AUG. 2 
494 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
a week apart, though the last time seemed hardly neces¬ 
sary, as but few eggs were found. We commend this ap¬ 
parently simple, rapid and inexpensive way to our readers 
and to the entomologists of the country, who may still be 
experimenting with exterminating processes, most of 
which, even if efficient, cost so much in time, labor and 
appliances, that most farmers will not bother with them. 
Michel’s Early strawberry (12 plants were set in early 
April last), is now (June 15), having quite a crop of berries— 
green and ripe. The average of ripe berries is j ust now 
two to a plant, scarlet in color, of fair size and good quality. 
There is not a strawberry to be found, ripe or green, on 
any of our 100 other varieties. 
'Dahlia Camelliaflora.— This variety was received from 
Peter Henderson & Co., last spring and is the best white 
dahlia we have ever seen. It began to bloom early in the 
spring when less than a foot high and has bloomed ever 
since. At this time, though the plant is but 18 inches high, 
there are four flowers in full bloom and 10 buds. The 
flowers are pure white, as double as possible and very 
enduring. 
The Double Golden Datura, raised from seeds re¬ 
ceived from Peter Henderson & Go., are, thus far, neither 
golden nor double. The color is nearly white, while the 
flower consists of a single tube. 
Yellow Phlox Drummondii, from W. Atlee Burpee & 
Co., is an interesting variety of this popular bedding plant. 
The flowers are unusually large and of a color more nearly 
that of cream or btraw than yellow. The plants are 
branching, vigorous and bloom with great freedom. 
The “New Yariegated-leaved Polygonum” (P. ori- 
entale), a novelty received from P. Henderson & Co., is 
an interesting plant. The seeds sprout freely and the 
plants are now three feet high—the leaves being large and 
splashed with yellowish-white. It is said that these plants 
grow to the hight of 10 feet, bearing red flowers in spikes 
seven to eight inches long. 
ANNE de Diesbach is one of the very best hybrid remon- 
tants of its color, which is a fresh, pure pink. The flowers 
are of medium size, with large, durable petals—of which 
there are neither too few nor too many—of a somewhat 
cup shape. The bush is blooming now in perfection though 
few of the roses of this class are keeping it company. The 
odor is exquisite. 
Dahlias, the seeds of which w’ere received from W. W. 
Rawson & Co., and planted in February, are now 18 inches 
high and in bud. We should raise more dahlias from seed. 
BENEFICIAL INSECTS. 
IV. 
Moths, Butterflies and Caterpillars.— The beauti¬ 
ful insects with scale-bearing wings, which we call moths 
and butterflies are, with but very few exceptions, plant 
feeders, and so while they may not be injurious unless the 
plants which they despoil are valuable, they are not bene¬ 
ficial. No one need fear, then, that in killing a moth or 
butterfly or a caterpillar—the larva that will produce 
either a moth or a butterfly—he is destroying a friend. 
There is just one exception to this. In case a caterpillar or 
chrysalis—the pupa of a moth or butterfly—appears dark 
and discolored, it should be protected, not destroyed. In 
this case the insect is being destroyed by parasites, the 
Ichneumon flies or Chalcids described in a previous article. 
To preserve it means to breed perhaps hundreds of tiny 
friends, that will destroy a host of these same enemies in 
the future. Thus we often see the green cabbage butterfly 
discolored. Instead of the usual green color, it is dark. It 
is parasitised, and should not be killed. By preserving it, 
we often rear hundreds of parasites. These will become 
valuable friends. 
Of the Diptera, or two-winged flies, we have both pre¬ 
daceous and parasitic families. Thus this order furnishes 
us with some of our best friends, as well as with some of 
our worst enemies. The same order that gives us the 
Hessian fly, wheat midge, wheat bulb-worm, onion mag¬ 
got, and apple maggot, also gives us the robber flies, 
Syrphus flies and Tachina flies. 
Asilid^e, or Robber Flies.— These flies, as their name 
indicates, are fierce and strong, and possess a very power¬ 
ful sucking beak. There are two types. One of these 
(Figure 187) is usually gray or darK—occasionally yellow— 
with a long, tapering abdomen. The other (Figure 188) is 
iobust and usually covered with yellow hairs, so that it 
much resembles the bumble bees. The robber flies possess 
a courage worthy of their name. I have seen one of the 
first type attack and overcome the fierce strong tiger 
beetle. Indeed, they do not fear to grasp and suck the 
juices from the honey bee. In the South, both types are 
often discovered capturing and dining on the honey bee 
that has just returned from the field laden with honey. 
Thus they often do no small harm; yet I believe that even 
In the South their benefits exceed their injuries. 
Syrphida;, or Syrphus Flies.— The Syrphus flies (Fig¬ 
ure 189) are beautiful, often yellow banded flies, that fly 
with exceeding rapidity, and often remain poised in the 
air as if held by some invisible hand ; but upon the least 
disturbance they dart off like a flash of llgh tto some other 
position. They are found about flowe rs in company with 
bees and wasps, which they often mimic in a wonderful 
manner. This mimicry, no doubt, often preserves them. 
It deceives the bird that would swallow the fly, except 
that the fear of a sting restrains it. These flies lay their 
scores of eggs in the midst of plant lice. From these eggs 
hatch a conical maggot (F ig. 190), which varies in color 
from drab to brown. It is olten seen extending its pointed 
mouth end about for lice, and when one of them is se¬ 
cured, it is raised up and sucked bloodless to be cast away, 
when another is quickly grasped and destroyed. The 
capacity of these maggots for lice is marvelous. To see 
them devour the liquid contents of louse after louse, one 
would suppose that they would burst. Yet they grow and 
thrive, and soon mature, when more eggs are laid, and the 
round of useful service Is repeated. These Syrphus fly 
maggots are one of the many important agents in keeping 
in check the devastating lice, which multiply with such 
frightful rapidity. Except for such restraints the plant 
lice would soon destroy all vegetation, and agriculture 
would be impossible. 
The Tachina Flies.— These flies (Fig. 191), are closely 
related and much resemble in form, size and color the 
Fig. 1 87. 
common house fly. Their habits, however, are very dif¬ 
ferent. They are true parasites. They fasten their eggs 
on caterpillars often in considerable numbers. Thus we 
frequently find the army worm, cut worms, and silk moths 
bearing about many of their eggs. The maggots which 
hatch from these eggs eat into their host and destroy it. 
The present season, the cut-worms have been very serious 
Fig. 138. 
pests in various parts of the country. In digging them 
out of the ground, to convey them to my breeding cases, I 
find that they are being destroyed in considerable numbers 
by these Tachina flies. The latter pupate in a seed-like 
cocoon, and in digging for cut-worms I have found many 
of these pupariums as they are called. These indicate that 
many of the destructive cut-worms have gone to feed these 
Fig. 189. 
very serviceable parasitic flies. While these Tachina flies 
are not so common and important as the Hymenopterous 
or four-winged parasites described last week, yet they do 
immense service. J* cook. 
DORSET HORNED RAM COLONEL. 
The Dorset sheep have suddenly come into fashion. 
They were used for years in England without creating any 
considerable excitement; but there the section of country 
for which they were exactly suited was limited in area, 
Fig. 1 90. 
and other excellent breeds of sheep have been long bred in 
other sections. Breeders of improved sheep must look 
to America for customers if they wish to increase their 
sales. The recent great interest in the breeding of early 
lambs induced American sheep-men to experiment with 
all the improved breeds. Those who tried the Dorsets 
found them well suited to this business of early lamb- 
breeding, as they are of good size, tough and hardy, and 
Fig. 19-1. 
exceedingly prolific, besides being very intelligent. It is 
certain that the Dorsets will be largely bred in this coun¬ 
try. We show at Figure 192 a picture of the Dorset ram, 
Colonel, the property of Mr. Thomas Chick, of Dorchester, 
England. Colonel is considered a flue specimen of the 
breed. He was one year and five months old when the 
picture was taken. '_ 
The man who frets and fumes, hurries and worries, is 
the man who suffers from hot weather. Keep cool—that 
is, be moderate ; do not get excited ; do not fret. 
I HAVE “CAUGHT A COLD!” 
HOW SHALL I LET GO OF IT ? 
1. What is the first thing a person should do after he 
“suspects he has caught cold ?” 
2. Can an incipient cold be suppressed or moderated 
by any precautionary measures? 
3. Can we prevent it from “ running its course ?” 
4. What are the remedies? The Turkish .bath or imi¬ 
tation of it? Rubbing—Its undoubted efficacy. How 
does it suppress the cold? Quinine — Is it good for 
colds? 
Make Things Warm For It. 
1. The sufferer should try lustily to get warm. The ^ 
chilly feeling is caused by the contraction of the fine blood 
vessels (capillaries) of the skin. Part of the skin’s share of 
blood has left the surface, and is becoming congested — i. e., 
crowded together in the interior of the body. He can do 
this actively by exercise, passively by blankets and hot 
bricks, or medicinally by the use of a medicine that will 
stimulate the circulation, and drive the blood strongly and 
evenly on its way to all parts of the body. 2 and 3. Yes, 
and quite broken up, if taken in hand promptly. The 
cause of a “cold” is sometimes an external chill, which 
may drive the blood inward; but it is quite as likely to be 
caused by something internal, which draws the blood 
away from the surface. One of the most frequent causes 
of a cold is over-eating, especially after over-working. The 
presence of a hearty meal in the stomach causes the life 
tide to be turned strongly into that organ ; or the primary 
congestion may occur in some other internal organ,—the 
lungs, liver, or bowels. ‘In a vigorous and healthy man, 
not too tired out, such local congestions may right them¬ 
selves, and the 111 effect may not be produced. On the 
other hand, it may be difficult, or impossible, with a 
weakly person, to bring about the reaction, even by med¬ 
ical treatment, especially if not very prompt. All the old, 
well-known ways are good. 4. Quinine is a popular revul¬ 
sive with many physicians; while others prefer the combi¬ 
nation of opium and ipecac called Dover’s Powder. A 
“ rum sweat ” (of which the Turkish bath is a modifica¬ 
tion) is an old and popular remedy suitable for strong pa¬ 
tients, while friction, and what is now called massage, are 
more applicable to feebler persons. It is the revulsive 
effect of all these—the restoration of uniformity to the 
circulation—that effects the cure. But to be effective the 
treatment must be prompt, otherwise congestion in a short 
time becomes inflammation,—that is, from being a mere 
accumulation of blood in an organ, there begins to be set 
up an action there, affecting the structure of the invaded 
tissues. This is serious, and if it gets well started the op¬ 
portunity of “breaking up the cold” is past. One is 
“ down sick with it.” Here, in many cases, starvation is 
as good a remedy as any,—perhaps the best tor people not 
too weak. If you take away the fuel, the fire —the inflam- 
mation i—will go out. But combine this treatment with 
the free drinking of water, or lemonade, without ice,— 
better warm, or even hot. T. n. hoskins, m. d. 
Quit all Business and take Aconite. 
I inclose a recipe which has almost invariably been a 
“specific” in my hands for “bad colds” for the last 10 
years. It is only one medicine and should be taken only in 
small doses, often repeated, and it should be taken on the 
first indications of an attack. The remedy is from four to 
eight drops of tincture ot aconite to an ordinary glass 
tumbler half full of cold water. Dose: one tea-spoonful 
every 20 or 30 minutes until material relief is afforded, 
which usually occurs in two or three hours. Should the 
cold be attended with any degree of capillary congestion, 
add to the aconite, as many drops of chemically pure 
belladonna. This remedy must be graded according to 
age from childhood to maturity. 
In answer to question 1: As soon as it is known that a 
person has taken cold, let him abandon all kinds of business 
and take the aconite according to directions. 2. I think 
not. 3. We can. I have confidence in the Turkish bath. 
Rubbing is good; but, it will not cut the cold short. It 
gives partial relief by partially equalizing the circulation. 
Quinine is of no benefit, unless there is malaria, accom¬ 
panied with distinct periodicity. Do not cast this aconite 
prescription aside, saying there cannot be any virtue in such 
small doses of medicine, for it requires but little drugs to 
improve a pathological condition of the human organiza¬ 
tion, provided one knows and gives what is right. I have 
thoroughly tested this aconite treatment and know exper¬ 
imentally whereof I speak. If others have my success with 
this mode of treating colds, they will never regret testing it. 
F. P. ANTLE, M. D. 
A Nurse Describes Her Methods. 
1. Find out where the congestion or “ cold ” is located 
and restore the circulation by the most ready means 
within reach. 2. Certainly. 3. Usually; but the longer 
treatment is deferred the more vigorous the measures that 
must be used. 4. Fortunately there are very many. A 
favorite prescription among the pioneers is: A spoonful 
of ginger, two small spoonfuls of butter, three of vinegar 
and four of molasses; heat the mixture in a tin cup ; mix 
it well; swallow it as hot as you cau comfortably bear, 
on going to bed. I use a tea-spoonful to a dessert-spoon¬ 
ful of “pepper-sauce,” thinned with vinegar or water to 
make it endurable. A hot sitz and foot bath given by one. 
who knows how to give It properly, is better than a doctor 
at any time. Rubbing is often quite sufficient; it must be 
kept up until quite a glow is produced. Have a woolen 
mitten on when rubbing. A linen rag—a compress—cau 
be wrung out of cold water, spread over the chest, or 
wrapped about the throat—it must be kept off the spine— 
if covered with enough of thick, warm flannel to keep it 
steaming after reactiou comes. It will subdue and fre¬ 
quently cure a chronic bronchitis or a tenacious irritation 
of the lungs or throat; re-wet the cloth—it must be soft— 
as often as it becomes dryish; but keep dry flannels over 
