94 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
made with a microscope) and no causes were discernable that could 
lead to the destruction of the grain but the sting in the glume where 
the egg was deposited, I have not before seen this insect m this place, 
and feel a considerable anxiety lest it should become a permanent evil; 
in which case it will become necessary to devise some plan for counte¬ 
racting its ravages. Will you please to solicit information from your 
correspondents, where the wheat-fly has been of longer continuance, 
whether they increase their ravages or not, from year to year.* 
Another enemy we have in our wheat fields, is a worm whose greatest 
size, so far as I have observed, does not exceed one-quarter of an inch 
in length, and about as large round as a common knitting needle. I 
have never seen any account given of this worm, by naturalists or agri¬ 
culturists, or of the injury it does to wheat crop. I will state to you 
the manner in which this worm conducts its operations, so far as they 
have come under my observation. Two or three weeks before the wheat 
is headed out, I have discovered just above the first lower joint, a worm 
about an eighth of an inch in length, and as large round as a cambric 
needle; on examining the straw I found that the worm had been hatch¬ 
ed about half way between the two first joints of the stalk, immediately 
under the fine silky lining of the straw, and had worked its Way under 
this lining down to the first joint, (the wad growing larger and larger,) 
and there burst from its covered way into the hollow of the straw. 
The worm here appears to deposite its eggs, from one to three, into the 
sap-circulating organs of the straw, and they are forced along above the 
second joint, about half way to the third, where a second generation of 
worms are hatched out, who work their way as the first had done, un¬ 
der the silky lining down to the joint, and there deposite a new set of 
eggs, to be carried above the third joint, producing a third generation 
of worms; each generation rising one joint in the straw above the other, 
till they have reached and passed the last joint, (which supports the 
wheat head,) and here they cut off the straw completely, leaving the 
leaf which surrounds it entire, which supports the stalk, and in conse¬ 
quence the head of wheat, and the straw above the last joint immedi¬ 
ately dies. This last and fatal operation to the wheat, is performed 
by the worm in from one to three weeks after the wheat is headed out. 
The worm then escapes from the straw, between the leaf and the dead 
stalk, having first deposited from five to thirty eggs along on the inside 
of the straw, between the upper joint and the head. Here terminate 
my observations upon this worm, and I shall be thankful to you for 
farther information respecting it, if it is known to you, and the means 
of destroying it. I shall prosecute my examinations yet farther, and 
if possible, discover the perfect insect, if the worm is not it.f 
The next and last ravager is the Hessian fly, whose depredations, 
however, are rather slight; but from the number of larvae thai I have 
found in the wheat, I am led to believe that they will be much more nu¬ 
merous and destructive another season, unless some seasonable remedy 
shall be devised, and applied, to destroy the eggs that are to produce 
the next generation of flies. As there are so many conflicting opinions 
respecting this fly, and the want of a uniform and correct knowledge 
respecting it, it is very desirable that the farmers should be made fully 
acquainted with all its. operations, and the most approved method of 
ridding our land of its ravages. Will you confer upon the agricultural 
community the benefit of all the authentic information in your posses¬ 
sion on the subject of this fly4 
If it will not be taxing you too much at once, I wish to inquire of 
you whether there have been experiments tried that has settled the 
question of the origin of chess in wheat; it is a subject that has pro¬ 
duced considerable speculation, without establishing any uniform and 
settled opinion respecting it. 
With feelings of sincere regard, yours, &c. 
Pittsford, July 19th, 1836. EDWARD WILBUR. 
ITALIAN SPRING WHEAT. 
J. Buel, Esq.—I have the pleasure to inform you that the crop of 
Italian Spring Wheat through this and the adjoining towns, is re¬ 
markably fine, while our winter wheat crop has, in most cases, failed 
"The wheat worm has increased its ravages, where it has appeared, for 
two or three years at least.— Cond. 
f If we know the character of this insect, it is also found in some of the 
grasses, as well as in grain, as the timothy, the poas, &c. Its presence is in¬ 
dicated by the head of the grain or grass prematurely turning brown. The 
injury it docs is comparatively trifling. 
+ The facts are well authenticated, that there are two generations of this in¬ 
sect in a year, the eggs of the first being deposited the last of April or begin¬ 
ning of May, and of the latter the last of August or beginning or September; 
they are hatched in a few days, and the insect changes to a chrysalis state in 
about four weeks after the eggs are deposited. To guard against the fly in the 
fall, do not sow until the period of laying their eggs is past, say the first of 
October. To guard against it in the spring, sow bn dry and good soils, so as 
to ensure a vigorous growth. It is affirmed by many, that the egg of the fly 
is deposited on the kernel of the seed, and sown with it, and that soaking in 
pickle, and rolling in lime, will destroy the seed both of the Hessian fly and 
of smut. See Memoirs of Board of Agriculture, vol. iii. p. 326 to 338.— Cond. 
•—whole fields having been winter killed. The produce this season is 
rated from twenty-five to thirty-five bushels per acre, and of choice 
sample. 
This wheat deserves the attention of agriculturists in every section 
of the Country, as it has not failed in any instance. 
Your obedient servant, 
Rome, August 15, 1836. J. HATHAWAY. 
BENEFIT OE PLASTER. 
Mr. Buel —I have long been prejudiced against plaster, but have re¬ 
cently been convinced of its utility on dry loam and sandy soils; the 
benefit on corn is great. Last season part of a field I planted the seed 
was rolled in plaster; the difference could be seen for half a mile, 
through the season. It was full one quarter larger than where no plas¬ 
ter was used. The present season I have made the same experiment, 
and thus far see the same results, except on damp or clay land. A few 
days since a neighbor of mine, who gave his name for your excellent 
paper, showed me the effect produced on an old grass lay, a red rock, 
or slate soil; bringing in an abundance of both white and red clover, 
where there was none before. The plaster was put on as late as May. 
The effect, I think, would have been greater had it been sown two or 
three months sooner. Yours respectfully, 
Northford, Conn. July 13, 1836. JOHN S. LINDSEY. 
UTILITY OF SAVINGS BANKS IN THE COUNTRY. 
J. Buel, Esq.—I was much pleased to see in the last number of the 
Cultivator, an interesting article from your correspondent G. T. E. C. 
“demonstrating the utility of Country Savings Banks,” for there is no 
demonstration equal to successful experiment. I was not aware that 
a trial of them had been made in the country, though long convinced 
in my own mind of their practicability as well as utility, and I am 
more and more impressed with the conviction of the great importance 
of such institutions to the community. I am no advocate for a miserly, 
penurious or nigggrdly disposition to hoard up wealth in any class— 
all should enjoy in a rational way what their income will allow. But I 
am in favor, Mr. Editor, of habits of economy and prudence in the ex¬ 
penditure of money, and of saving for future emergency, all beyond 
necessary wants, particularly in those who are dependent on the labor 
of their hands for the support of themselves and families. In this 
country, where laborers are in great demand, and consequently wages 
high, a young man who commences life with well formed habits of in¬ 
dustry and economy, is sure, with the blessing of health, to build him¬ 
self up, if not a fortune, at least a competency; and to all such the 
savings bank would come in aid, and would also induce hundreds and 
thousands of others to save what they otherwise would squander; and 
when such views prevail good citizenship is almost certain to follow. 
Let an individual see that his best interests are identified with that of 
the community around him, and he will be the last to countenance, 
much less be instrumental in raising riots and mobs, thus setting the 
laws at defiance. I will venture to say that the names of few, if any 
of those who have kept our cities in constant agitation, and alarm, by 
unlawful combinations, disgraceful riots, midnight conflagrations and 
murders, are to be found on the books of savings banks as depositors. 
No, sir, the persons who occasion all these disturbances are not the 
prudent and industrious, but the idle, the profligate, the frequenters of 
the grog shop, the theatre, the gaming table and the brothel, those who, 
having nothing of property or character to lose, imagine they will be 
gainers by the commotions they get up in society; and the actors of 
such scenes are not confined to cities, they not unfrequently show how 
low and degraded they can render themselves even in our otherwise 
happy and peaceful country. 
Could all our young men, and young women too, be persuaded to enrol 
themselves on the side of temperance, in its most extended sense, and 
to forego all superfluous and unnecessary expenditures, soon, very 
soon the necessity for jails and prisons, and poor-houses, and Taxes 
for the support of their inmates would have passed away. 
With much respect, yours, W. W. J. 
Hamptonburgh, July 25, 1836. 
N. B. Our wheat and rye harvest in this section will be light, consi¬ 
derably below an average crop. The prospect for tolerably fair crops 
of corn has materially brightened, potatoes promise well, oats and grass 
remarkably fine. 
GREEN’S STRAW CUTTER. 
Dear Sir —I last fall bought one Green’s Straw Cutters, of Mr. Be- 
ment, Albany. I had a stock of horses and horn cattle of about 35 
head. I cut all of my hay, and also my straw, and when cut (for 
horses, oxen and cattle that were not worked, and for cows which did 
not give milk) the hay and straw cut was mixed together about half 
and half, (which is conveniently done,) and then fed to my stock in 
mangers under my sheds. They ate it all up clean—there was not a 
bushel of the cut fodder wasted during the winter. For my working 
