The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-05-21 00:00:00

agriculture.

DESTRVCTION OF SNAILS INIIINTING YOCNO CEREALS.
—A method from which great advantage inay be
derived consists in spreading powdered lime upon the
crops sown. Many farmers know that this substance
destroys the snail, or, at least, removes them from lands
on which it is sown; but others, on the contrary, are
ignorant of the prompt and powerful effects which rosy
be derived Irons it by • carcful application. Now, it ie
princiieilly to the latter that the present attiele is
addressed. We have, with regard to the others, only
ono wish to express—namely, to make use of an instru-
ment of which. we will speak hereafter, instead of using
the canvas sowing machine, and thus subinittins their
workmen to a work as dangerous as pninful. When
the snails come iu contact with the time, they hll ne-
diately contract themselves discharge a Bliley matter,
and, if the erect be prolonged, change colour, redden,
and die. The ashes of wood produce in a leuer degree
analogous effeets. Thus wherever the surface of the
earth can be covered with either the one or the other
substance, nothing need be feared from the snails, so
long as neither rain nor dew have killed the lime, or
formed the ashes into heaps. The lime must be spread
either in the evening or early in the morning, so that
the animals may be surprised in their work of die-
Unction. There has been recently constructed a simple
instrument, not at all costly, and which appears to us
destined to render great services. The invention of this
iustroment is due to M. Vanderheyden nf Tongres, and
has bi,en lime!: admired by the Enver% at one ef the
alrieultural allows at bige. Imagine • very thin
cylinder, about two feet in diameter, mounted on two
little wheels coarsely constructed, aiol armed with •
light beam to be drawn by one or two mimen. Suppose
this cylinder eurmuntled with common canvas thickly
woven, end you will have • perfect idea of the lime-
sowing machine. Let us add, to complete this des-
cription, that the machine has a great resemblance to
the cylinder of the bolting machines for sifting meal. To
Imake the lime machine perform its function, the
niaterial for spreading is introduced into it by • small
opening skilfully provided stone of the ends, and that
, in proportion to the capacity of the cylinder. This
operation finished, they go over the field drawing the
instrument. The wheels communicate • rotatory
motion to the cylinder, and • certain quantity of lime
escapes, which falls regularly upon the plants attacked,
and is done with great ease. The workmen who perform
this duty are no longer injured by a substance so hurtful
to the sight.- -Journal de In Socilti Cealrale d'Ayri-
earl ewe tic De/gique.
MN KENTISH HOP PLANTATIONS.— The reports
received from the various hop-growing districts in this
county are somewhat conflicting. From the Weald,
and generally slung the line of the South-Eastern Rail-
way, we are ii.forieed that the plantations exhibit little
or no proven, and that in many places the bins is
looking yellow and unhealthy, and that nearly • third of
the plant seem to be dying out. Approaching the Mid-
Kent and more northern grounds an improvement is
said to have taken place within the last few days; and
should fine weather ensue, the prospects of the growers
might yet be better than has been anticipated. Our
Goudhurst correspondent says :—" About half-past five
o'clock on Saturday evening a violent storm came from
the south-west, aceompanied by heavy and almost eon-
tinuous peals of thunder and brilliant flashes of light-
ning. The rain and hail fell in torrents, many of the
hailstones being of the size of commou marbles. Much
of the bop-bine in this neighbourhood has been injured,
together with the tender foliage of the trees and
shrubs; and • good deal of fruit blossom has been cut
off." Hop tying is now general. SotitA-Eastern
Gazette.

I:FIELTS OF THE LATE hinters, WET, AND ABSENCE
OF ItN IN 11460. —II now proves too true that my
opinion previously expressed respecting the sad ill
effects of the last adverse summer, autumn, and winter
would be manifested this spring. It has already been
generally exemplified, ascertained, and acknowledged
that very many seeds, plants, shrubs, roses, kc., of
various denominations are kilkd either by the frosts or
wet. I believe it has been chiefly occasioned by the
chillness of the earth and stmosphere, the absence of
sun in nominee and autumn not enabling the lateral
seeds, wood, or shoots to germinate or ripen sufficiently
to endure the cold, for I can remember many winters
and springs more severe than the present 1861, not
proving near 14:1 fatal; but no such sunless summers and
autumns as 1860. The chief cense of the boil plants of
late autumn-sown unniatured corn and seeds may be
safely attributed to the too coldness of the earth to
admit of their germination. This circumstance, added
to other contingencies, such AA their being planted too
deeply in drills at so precarious • season, instead of
their being more cautiously surface-sown, has occasioned
the chief mischief, mid this is plain in thoussnds of
instances. lam told that •01110 Fruit trees are seriously
injured, and that there will be but little to boast of in
the fruit department this season, especially pears ; but
this occurrence. I may venture to write, is only partial,
and I confess that I have not had ocular demonstration
cif pears and apples being abortive. One thing is,
however, certain, that walnut trees are injured to such
an extent that there will be no walnuts this year, if
there is for years to come, as but • few of the upper
shoots remain alive to the length of a foot, including the
new and bolt year's wood, and those few which had
escaped the winter frosts are now scathed by the recent
frosts of the past week.--.A. Hardy, Afa44/on, April 29.

THE FLIES, SPIDEILS, AND WASPS OF
AUSTRALIA.

One of the plagues of domestic life in Australia is the
ewer.. of flies thes infest the interior of the dwellings.
The chief of these is a fly bearing a close resemblance
to the blue-bottle of this country ; but more offensive
on account of the insulter it pn.pagates its descendants.
it is well known that our winged insect deposit eggs on
substances adapted for hatching and supporting the
larvie till they arrive at a certain stage of maturity, or
take flight. In Australia, however, it is otherwise, for
all animals of this order appear to give birth to their
progeny alive. The hungry settler who sits down to
(liner is eudilenly invaded by R boat of these unwel-
come visitors, which frequently deposit on his savoury
roast • colony uf their rising generation, attached toe
each other head and heels, something like a string of
beads. No sooner, however, do these little creatures
reach their destination than they separate, and becom•
irig independent members of the eommunity, proceed
instanter to take a share of his repast, with extra-
ordinary activity and avidity, to the great disgust of
their entertainer. Perhaps nature shuts up the mouths
of the brood at an earlier stage lest they should consume
the vitals of the mother. It is remarkable, however,
thst in Australia pasturing sheep are entirely free from
the plague of nurggota which annoy our eheitherds AO
much, at certain seasons of the year, in this country ;
but, on the other Inend, • sore or wound, in man or
beast, is sure to swarm with these vermin if neglected,
and especially the feet of the flocks where rot exists. A
great variety of spiders—blaek, gray, and white—also
abound loth within and without doors, some of them
with • b.sly as large as • hazel out, with legs from
two to three inches in length, and altogether of •
hideous aspect. One variety weaves cobwebs, and
entangles its prey, as in this country; another kind
hunts on foot, cautiously approaches, and suddenly
springs upon the quarry after the manner of certain
members of the feline tribe. Another settles on the
border of a pool and watches for water insects, and on
being disturbed plunges into the water and disappears.
Another digs holes in the earth, and on the top of each
hole there is constructed • lid of clay with a perfect
hinge, whidi the inmate can open and close at pleasure;
while another description of these animals, as flat
as • m nay piece and as large in circumference, live
under the decayed dark of trees. These
spiders are the favourite, if not the only, food of many
of the Australian hornets, of which there are also •
great variety, and each variety feeds on one kind only.
The largest of these wasps resemble in colour and form
those of this country, but are from three to four times
bigger, and armed with a more powerful sting. These
big fellows monopolise the largest description of spider,
which is "doormen a double debt to pay," for they not
only use it as food themselves, but for another purpose,
which shall be seen presently. When the breeding
season apprcoches the female wasp constructs a dozen
or two of cells of line clay in the crevice of • tree or
rock, of • spherical shape outwardly, each capable of
I containing a body the ease of • blackbird's egg within.
The cells are open at the top, and the whole are ohm-
tered together like those we find in the nest of our
humble bee. Having finished this part of the work, ,1
she next pounces on her favourite spider, which she
stings and thus deprives of the power of resistance,
flies off with her prize, deprives it of its limbs, drops it
Into the interior of a cell, deposits on its back one of her
harem, closes up the orifice with clay, and finally glazes
it over with a gum which it is supposed she procures
from a particular tree. Thus she proceeds till her
maternal duties are completed. The young insect thus
disposed of subsists on the body of the spider for at
least one month. At the expiration of this period it
bursts Ito prison arid comes forth a perfect wasp. The
spider is now reduced to • mere shell, but the head of
the poor animsl is still alive. It is to be hoped that a
merciful Providence has made provision to ameliorate
the condition of the unlucky victim. But, be that as
it may, it is obvious that in the temperature of Austra-
lia, and the circumstanced of the case, living animal
tissue could alone resist corruption and dissipation.
The strength of this variety of wasp is astonishing, for,
in carrying the spicier to its nest, it flies with • burden
which is three or four times its own weight. A multi-
tude of wasps of smaller varieties besides construct cells
of clay, and conduct the business of the nursery in the
same !canner ; and there is ime tribe tint form them in
the locks of doors and pres,es, and thus batter up the
keyholes, to the great inconvenience of the squatter ;
while another, of large dimension and of • black
colour, dig funnebshaped holes in the sand, into which
travelling insects occasionally fall, and become the
prey of the proprietor.

DEATH OF AN OFFICIATING (IFRGIVAN DURING
DIVINE SERVICF..—The tinctitainty of the tenure of
human life was forcibly illustrated out Sanday, May 12th
at Bassingboum, in Cambridgeshire, by the decease of
the officiating minister when engaged in, or directly
after, the celebration of divine service. '1 he deceased
was the Bev George Barber, of Queen's College. Cam-
bridge, awl second masier of tie l'erse Grammar
School there. An inikuest was held en the Ludy on
Monday. before Mr. I rederick Grain, acting as deputy
for Mr. Harlow, county coroner for the division. Mr.
Barber had long been acting curate of Basaingbourn,
and on Sunday morning set out on horseback Irons
Cambridge for the performance of his usual duty,
observing Lit the threatening appearance of the weather
before starting, and as a precaution strapping a
mackintosh on the saddle before him. There was not
the slighte,t innication than that he was not in his
usual gouil health. lie went through the service in his
usual manner up to the end of the first lesson. Whilst
the choir was chanting the "Te Dem," and when
they bad got about half through, deceased was
observed to be *Min instead of standing, awl eon-
tinning in that position, at the conclusion of the
chanting the service was stopped, and deceased was
found to be quite insensible. Mr. Jenkins, surgeon,
wan sent for. and accessed was conveyed to a neighbour-
ing house, pat upon a bed, and every attention shown
him, but lie expired within about us quarter of an hour
of his arrival, without evincing any signs of conscious-
ness. The jury returned • verdict that the deceased
died cf serous apoplexy. A melancholy addition to the
above is that Mr. Barber's wife and family were absent
at a watering place at the time of his &ea. Mr.
Barber graduated at Queen's College, Cambridge, in
1832, was formerly scholar of his College (Queen'.), and
wan author of a "Translation of Boss' Grecian Anti-
quities."