1851. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
403 
taining a sufficient number without going out of his own 
garden. A very good account of them, with an en¬ 
larged figure, will be found in the “ Prairie Farmer” for 
December, 1845. In the same publication, for Septem¬ 
ber 1850, may be seen an excellent description of this 
insect by Dr. LeBaron, who, not being aware that it 
had been previously named by Mr. Say. called it Rhy- 
parochromus devastator. The eggs of this insect are 
laid in the ground, in which the young have been found 
in great abundance, at the depth of an inch or more. 
They make their appearance on wheat about the middle 
of June, and may be seen in great numbers, and in va¬ 
rious stages of growth, during the whole summer. 
Some of them continue alive during the winter in their 
places of concealment. Other particulars concerning 
these insects are given in the Prairie Farmer. Yours, 
resp’y, T. W. Harris. Cambridge , Mass., Oct. 31. 
Heating Apparatus for Dwellings. 
The substitution of stoves for open fire-places, has effec¬ 
ted a great saving of fuel, and in a pecuniary view is an 
important improvement; but it is more than probable that 
in ourefforts to secure this advantage in the greatest degree, 
an injurious sacrifice of health has been in many cases sus¬ 
tained. A serious objection to close stoves is, that they 
tend to prevent the renewal of the air of the room, and 
give off more or less noxious fumes. The injury in the 
latter particular of course, depends on the nature of the 
fuel employed. Anthracite and bituminous coals often 
contain sulphur, and sometimes arsenic, and when burned 
in stoves, without free draught, evolve gases which con¬ 
taminate the air. Dr. IJre speaks of such stoves as 
“ pseudo-economical,” and says, “ There is no mode in 
which the health and life of a person can be placed in 
more insidious jeopardy, than by sitting in a room with 
its chimney closed up, with such a choke-damp-vomiting 
stove.” Of late, attention has been directed to obviating 
the objections to close stoves, without incurring a large 
loss on the score of economy. Considerable success has 
in several instances been attained in this respect, but so 
far as the writer is acquainted, the object has been most 
perfectly accomplished by the “ Franklin Coal-Burner.” 
It posseses the advantages of the Franklin-Fire-Place or 
open grate, ydth the additional advantage that it may be 
set in any part of the room, and connected with the chim¬ 
ney by pipe. It is neat and tasteful in design, and supe¬ 
rior in respect to finish and quality of casting,—and af¬ 
fords the cheerful light of an open fire, with sufficient ven¬ 
tilation for health, making, at the same time, but a com¬ 
paratively small consumption of fuel. We have tested it 
for anthracite coal, with which it operates in the most 
satisfactory manner. It is equally well adapted to burn¬ 
ing bituminous coal. It was introduced here, and is 
made by Messrs. Jagger, Treadwell Sc Perry. 
Exotic Vegetables.—The Tea Plant. 
It would seem to have been intended by nature that 
all vegetables should not do equally well in all climates 
and countries, and that some should do better in foreign 
countries than in their own. There is nothing better 
known in medicine, than that certain medicinal plants are 
active only when grown in certain countries. Rhubarb 
for example grows and thrives in this country with vigor, 
and does excellently well as a culinary vegetable; but as 
a medicine it is almost worthless. It must be grown in 
Turkey, or some part of Asia, to be a good medicine. 
The same is the case with numerous other plants. Digi¬ 
talis, for example, grown here, is worthless, and so is 
Colchicum, while the roadsides and meadows of England 
in the same latitude afford them in all their excellence 
The Irish potato produces a better article of food any¬ 
where else than in its native country. The highly glutin¬ 
ous white wheat of Maryland, when grown in the Genesee 
country loses a large portion of its gluten. Now why is 
all this? It seems to be a result of the all-wise providence 
of nature, the object of which is to keep up commercial 
intercourse with all parts of the world. If^ill plants 
would do as well in all parts of the world, then each 
portion of the world would have no occasion to import 
from other portions, and thus the population of each por¬ 
tion would become stagnant and inert. As it is, the teas 
of China induce us to send something that we produce 
there to pay for teas. So with all other products. I do 
not believe that tea will ever be cultivated in this coun¬ 
try. Experiments have been tried with it for forty years. 
The plants can be cultivated successfully, but the tea 
produced from them has not the flavor of Chipji tea. And 
it seems to me almost a pity that we should succeed in 
cultivating tea, for if we should a very large inducement 
for intercourse with China would be annihilated, and thus 
her civilization be retarded. England will never succeed 
in cultivating cotton in her East India possessions. She 
must purchase cotton from us. Because the varied pro¬ 
ductions of the earth, each in its locality, are necessary 
to keep up the intercourse of the various populations, for 
the advancement of the welfare of the whole. S. 
To Cleanse Jars, —fill them with rather hot water, 
and stir in a spoonful or so of pearlash (or caustic potash 
is better) pouring off, and repeating if necessary. The 
adhering contents will be immediately disengaged. In 
extreme cases, let the water and pearlash stand a few 
hours. Rinse the jar with cold w r ater. Vials and other 
vessels are easily washed this way. 
