24:8 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[July, 
Collecting' llirds’ Eggs.—Willie G., 
Macliias, Me. The wanton destruction of birds’ nests is 
reprehensible; but collections of eggs for the sake of 
learning the habits and characters of tiie birds are very 
desirable. You should take out the contents of the eggs 
at the smallest possible hole, and where it is practicable, 
preserve the nest with the eggs. It is desirable to have 
a cabinet or set of shelves on which the nests maybe set 
in order, with their scientific and common names. A 
collection of the nests and eggs of the birds of your re¬ 
gion would have a pecuniary value in the city, and if you 
have duplicates they can bo exchanged for those of other 
regions. It is very profitable for boys to study natural 
history, and to make a record of their own observations. 
Tke ISiatterilies of Portia America, 
with descriptions and colored drawings by Wm. II. Ed¬ 
wards, Philadelphia; the American Fomological Society. 
This is one of the most elegant works ever published in 
the country. It is issued in numbers, each of which con¬ 
tains five plates, giving from two to five butterflies of life 
size, and most exquisitely colored from nature. The de¬ 
scriptions are very full, and the work bears the marks of 
great thoroughness in all its parts. The work is in¬ 
tended to include the new species, and the older ones 
that have heretofore been incorrectly described and 
figured. The price per part is $2, to be had of E. T. 
Creeson, 518 South 13-st., Philadelphia. 
Tiie Parasites of tine Money Bee. 
—It is well known that our larger domestic animals, from 
horses and cattle down to canary birds, are affected by 
various internal and external parasites, but that a large 
number of parasites trouble the honey bee will be a nov¬ 
elty to most persons. Dr. Packard, in the June No. of 
the American Naturalist, gives an account of some of 
these parasites, which infest the larva and the perfect in¬ 
sect. Tiie most interesting part of the article is that 
which ascribes “foul brood” to a parasitic insect. The 
subject is one of interest to bee-keepers, and Dr. Packard, 
American Naturalist, Salem, Mass., would be glad to get 
specimens to aid him in the study of these parasites, 
either in the honey-bee or our native bees and wasps. 
What is fllie Proportion of the 
Sexes ?—Every fact bearing upon our domestic animals 
is of great importance to Mr. Darwin. He writes us that 
he finds it very difficult to obtain information as to the 
proportional numbers of males and females which are 
born to our various domestic quadrupeds and birds. It 
is very rare that records of this kind have been kept. 
Yet there are here and there curious observers who have 
noted these facts. If any such will send us their observa¬ 
tions we will gladly forward them to Mr. Danviu. 
l>o Martins Injure Trees ?—“ W. 
C. C.,” Natick, Mass., says that his neighbors complain 
that martins injure pear trees by pinching off the tender 
leaves. Mr. C. has TO trees, and thinks the injury done 
by the birds is more than offset by the good they do in 
destroying insects. We have martin boxes in great 
numbers, but never saw the birds trouble the trees. 
What is the experience of others ? 
Tansy for ISorers.—“ P. II. J.,” gives 
for borers “ my way and my father's way before me for 
over GO years. Be sure that there are no borers in the 
trees when planted, and with each tree set out a small 
bunch of Double Tansy.” This is an old remedy, and 
we give it here more briefly than our correspondent has 
done, for the purpose of calling out facts. These old no¬ 
tions are not to be passed by without investigation, 
though the truth that may be in them is often quite dif¬ 
ferent from that assigned by their advocates. 
Slug's on Cakbages. —“E. O. W.,” Beth¬ 
any, Pa. You will find the slug figured and described 
in the Agriculturist for JulylSGG. Lime; traps made by 
laying a lettuce or cabbage leaf flat upon the ground, to 
be taken up early in the morning; and allowing ducks to 
have the run of the patch, are the chief remedies. 
Malice among Plants. —“Miss Blue¬ 
bird” asks “Is there a plant or flower known by the 
name of Malice ?” Among the corruptions of plant 
names, Mallows has sometimes been changed into Malice 
—just as Elecampane is called “ Yallercampane.,” and 
Spikenard, “ Spignet.” Such corruptions as these are 
common both in this country and in England. 
Early and fate Peacbes.—Mr. Thomas 
J. Pullen, son of the late Isaac Pullen, Hightstown, N. 
J., has sent us some specimens of Dale’s Early Peach 
from his orchard house. Ilale’s Early now take's the first 
rank on all the fruit lists, and Mr. P. is warranted in say¬ 
ing : “ The tree is a strong grower, ripening its fruit 
ten days to two weeks in advance of the Troths, which 
heretofore has been the earliest market peach at the 
North. The flavor is excellent. For orchard house cul¬ 
ture I consider it superior to any of about thirty varieties 
which I have tested. I also hand you a colored litho¬ 
graph of the Salway, a peach but little, if at all, known 
in this country. The specimen from which this litho¬ 
graph was taken was grown by my late father, Mr. Isaac 
Pullen. Ho was much pleased witli the fine qualities of 
this peach, and predicted a great reputation for it. It is 
a large yellow freestone variety, highly colored, an ex¬ 
traordinary bearer, and of good flavor. Its chief recom¬ 
mendation, however, is its lateness. It comes in after 
the Smock (which has been for many years the principal 
latest peach), and this lengthens the peach season about 
ten days.” The lithograph of the Salway is really beau¬ 
tiful, and if the peach is equal to its portrait, it must be 
fine indeed. We are quite willing to believe what Mr. 
Pullen says about peaches, and when he shows us the 
fruit, we may have more to say about the Salway. 
A Acw Hwarfl* Arbor Titse.—Mr. A. G. 
Burgess of East New York, has a remarkably dwarf variety 
of the Arbor Yitie, which he calls “ Commodore Nutt.” 
It is not only very dwarf, being but 4 or 6 inches high, 
but is very bushy, branching below ground and rooting at 
the base of the branches like box. Like all these very 
dwarf forms of Arbor Vitae, this has only the long early 
leaves. It is perfectly hardy at East New York, and will 
doubtless be serviceable fo'r edgings. We have tried a 
piece of edging set with it,and hope to report of its success. 
Ilest. Soil for Pear Trees.— Morris¬ 
town, N. J. A heavy clay loam. It is a waste of labor 
to plant them on sandy or gravelly soil, unless there is a 
heavier subsoil beneath. This frequently happens, and 
the sand maybe corrected by bringing a part of the clay 
to the surface. Plant standards. 
A Troublesome “ Grass.”— J. Frautz, 
Lancaster Co., Pa., sends a specimen of a “grass that is 
getting to be very troublesome ” in his vicinity. It is 
not a grass at all, but a Carex or sedge; the specimen is 
too young to determine with accuracy, but probably one 
of the forms of Carex laxiflorra. We never knew this or 
its relatives to become annoying as weeds, and the only 
present advice we can give is to treat it like other weeds. 
lEailroatls and Horticulture.— Paul 
Grable, of Dutch Flat, California, writes us an account 
of his orchard, where most fruits flourish at the altitude 
of 3,800 feet above the sea. He is near tiie Pacific Bail- 
road, though a thousand feet below it. Last year ho sold 
to the passengers on the railroad, cherries, the crop of 
one tree eight years old. for $112, which is good for 
both Paul and the passengers. 
A Law to Protect Fruit Growers. 
—It will be seen by what follows, that the last Legislature 
of New York passed a stringent law against the poach¬ 
ers and vandals who have hitherto been a source of con¬ 
stant annoyance to all growers of fruit. Such a law is 
needed, and should be enacted in every State and Ter¬ 
ritory. Nothing is more vexatious than to carefully tend 
a choice tree'and watch its maturing fruit, and when it is 
just ready to be tasted and tested, to have it snatched 
away by some graceless vagabond, and perhaps the tree 
itself mutilated. The law makes the owner of the fruit 
trees or his employees special policemen or constables, 
with full power to arrest, and hold the poachers in custody. 
Chap. 645.— An Act to provide for the more effectual 
protection of fruit growers against trespassers. Passed 
May 6, 1868 ; three-fifths being present. 
The People of the State of JVeiv York, represented in 
Senate and Assembly do enact as follows : 
Section 1. Any person who shall at any time enter 
upon any orchard, fruit garden, vineyard, or any field or 
enclosure wherein is cultivated any domestic fruit what¬ 
ever, and which is kept for such purpose, without the 
consent of the owner or occupant thereof being previous¬ 
ly had and obtained, and with intent to take, or destroy, 
or injure anything there growing, shall be deemed guilty 
of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be 
punished as in such cases provided by law. 
§ 2. Any person who shall willfully cut down, destroy, 
or in any way injure any tree, shrub, or vine, within any 
enclosure or field wherein is cultivated any domestic fruit 
whatever, and which is kept for such purpose, or shall in¬ 
jure any building, trellis, frame work, or any appurtenance 
belonging to or upon any such field or enclosure, shall 
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction 
ttiereof shall be punished as in such case provided by law. 
§ 3. It shall be lawful for the owner of any orchard, 
fruit garden, vineyard, or any field or enclosure wherein 
is cultivated any domestic fruit whatever, or for any per¬ 
son employed in the cultivation of, or rightfully in the 
possession of any such field or enclosure, to arrest and 
detain in custody and convey before any magistrate of 
the county wherein such arrest is made, any person who 
may be found violating any or either of the provisions of 
this act. 
§ 4. All fines imposed under the provisions of this act 
when collected shall be paid, one-half to tiie owner of 
the field or enclosure wherein the offence was committed, 
and one-half to the overseer of the poor for the use of 
the poor of the county in which conviction is had, and 
on non-payment of any such fine, the defendant shall bo 
committed to the common jail of the county for a period 
of not less than thirty days and at the rate of two days 
for each dollar of the amount of the said fine, and costs 
in addition thereto. 
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately. 
Potato ISeetle Speciiticns. - Mr. J. 
Haltmeyer, Houston Co., Minn,, sends us specimens of 
the 10-Iined potato beetle, neatly framed in birch-bark, 
the whole being much more ornamental than we supposed 
such a troublesome insect could be. 
That Willow Heeler.— Several parties 
have written to ask where a good willow peeler may be 
obtained. The parties manufacturing such an implement 
would do well to answer in our advertising columns. 
We do not know where they are now located. 
Central Park Animals.— The collec¬ 
tions of zoological specimens in the New York Central 
Park include both domestic animals and wild ones, most 
of the wild specimens being such as represent our native 
Fauna, and we have repeatedly had drawings made of 
them. This number of the Ayricidturist happens to con¬ 
tain three representations derived from this very attrac¬ 
tive feature of the Park. The Commissioners are con¬ 
stantly increasing their facilities for keeping and exhibit¬ 
ing animals, and we confidently anticipate that, with the 
gradual and healthy growth with which the collection has 
so far progressed, before many years we shall rejoice 
in a zoological garden, which, for utility and instructive¬ 
ness, at least, will rival the great collections of Europe. 
Tlae American Farmer’s Ilaga- 
azlne.— We have to welcome another new paper, the 
first number of which comes to us with the above title. 
It is in the magazine form, with 32 pages, and published 
monthly at Cincinnati, by Charles S. Burnett. The first 
number presents a creditable appearance, the mechan¬ 
ical execution being good and the reading matter sound. 
The Bone PHiosphatc of Soulli 
Carolina.—“ II. G.," Maryland. We have not yet seen 
the article, and are not aware that it has been put upon 
tiie market. The deposits are said to be found in the 
tide-water bottoms of the Ashley, Cooper, and Stono 
Kivers. They are said to be made up principally of the 
bones of dead animals, and to contain 81 per cent of bone 
phosphate. Beckoning their phosphoric acid at 5 cents 
a pound, the pure article would be worth $33 a ton. 
Preventive of Eire on Cattle.— “W. 
F. G.," of Saratoga Springs, writes that if one part of 
sulphur is mixed with three of salt, and the usual amount 
of salt feed so mixed, fed to cattle, horses, and sheep, it 
will be something unusual if louse or tick can be found. 
He bases his communication upon 20 years’ experience. 
White Willow for Fence.— “A. S.,” 
Perry Center, N. Y. A good fence may be made by plant¬ 
ing so thick as to turn cattle, and cutting the young trees 
about six feet from the ground, after they are three or 
four years old. They will sprout from the top of the 
stumps, and if thinned out the sprouts will make nice 
poles for fencing or other purposes, in a few years. Or 
the young trees may be set several feet apart, and the 
gaps be closed by plashing after two or three years. The 
first is the more common method, and the better if the 
trimmings are considered of any value. 
Wire Fences.— C. 0. Howard. If madd of 
large wire and iron posts, they are much more expensive 
than wood, and no better to turn cattle. The cheap wire 
fences soon get out of repair, and we do not recommend 
them. A wood fence or hedge is the best thing for you. 
A Stow BSoat for Fresli Water 
Ponds.— “ G. W. H.,” Neshaunock Falls. If the object 
is a boat for exercise and fishing, a fiat bottom is the 
better pattern. The sides should flare a little and taper 
from the middle to both ends. The bottom, also, should 
curve about 1 foot in 18, to bring both ends out of water 
when launched. Any carpenter can make a boat that 
will answer your purpose. The seams should bo “ paid ” 
with pitch. It should be laid up under coyer for winter. 
