American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-07-28


lie weather grows cold in October and the other
rhicb appears in June and lasts I'LL harvest. hose
az The summer fight remain in tie barn anc gran
aries attached 10 the grain laid up there, upon
which they couple and lsy their eggs' ~ LOOKS as
il thew knew tina, there is no longer in the heids
any grain fit 10 feed their poserlly. On the contra
~ those of the spring flight endeaVor 70 ge' GU. o.
The granares, and do in fact get out ~ vast mum
hers through the windows spread in the helds and
law their eggs upon the yet green grsin. That This
is really the case, and that these insects are spe
Gle. OF night moth, appeared evidently from sew
rral very accurate observations made by Nessrs
Duhamei and Tet. They went at different hours
Of the day into granaries infected with them
While the day lasted they perceived multitude Of
butterflies which stirred little upon the heaps but
did not quit them. When they returned into the
same granaries little after sunset, they saw those
butterflies rise and fly to the walls where they set
lied for a while, after which they took their flight
in vast numbers through the windows AS these
little insects fly very swiftly and rise to such
height that the eye cannot follow them long, espe-
cially when the dusk Of evening comes on, Messrs.
Duhame and I'et were obliged to try several
method. before they could be certain what became
of them. The caierpillars found in the standing
ears made them conclude that the butterflies when
out of the gtanary. few directly into the green
grain and laid their eggs upon it while yet tender
but none OF the country people OF whom they IN
uuired had ever observed them in the helds, or
could give any Satisfactory account OF them. lhey
searched all the neighboring fields, and beat even
the surrounding hedges at all hours OF the day 70
no purpose not a butterfly could they hnd except,
ing few dead and dried ones entanglcd in SPIDER
webs. This very circumstance led them to the
discovery they were in quest Of; for rightly reflect
Ing tina, these insects, which neither they nor any
other persons had been able find in the fields IN
The day time, must certainly be of the phalen9 or
nocturnal kind, they without farther delay sci out
With candle and lantern, repaired 10 one OF the
fields they had visited in the afternoon, and soon de
sersd great number Of the very butterflies they
were seeking for upon the boards OF the ears OF
aheat. They returned to the same spot carry the
,iext morning, and could rot then find single one
1t was proved by the following experiment., that
il is possible the caterplllars may live under ground
pass the winter there enclosed IN the grain with
which they are sown, and even undergo their several
metamo. phoses 10 the Garth, so as to arse from
thence 10 the form Of butte dies in The spting A
wooden box divided into three partitions anc
filed with common mould taken on, OF kitchen
garden. Wheat known to be infected, was planted
ali inch deep in one Of these partitions. two inche,
deep III another and three inches in the third. All
Of them were then covered with glass frame, and
butterflies soon appeared in each OF the divisions, but
hey we're far the most numerous IN that where they
mad been buried but an inch deep In another tria
number Of infected grains were covered with !
still sitter earth, weted and pressed down, and no
any buuetfe. appeared there. From hence Messrs
Duhamel and Tillet concluded tina, though som,
OF these insects can, and certainly do come out o
The ploughrd ground which has been sown with in
:ected grain, their number is compat aively small
and that mills and granarics the great source o
tleir increase for the grain which contains young
caterpillar will grow if its germ has not been DANA
eed and as its mealy substance IS consumed by the
plant The caterpillar must die for want OF food be
sides q. is proved by The experiment sbovemen,ion
ed the butterflies pierce through close ane
hardened <earh which generally is the case o
pioughed land the, has been exposed to the wlnte
'sins. Its agreed whether these insects prefe
WHEAT, barley or rye The observations made b.
Meas. Duhamel and TllIet, to prove tina
hey attack indiferently whichever lies most con
seoient for them; and that they do not spare lndaT
coin when stripped from us stalk, and LAID up IN
granary where lhey can come at the soft inside par
Of the grain. Even oats, when mixed with VIII at
barley and rye in glass vessel into which 0
the butterflies were put, were damaged by caterpil
lars as much any Of the Other grain, though il i
certain that they do but little mischief to oats in thu
granary.
To preserve the grain from farther injury alter i
is reaped il should be lhreshed out as posi-
Bile, and such part OF it as il is wished to preserv
either for seed or grinding should be dried in a
oven or kiln in which the heat should be sron
enough 10 kill The ca,rrpiliars without destroyin
the yegetati,e principle. This will be effected b
l24 degrees oil neat Of Fahrenhet's thermometer
Or he seed grain may be better prepared by bein
soaked in strong lye of wood ashes and qucklim
heated to such degree that the finger can jus, bes
it. Lei the grain, contained in basket, be srre
in this I've, and the grains skinned off that float o
the surface. When it has been thus soaked 70
about two minutes the basket which contains
should then be lifted up and suspended by two pole
,ill the I've is drained off. The grain should the
be spread very thin on floor to dry, while secon
baskettul is prepared in the same manner. Whe
N