 
The beetles are hard to catch in ordinary ways, 
except by catching them with what the entomol¬ 
ogists call a hag-net, that is, a bag on a hoop. 
This may be swept along close over the leaves of 
the vine, and then the beetles may be plunged 
into hot water. 
AphideB on G-rapes. 
Mrs. Leveretl P. Judd, Bethlehem, writes: In 
the Rub an for Jnly 6th, I notice some one asks 
whether there is any remedy for the little brown 
Aphides upon young grapes, and so forth. 
We have always used for all such things an 
old pan, partly filled with dry tobacco leaves: set 
the tobacco smoking, and bold the pan right 
under the parts affected. The smoke will kill 
all such troublesome pests, and will destroy the 
lice often found upon thrifty rose-bushes. 
The Beautiful Wood-Npup Moth. 
Sylvester Layman, Schoharie, jV. Y„ sends a 
miller new to him and wants to know all about it. 
Ass.—The miller is known as tbo Beautiful 
Wood-nymph (Eudryas grata). Its caterpillar 
feeds on the leaves of wild and cultivated grape- 
v ines.and on those of the Yirginia-Creepcr (AmpOr 
lopsis quinquefolia). Sometimes the caterj^ilare 
appear iu such abuudance on the latter plant, as 
it grows upon trellises on tbo walls of houses iu 
ew York and other cities, as to strip the vines 
bare of leaves. Two other kinds of caterpillars, 
bearing so close a resemblance to this as to have 
made skilled entomologists find it difficult for a 
long time to distinguish them, occur also on the 
grape-vine and Virginia-Creeper. These are the 
caterpillars of the Eight spotted Forest-moth 
(Alypia ootomaculata) and of the Epimenis 
moth (Psyohomorpba epimenis). Still a fourth 
kind of caterpillar resembles these three, but 
although the most nearly related to the Beau¬ 
tiful Wood-nymph, it feeds upon an entirely 
different plant—the Furplc-veined Willow-herb 
pilobium coloratnm). This last caterpillar 
produces the moth known as the Pearl Wood- 
nymph (Eudryas nnio). Mr. J. A. Lintner, of 
Albany, upon whose writings we are relying in 
this statement, has pointed out the differences 
which serve to distinguish these four kinds of 
caterpillars, and these differences may be in¬ 
dicated sufficiently as follows: 
All four of the caterpillars are humped on the 
eleveuth segment behind the head, or the last 
Begmeut but one of the body; but this hump is 
much more prominent on the caterpillar of 
ndryas grata than on the others, being, to use 
Mr. Lintner’s words. “ angulated at that point 
to a degree that were it a vertebrate it would 
suggest the idea of its terminal portion dragging, 
rom having been broken at that point.” The 
body, otherwise, is nearly cylindrical, and tapers 
om the hump regularly toward the bead, 
hioh is round and rather more than half as 
ide as the widest portion of the body. 
The body is transversely banded on eaoh seg¬ 
ment with white, black, and orange, except in 
syohomorpha epimenis, which lacks the orange 
bands. This caterpillar has on each segment 
om- while and four black bands alternating. 
The other three caterpillars have six distinct 
blaok bands o-i each of the principal segments 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. JULY 27 
and the Alypia ootomaculata has in addition a 
black edging on each side of the broad central 
orange band, so that it may be mid to have 
eight blaok bands on each ring. It may be 
further distinguished from the two Eudryas 
caterpillars by having a row of white spots along 
the lower margin of the sides, and by having 
white hairs as long ae the width of the body on 
eaeh of the black spots on the back and sides. 
The two Eudryas caterpillars have quite short 
brewn hairs on the blaok spots. 
Thus the three of these caterpillars which are 
found on the grape-vine and the Virginia- 
Creeper, may be distinguished from each other, 
while the fonrth is not so likely to be met with 
aud not of so mnoh intsrest to the horticultur¬ 
ist. However, the caterpillar of Eudryas nnio 
has the black bands which cross it nearly twice as 
•wide ae the white ones, while the caterpillar of 
E. grata has these blaok bands only half as wide 
as the white ones, and, as mentioned above, it 
has the hump on the eleventh segment very 
prominent. 
Figure of larva and imago of Ps. epimenis in 
liintner’s Entomologioal Contributions, No. 3, 
in the 26th Report on the State Museum or New 
York, p. 121. Do., of Alypia ootomaculata 1. c. 
p. 122. Do., of Eudryas grata 1. c. 122,123. 
Makiig an -Eolian Harp. 
J. N. J-, Mount Vernon, New York, asks : 
Can you give me instructions through your 
paper how to make an JEolian harp ; particu¬ 
larly as to number of strings and manner of 
tuning ? 
I saw a home-made one on the 4th inst. that 
was not satisfactory to me, and I would like to 
make a better one. That had Beven strings; 
too many I think. It waB made entirely of pine. 
Would not spruoo top be better ? 
Answer. —The harp oommonly used is a box of 
thin wood, of suitable length,—the width of the 
window-sash, near whioh it is placed, being a 
good length. It should be about five inches 
wide and six inches deep. It adds to the effect 
to perforate the topmost board, over which the 
strings are suspended, in mnoh the same way 
that the body of a violin or guitar is ventilated. 
Fifteen strings of gut or wire should be em¬ 
ployed, and fastened at one end of the box by 
pins. They are then passed np and over two 
glued strips of wood that serve to keep them 
from lying on the surface of the box, and fast¬ 
ened at the opposite side of the box by pegs, 
that perform the same functions aB pegs in vio¬ 
lins, eto. By turning to right or left the ten¬ 
sion is increased er diminished until the desired 
unison 1 b produced. The box is open on the 
sides presented to the room and to the exterior 
air, that is, the harp has only top, bottom and 
end pieces. The strings are sounded by the 
passage of air through this clear spaoe. 
Pine is not a satisfactory wood to employ in 
making an dSolian harp ; something that is hard, 
not resinous, and will not easily be affected by 
moisture is the best material to be used. We 
should think ash a good wood for the purpose. 
Another and simpler way to construct the 
. harp is to stretch the strings over the open top 
of a box that has its three remaining sides 
closed. The effect is not as good, however. 
When placed in position, the window should be 
only partially open, that a strong current of air 
s»ay be induced. 
Miscellaneous. 
TP. Bernstein, Eennepin Co., Minnesota, asks 
for the best method of killing the wild Morning- 
glory iu the field. 
Ass —The roots of this are creeping and per¬ 
ennial. There is no other practicable way to 
exterminate the plant but by & persistent dis¬ 
turbance of the roots by plowing. 
A. It. C-, Woonsocket, R. I., inquires as to 
the efficacy of prepared egg food, mentioning 
several preparations advertised for Bale. 
Axe —Those that wo have tried are no doubt 
good for poultry. They give, in a prepared state, 
food which poultry Deed, and whioh might not 
otherwise be given them. There is nothing in 
these preparations, however, that will produce 
eggs any moie than good feeding, good care, 
and, once in a while, some oayenne pepper and 
ground bone. As a regular food it would be 
rather ooBtly for farmers. 
N. J.B., Little Rock, Arkansas, says: Please 
accept my thanks for the “Cricket.” It is 
undoubtedly the neatest, handiest, and cer¬ 
tainly the cheapest timepiece in existence. I 
cannot make ont exactly what it cost me. 1 
used to pay for the Rubai, 10 oents per copy, 
that is, annually $5.20. Now I send you $3.50, 
leaving $1 70 in my pocket, and I receive the 
Rubai and “ Cricket.” Now, how mnoh for the 
paper and how much for the clock, and to what 
acoount shall I credit the $1.70 ? Please Bolve 
this problem. 
Ans. —The retail prioe of the Rubai should be 
but six oents. 
Win. T. Martin, Mifflin Co., Pa, —Is it bene¬ 
ficial to cautelope and melon vines to cut off 
the end ? Why, and when ? Should it be done 
with pumpkinB, etc. ? Please answer in the 
Rubai, and oblige yours. 
Ans.— Cutting or pinohing off the ends of 
such vines restricts the area of growth, in- 
I dnoing lateral shoots. If it is desired to raise 
large melons or pumpkins, stopping the vine by 
giving to the fruit more nutriment, will tend to 
accomplish it. The time for pinching is when 
they have made a considerable growth and the 
fruit has set. 
L. W. S. What kind of a paper is the Bur¬ 
lington Hawkeye, and whore is it printed ? 
ANs-^-The Hawkeye is published at Burling¬ 
ton, Iowa, a daily and weekly edition is issued. 
It is in most respects similar to papers of its 
class, but has been brought into prominence 
by the humorous writings of one of its editors, 
Mr. Burdette. The paper is republican in 
politics. 
Communications received fob the week ending 
Saturday, July 20th: 
M. E. 8. — Hay Maple—J. F.—J. H. O.—J. P. C., 
« samples ” not yet received—“ Hector Bertram” 
— C. D. — W. J. F.—E. E. — A. H. —8. B. P. 
—M. G. R.—L.P. J—H. H.-Mrs.M. A.—W. J.B.— 
\v. B.— W. J. F., No. 2—F. D. C.—“ A Subscriber” 
—A. W. W.—" An Old Housekeeper”—J. L, R.— 
M. W. — J. E. M C. — H. H., NO. 2 — H. M. S. — 
S. B. P-, NO. 2. — M. B. B. — W. R. B. — E. S. — 
D. E. 8. — J. W. K-, thanks — E. R. B.—S. R. M.— 
“ A Subscriber” No. 2. 
(Elraitojjra. 
CALIFORNIA PECULIARITIES. 
W. C. I. DREW. 
Through the foot-hills, at this Bsason of the 
year, the early morn is perfectly enobantiDg 
about sunrise. The healthy and invigorating 
atmosphere is filled with a dewy fragrance pe¬ 
culiarly Californian, making the happy spectator 
feel as buoyant as if freshly invigorated with a 
draught from the fountain of youth. On one 
hand, we behold the vineyards amid the rolling 
hills, covered with emerald leaves, and the grape 
in blossom ; in the front is an apparently endless 
orchard, heavily laden trees completely shading 
the ground, while here and there we notice a 
giant cherry tree, crimson with ripe, luscious 
fruit, tempting ub to invade the grounds. Look¬ 
ing to the other hand, many a hill covered with 
t&ll and waving rye, golden wheat, or newly- 
mown bay, presents a truly grand and imposing 
picture. Now is the time to enjoy scenes like 
this, while all nature is wearing her spring 
robes, while mankind is happy gathering in the 
abundanoe with whioh she has blessed him, and 
the ranks of Keabnex (the San Franoisco labor- 
reformer) are nearly deserted for the harvest 
field. 
The equability, mildness, and dryness of our 
olimate are peculiarly favorable to the sound 
action of the vital organs of the vegetable 
world. Vegetable growth is exceptionally vigor¬ 
ous here. Oar fruit trees grow more rapidly 
than in the Eastern States, come to maturity 
earlier, and bear moro abundantly and are free 
from inseot depredations. The variety of our 
vegetation is greater, our vegetable markets are 
jnstly the pride of our people, differing from 
most of the great markets of the world—they 
are perpetual. And farther, when frost and 
snow cover moBt of the Eastern 8tates and 
cities, the greatest varieties of all kinds are pro¬ 
duced here, and are most abundant in the city 
markets and peddlers’ wagons. Winter aud 
early spring are the most prolific seasons, in the 
summer aud fall seasons vegetables are raised 
through irrigation, and consequently are much 
less abundant. 
Even our flowers are far more prolific; we 
have not as many roses in June as they probably 
have in New York or Boston, but we have them 
all the year round. Further, ours form hand¬ 
some trees with trunks from two to four inches 
in diameter, large spreading tops Tour to eight 
feet across and growing ten to twelve feet high; 
our Oleanders, instead of being puny pot- 
plants, grow in the open air the year round, 
forming handsomo flowering trees twelve to 
twenty feet high, quite as large ae an ordinary- 
sized apple tree. Our Verbenas and Pansies 
furnish flowers at Christmas as well as in June, 
without the aid of protection of glass or green¬ 
house. The palm tree and the persimmon, the 
orange and the apple, the vine and the pine¬ 
apple, the fir and the nopal (or prickly-pear), 
Btand side by side to prove that the climate of 
California is favorable to the growth of plants 
indigenous to both the tropical and frosty 
regions. 
California has already produced vast changes 
in the financial and commercial world. So rich 
has been her production of gold, that its value 
has been reduced heavily all over the civilized 
world. Its mines of cinnabar have affected the 
price of quicksilver to a like extent, and, for 
many years to come, our mines hid fair to hold 
their own. Iu our own vicinity, El Dorado 
County, the mines are, if anything, improving 
on what they have been during the last few years; 
in fact, so greatly has confidence in our mines 
been restored, that many whioh have been idle 
for five or six years were, this spring, started 
into new life again with new and improved ma¬ 
chinery, thus bidding fair to restore California 
to her “ good old days of yore.” 
El Dorado Co., Cal. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Rochester N. Y. July 18,1878. 
Fob the past five weeks we have bad dry hot 
weather with but few showers— until last week 
when we had Beverol light ones. Haying is 
nearly over ; the crop generally having been 
good in quality and quantity. The market is 
overstocked, really fine timothy hay well cured 
having been sold as low aB $8.50 per ton, al¬ 
though the average price is about $10 the ton. 
Good, clean timothy, of laBt year’s crop, free 
from chaff, is offered at prices ranging from 
$10 to $14 per ton. 
Wheat harvest has commenced, but few 
pieces beffig left standing. The aoreage has 
been large, the straw generally good and in 
mobt cases the beads are long and well filled. 
Farmers are looking for a large number of bush¬ 
els, but a low price, the general improssion be¬ 
ing that $1.00 the bushel will be the prevailing 
price, although Borne few will hold their crop 
for $1.10. Spring wheat is not grown much 
through this section, being considered an un¬ 
certain crop. There are some good pieces ; but 
it is generally poor, owing, I think, to late 
planting, as every piece, so far as my observa¬ 
tion goes, put in early, will turn well. 
Oats, though a variable crop, are lookiDg well. 
Barley is a small crop, but few acres planted aDd 
these promising poorly. Potatoes are coming on 
better than was at one timo anticipated, still I do 
not think the crop will be large. Bugs are plen¬ 
tiful, but Paris-green kills them. Beans seem 
to have been neglected for wheat, particularly 
this iB true of Orleans Co. and Niagara Co., as, 
in a recent trip through them, I noticed but few 
acres of this crop as compared with last season. 
With a large crop of grain through the country, 
prices fairly remunerative, and confidence, In a 
measure, restored, this season should see tlio 
dawn of better times. h. t. j. 
Allen Co., Kansas, July 13, 1878. 
Ou June 1st my corn was 4 feet 6 inches high ; 
on Juno 15th, eight feet ten inches; on Juno 
30th, eleven feet eight inches. How is that for 
high ? I am going to cut it iu another month, 
on the 15th, when I expect it will be about 
fifteen feet 1 
There is sure to be another rush out of Kan¬ 
sas and I will tell you why. First, we have only 
one market, namely, Kansas City. Everything 
has to go through there, aud all the immigration 
is to the Western part of the State. They try to 
get as far as they can away from a poor market, 
if they can only get railroad laud, and as far 
away as they can from timber brush also. They 
will got their eyes open after six months or a 
year, then they will face homewards. I can buy 
improved farms here, within one hundred miles 
of their poor market, all fenced and hedged-up, 
house, fruit and water, within one to four miles 
of good timber, for as low a figure as they pay 
for their railroad land. Fat steers are worth $3 
to $3.50 hero now’; fat bogs aro doing better ; 
they sell now for $3, but Lave been down to $2. 
I for one go iu for good laud, coal, wood 
and water. In some places they have to go 25 
to 50 miles for their wood. I spent about eight 
months looking over Kansas before I fetohed up 
here, aud if I stay iu Kansas, here is the place 
for me. a. w. w. 
Brooklyn, N, Y., July 17. 
I was much interested in the remarks of your 
correspondent Renoclaf, respecting Rhododen¬ 
drons, as he saw them at Mr. Huunewell’s. 
Whore a great variety and display are desired, 
aud one has unlimited means, it may be dosira- 
ble to have half-hardy varieties. But for ordi¬ 
nary collections it seems to me that tbo choicest 
of tbe Oatawbieuse varieties ought to etiffico. 
With these, when once established, no especial 
care is needed afterwards. With the Ponticum 
varieties, there is no end of care, trouble, acci¬ 
dent and disappointment. J. c. 
Poquonoc Bridge, Conn., July it, 1878. 
The fore part of June was dry; Biuce then fine 
showers have fallen at intervals of perhaps a 
week. Crops are exceptionally good; bay is 
heavy, aud farmers have succeeded in getting it 
stored in good order. Despite beetles and slugs, 
new potatoes aro plentiful and cheap. We have 
had some remarkably hot days this month. The 
fourth was said to be the hottest so far this sea 
son; I think times are gotting better. I judge 
so by the smiling faces I meet on all Bides. 
m. w% 
Fulton Co., Ga., July 10th, 1878. 
W bather warm and dry, occasional showors, 
not sufficient for the doinaud. Cotton and Corn 
promising a full crop and a little surplus. 
Fruit is in abundance. Peaches and Apples 
are now 50 cents per bushel. Irish potatoes very 
dull at 50 oents per bushel. Sweet potatoes 
just coming in at $1.50 per bushel. Wheat 
thrashed, and yield, averages 10 bushels to the 
acre—very good for this country. Times rapidly 
improving. Cuas. Deckner. 
PBRLP8, N. Y., July 19tb, 1878. 
We have had four days of intensely hot 
weather. Thermometer has ranged from 90° to 
96° in the shade. No cases of prostration have 
as yet, however, come to my knowledge. Half 
of the wheat orop, which is very heavy, has been 
seourod, and about all will be.jn two days more. 
