1883 .] 
AMERICAS' AGRICULTURIST. 
357 
excellent peach, whether from the original tree, or 
from one that has been propagated from it, will, in 
the majority of cases, produce a tree which will 
yield a fruit that is inferior to the parent. 
Can I Provide My Own Lightning Rod? 
The above question is, in brief, the purport of a 
number of letters that have come to us since our 
mention of the swindling “Rodders.” A light¬ 
ning-rod, improperly constructed and placed, in¬ 
stead of being a protection to the building, may be 
a source of danger. In cities and large towns, 
there are persons who make a business of erecting 
lightning rods; some of these, in cities, make it 
their sole occupation, while in small places, intel¬ 
ligent blacksmiths and other mechanics add it to 
their ordinary business. Sometimes these are per¬ 
sons who have studied the laws of electricity, and 
do their work in conformity therewith. The maker 
of lightning-rods is all the better qualified for his 
work by being an electrician, and where practica¬ 
ble, it is safer to employ such, but a large propor¬ 
tion of our readers live where the services of these 
qualified mechanics can not be secured, and must 
either provide the rods themselves or do without 
them. While the proper construction of a light¬ 
ning-conductor depends upon the observance of 
several scientific principles, the mechanical work 
may be done without a knSwledge of these, if di¬ 
rections founded upon them are carefully followed. 
We are often asked if lightning rods are necessary. 
Having known houses to be struck that were pro¬ 
vided with them, many persons assert that rods are 
no protection. Since the days of Franklin, who 
invented lightning-rods, hundreds of scientific men 
have studied the subject, and all are agreed that 
buildings may be perfectly protected by properly 
constructed rods, and in the cases where houses 
have been injured, the rods, on examination, have 
invariably been found to be imperfect. Where 
there are tall trees in the vicinity, a buildiug is 
seldom struck ; while one in an exposed situation, 
where the building is the highest object, is in 
constant danger. Those who propose to provide 
the lightning-rods themselves have several things 
to consider : 1st, the material of the rod ; 2d, the 
manner of fastening to the building ; 3d, how wide 
an area one rod will protect? 4th, the upper end, 
or point; 5th, the lower end. The last, if not the 
most important, needs special attention, as im¬ 
proper termination of the rod is the cause of most 
of the accidents that have befallen buildings sup¬ 
posed to be protected ! 
First. As to the rod itself. It is well known 
that copper is a much better conductor of 
electricity than iron, but it is so expen¬ 
sive that iron is, most generally used, making the 
rod much larger than would be necessary if it were 
of copper. The shape is of no consequence, and 
the twists and grooves in some “ patented ” rods 
are merely to beguile the ignorant. The rod may 
be of round 7-16-inch iron, or it may be a flat strip 
an inch wide and 3-16thsof an inch thick. If more 
convenient to procure, larger iron may be used, 
but it should not be smaller than these sizes. It is 
very important that the rods be continuous. The 
pieces of round iron may be joined by coup¬ 
lings, which are cut with a screw-thread on the in¬ 
side, while the ends of the rods are made to fit. 
The portions are usually joined by welding. 
Second. The manner of fastening to the building. 
At one time it was customary to pass the rod 
through a glass ring, which was fastened to the 
building, and the rod thus kept from contact with 
it. But insulators of this kind are quite useless, 
for as soon as they are wet they cease to insulate. 
The rod may be attached by staples. There is not 
the least danger that lightning will leave the rod 
to pass into the house by way of the staples. A 
flat rod may be fastened by a strap of iron fash¬ 
ioned to clasp it. Should the rod be painted ? 
Some years ago there was an idea that the conduct¬ 
ing power of the rod would be injured by painting 
it. This is not true. Paint the rod of any color 
that will make it as inconspicuous as possible. 
Third. How far will a rod protect? The old rule 
was that a rod would protect an area with a radius 
twice as great as the bight of the rod. In practice 
little attention is paid to this rule, it being cus¬ 
tomary to provide each chimney with a rod, which, 
in most houses, will briug them much nearer than 
the above rule requires. Each chimney should 
have a rod, connected with tlie main rod, which 
runs along the peaks of the roof and to the ground. 
Upon all ordinary buildings but one main rod is 
needed. If there is a roof of tin or other metal, 
this, as well as all iron crestings and other orna¬ 
ments, should be connected with the rod. 
Fourth. The upper end of the rod. Formerly 
much stress was placed upon having the rod ter¬ 
minated above by a very sharp point, which should 
be kept gilded to protect it from rust, and later, 
platinum points were used. At present neither of 
these are regarded necessary. The rod extends a 
foot or two above the top of the chimney, and is 
filed to a point. The various ornamental crestings 
much used on buildings answer as points. If the 
chimney is a long distance from the gable-end of 
the roof, it is well to place a short upright piece of 
rod there, which should, of course, be pointed. 
Fifth. The lower end of the rod. The mere plac¬ 
ing of the lower end of the rod in the ground, so that 
it will be out of sight, will make the rod intended 
as a protection a source of danger, and the build¬ 
ing would be safer without it. The whole object 
of the rod is to carry off the electricity quietly, and 
its usefulness depends upon a proper termination 
in the ground. Dry earth is a poor conductor; 
moist or wet earth is a good conductor. The lower 
end of the rod should reach a place where the 
earth, in the dryest time, is always moist. Some 
dig down to this point and then surround the lower 
end of the rod for a few feet with coke, which ab¬ 
sorbs moisture and is an excellent conductor. The 
ease of finding a moist stratum for the rod will differ 
with the locality, but it should always be secured. 
The New York Weevil. 
Mr. L. D. Webb, Dane Couuty, Wis., sends us 
specimens of an insect which, he says, are abun¬ 
dant in his orchard. “They gnaw off the young 
limbs, working chiefly upon sprouts of this year’s 
growth. Some of the small trees they have strip¬ 
ped bare ”—This pest is a large-snout beetle known 
as the “ New York Wee¬ 
vil.” It prefers the ten¬ 
der growth of the apple, 
but will make free with 
that of the peach, plum, 
pear, and some forest 
trees. The beetle belongs i 
to the same family of in¬ 
sects as the plum curcu- 
lio, and bears the long 
scientific name Ithycerus 
Noveboracensis , the last 
part of which means “ of 
New York,” and was 
given to this pest a hun¬ 
dred years ago. At the 
present time it is far 
more common in the Mis¬ 
sissippi Valley than in 
the East. The color of 
the weevil is ash-gray, 
marked with black. For a long time its early states 
of larva and pupa were unknown, but now it is ascer¬ 
tained that it breeds in forest trees, especially the 
bur oak. In depositing her eggs the female makes 
a longitudinal cut with her jaws, and then turns 
round and thrusts the egg into the excavation. The 
larva is pale yellow. The punctured branch ( a ), 
larva (6), and weevil (c), are shown in the engraving. 
The same method of capturing the beetle is to be 
employed as with the plum curculio. Place sheet¬ 
ing under the infested trees, and jar down the 
beetles by giving the tree a sudden shake or a 
stroke with a mallet. The piece of sheeting may 
be nailed to strips of wood, and easily carried from 
tree to tree. The fallen insects may be crushed, 
NEW YORK WEEVIL. 
burned, or placed in a dish of water, upon which 
floats a small quantity of kerosene. It is best to 
do the work in early morning, when the beetles 
are sluggish, and they do not readily fly away. 
The Grape Vine Plume. 
A caterpillar with a very long name (PU-rophorns 
periscelidaclylus ) works in an interesting manner 
upon the grape vines. About the time the third 
cluster is forming ou a vigorous shoot, the young 
leaves at the extremity may be found fastened to¬ 
gether, making a cavity, in which one or more 
caterpillars find a retreat. The mature insect is a 
moth of a tawny yellow color, with a very rapid 
flight. The wings are split up into feather-like 
lobes, and on this account the insect is known as 
the Grape Vine Plume. The larva; hatch soon 
after the grape leaves begin to expand. At first 
the caterpillars are nearly smooth, but after each 
change of skin the hairs become larger and more 
numerous. They feed for about a month upon the 
tender grape leaves, and then, fastening themselves 
by the hind legs to the under-side of leaves, etc., 
they change into the inactive or pupa state. A 
second brood is not known, but if there is one, it 
can do but little injury. 
The method of treatment is hand-picking. The 
part attacked should usually be removed in the 
summer pruning or pinching, and therefore the 
Plume is not very destructive. Sometimes the 
third cluster of grapes is included in the fold of 
leaves and silken threads, and if this is to be pre¬ 
served, care must be taken in removing the un¬ 
sightly twisted tips of the infested branches. 
Summer and Autumn Blooming Shrubs. 
The great majority of ornamental shrubs produce 
their flowers in spring, and we often see collections 
all aglow in the early months, that show nothing 
but foliage for the rest of the year. With proper 
care in selection, the shrubbery may be made at¬ 
tractive at all seasons. In choosing shrubs for 
planting, regard should be had not only to flowers, 
but to fruit, as some are more ornamental in fruit 
than in flower. Of the late blooming shrubs, none 
are more desirable than the Japanese Hydrangea 
paniculata grandiflora. This produces at the end of 
each stem a large pyramidal cluster of flowers ; 
these are, at first, pure white, gradually becoming 
pinkish, the color deepening, until frost comes. By 
pruning this shrub severely, the panicles may be 
produced of enormous size, so large as to require a 
stake for support. It is perfectly hardy, and one 
of the most valuable introductions of late years. 
The old Japan Globe-flower, Kerria Japonica, is not 
properly appreciated. It will, if neglected, become 
a nuisance, but when properly pruned, and its 
straggling stems tied up, its golden balls will en¬ 
liven the shrubbery all summer. A capital subject 
for the lawn is the Small Buckeye, (PEsculus parvi- 
flora,) of the Southern States. It forms a round- 
headed, dense clump, with many stems, and in July 
and August is covered with panicles of white 
flowers, forming a most beautiful object. The old 
Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus Syriacus, (called in the 
old catalogues Alt/uea frutex), is a most desirable 
shrub. It has been much improved of late years, 
and the best nurseries now offer both double and 
single varieties, in color from white to deep purple. 
As these bloom in August and September, when 
few others are in flower, they are most valuable 
shrubs. They need close pruning each year, othei - - 
wise they will grow very straggling. 
Among shrubs valuable for their showy fruit, the 
different species of Euonymm, or Burning-bush, 
are desirable. The native H. altropurpureus, or 
“ Wahoo,” is excellent, but our favorite is E. lati- 
folius, the “ Broad-leaved Burning Bush,” from 
Central Europe. This is as yet rather scarce, but 
would be propagated more generally, were its 
merits known. The common Snow Berry ( Sym - 
phoricarpus racemosus) on account of its abundant 
white berries, is showy in autumn. In selecting 
shrubs for their autumn effect, the old “Smoke- 
