278 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
about two acres plowed for rye, and the grubs were so 
numerous that it was thought advisable to pick them up. 
Two large buckets full were soon gathered by following 
the plow. They sometimes attack Indian corn, and lay 
the foundation for much damage before they are disco¬ 
vered. They begin by gnawing off the roots at a consi¬ 
derable distance from the centre-stalk, by which ihe sup¬ 
ply of nourishment is cut off; the plant looks sickly, but 
retains some degree of life. In this condition, the first 
wind that blows throws it fiat to the earth; or if it chance 
to survive, it makes but a feeble stalk, and perhaps no 
grain. 
In regard to the transformation of the may-bug, ICollar 
says—“ When the grub has attained its full size, it buries 
itself in the ground, five or six feet deep, at the begin¬ 
ning of the fourth year, prepares itself a dwelling simi¬ 
lar to the one it occupied when changingits skin, previ¬ 
ously discharges its excrement, and quietly awaits its 
last metamorphosis. It now soon begins to swell out, 
becomes shorter and thicker, the skin bursts behind the 
head, the slit gradually becomes wider on both sides, and 
the skin by some vermicular movement is disengaged 
from the pupa, which now appears of a pure white, and 
as the first representation of the beetle, in all its parts 
being now recognizable. As it advances towards matu¬ 
rity, the pure white color changes to a dirty orange yel¬ 
low, which gradually grows darker. In January, or at 
the latest, February of the fifth year, the cockchafer as¬ 
sumes its mature form. It leaves the pupa case a soft 
and white beetle at first, but in the course of ten or 
twelve days all the parts of its body become hard and of 
their proper color. The insect now remains three or 
four months in the earth, approaching however, gradual¬ 
ly nearer to the surface; till May, or in the middle of 
April, if the weather should be fine, when it excha ,ges 
its abode in the earth for one in the air. The complete 
transformation of a May-bug, therefore, occupies a space 
of five years, or even in case the beetle be retarded in its 
transformation by its food and the weather, sometimes 
six years.-*’ 
No easy remedy against the ravages of these insects, 
has yet been discovered. Skunks (pole-( ats,) destroy 
great numbers of them, both in the larvse and beetle state. 
They may be often seen in moon-light nights, or at twi¬ 
light, searching diligently through the meadows and pas¬ 
tures for their favorite food. Toads destroy many of the 
beetles. Crows and other birds seek and eat many of the 
worms. They are also eaten by domestic fowls and by 
hogs—the latter often root up the sward of whole fields, 
in searching for them. 
Kollar describes the may-bug as being destructive to 
vegetation both in the larvae and beetle state. Our own 
observation does not agree with this, having never seen 
the bug eat any thing. We have made frequent inqui¬ 
ries of farmers and gardeners, but have found no one who 
has known vegetation to be injured by this insect in the 
beetle state. Hence we are induced to believe that some 
mistake has occurred. Perhaps the insect described by 
Kollar belongs to another species. 
The may-bug lives but a few days after it comes from 
the earth. Like many other insects, it seems to have 
fulfilled the designs of nature when it has propagated its 
species, and soon after this, it dies. 
LETTER FROM MISSISSIPPI. 
We would call the attention of manufacturers of agri¬ 
cultural implements, to the following letter from Tho¬ 
mas Affleck, Esq. of Washington, Mississippi. The 
opportunity furnished by the conductors of the agricul¬ 
tural societies, of which Mr. A. speaks, for the trial of 
plows, &c., we should think would be gladly improved 
by those interested in the sale of such articles. An ope¬ 
ning may hence be made for a very extensive sale of 
.Implements. 
We received the samples of Bermuda grass alluded to. 
It is very heavy, and judging from the solidity and sweet¬ 
ness of its stems, we should suppose it was exceedingly 
nutricious. In appearance, it closely resembles some of 
our annual wild grasses, particularly a kind sometimes 
called t{ crab grass,” but which we do not find registered 
in any botanical work at hand. It is very troublesome 
in gardens of a sandy soil. The stems or branches lay 
close to the earth, and have the habit of striking root 
from each joint. In these respects, and in the character 
of the head, it seems precisely like the Bermuda grass. 
If we understand Mr. Afiieck, however, the Bermuda 
grass is perennial, whereas the other is strictly annual, 
and is totally killed by the first freezing of the ground. 
They are probably of different species, closely allied. 
We shall preserve the specimens, and endeavor to as¬ 
certain the correct name of Ihe grass. 
Editors of the Cultivator —You will observe by 
the report I forward to you, of our spring agricultural 
show, that arrangements will be made for a trial of im¬ 
plements at our fall meeting, (last Saturday of October.) 
The subject now excites much interest among planters 
here, and all are anxious to see a full assortment of im¬ 
plements, and particularly of plows, from every quarter 
of the Union at the approaching trial. It is to be hoped 
that makers of implements will see how much it would 
be to their interest to have their machines exhibited to 
their customers at such a time. Articles can be shipped 
at a trifling expense from New-York to New Orleans, 
and thence to Natchez. They should be consigned to Wm. 
J. Minor, Esq. the president of our society—may be 
sent to any commission house in New Orleans. I will 
name Messrs. Ferriday, Ringgold & Co., who will for¬ 
ward them. The society expects, of course, that manu¬ 
facturers will deliver their implements at Natchez free of 
expense, or at all events that they will authorise the so¬ 
ciety to sell the implements, and remit the balance after 
deducting the freight and charge. The house of Holmes 
& Co. of Natchez liberally offered to the society, to carry 
any implements, intended for exhibition and trial at its 
meetings, from Boston to Natchez, in their regular pack¬ 
et ships, free of charge. Their agents in Boston are 
Henry Lincoln & Co., India street. You will materially 
aid the cause you advocate, by laying this subject before 
your manufacturers, and pressing it upon their notice. 
An extensive market can here be opened for implements 
and machines, such as the following—provided planters 
have an opportunity to see and test—Prouty&Mear’s Cen¬ 
tre Draught, Ruggles, Nourse & Mason's, Bergen’s, Bur- 
rail’s, McMillen’s, Sinclair & Co.’s Self Sharpening, the 
Dolphin, Side-hill, and many other excellent plows—in¬ 
cluding many of western make, such as Sloop’s, Garret 
& Co.’s, Peacock’s, and others in Cincinnati; Dudley’s, 
Wood’s and others in Maysville; Hall's in Pittsburgh; 
many excellent plows made by Hays & Co. Louisville— 
and in fact all good plows whose makers may have a de¬ 
sire to extend their market. There are Langdon’s Horse 
Hoe; Corn Planters, especially Bacheldor’s; small 
Threshing Machines, horse power; Corn Crushers; Fan¬ 
ning Mills; Straw Cutters; Revolving Hay Rakes; Cul¬ 
tivators; Harrows, &c. &c. In fact almost any of your 
labor saving implements would attract much attention, 
and if on trial they gave satisfaction, would readily sell 
on the ground. If manufacturers will forward to me, 
through Messrs. Lincoln & Co. of Boston, or Messrs. 
Samuel Wiswall & Co., 139 Maiden Lane, New-York, 
good casts or wood cuts of their implements, &c., of a 
size not too large for the Cultivator, I will make such 
use of them as will be of great advantage to them, and 
that without charge. My object is to illustrate the report 
of the exhibition and trial this fall. Please to aid me in 
procuring as many of these as possible, and especially of 
plows. I may add, as a farther inducement to manufactu¬ 
rers, that there are at least two annual shows held by coun¬ 
ty societies, immediately adjoining, at which implements 
sent here can be exhibited, as they occur after ours. 
Even if the implements are sold here ; a reservation can 
be made to that effect. 
Bermuda Grass —And now I will answer your inqui¬ 
ries with reference to Bermuda (or Doub, not Doul ,) 
grass. It would not, in my opinion, bear the cold of 
your winters—the first frost kills it to the ground. The 
Muskete, or as Kendall calls it, Mesquit grass, I presume 
would suit your climate better. It is yet a mooted ques¬ 
tion whether the Bermuda ripens its seed in this latitude. 
I will examine it carefully this season, and if I find ma¬ 
tured seed, will send you some. I know not where 
