New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-19
PESTS of THE FARM

DIR. FITCIPS LECTURE ON INSECTS.
Among other things mentioned by DIR. Fitch in his
Lecture before the State Agricultural Society, were
the following interesting facts:
The ocusts of the ancients which scourged whole
provinces as to compel the inhabitants to flee from
their homes, was doubtless a variety Of our grass
hopper. Here the doctor passed around among tho
audience a specimen from Egypt, probably a lineaI
descendaR of those that plagued the oppressors Of tho
Israetes side by side with which he had received
from Utah. the difference being scarcely discenableI
All nations have either in song tradition given evil
dence that the locust in It's prolific generations has
moved tie scOurge of the world. And the lecturer
gave quotations from the Arab and Chinese poets con-
filming tbs. So voraciOus is the locust that " shows
10 preference for any kind of grass or shrub,
but devouIs unfortunately aromatic ana Pungent
herbs and even dry hay, straw or twigs, and their
rate of increase incredible. Having devoured every
green thing in locality, they fly with great facility
To other and sometimes distant places. They have
been seen four hundred and fifty miles from land I'm
such numbers as to darken the sky and sea, covering
d,ck mssts and shrouds, aud forming n sold column
Of more than FIVE hundred miles In breadth. Their
stencil II such as to induce peetience among the M
labitapts of the country whom while hyng they nave
scourQ.d Dr f. then showed that most OF these dire
effects had in a considerable degree been experienced
in Utah and California almost threatening To dep0pu-
late many Districts also stating that the same insecs
has beer In latitude, and even in the neigh
borhood of New-York City.l Another insect which
has proved exceedingly destructive is the Chinch
Bug, small insect about the size and having nearly
the form of grain OF rye, Of nearly black color, and
Possessing cent ike the bedbug, which II IN other
respects resembles. With its neede-lke proboscs It
puncures the tender parts Of the plant and sucks out
it, juices. II prefers the wheat plant bnt having de
yonred this, il attacks also oate, Indian corn, ana
grass of all kinds. II first appeared in the Caro-
linas and about twelve years ago was seen IN
Illinois, about the same time that the MOT
mons settled in hsuy9S nenee mex S ssqss s'e 81
the ground in many places, presenting the appear
ance at little distance Of black ants For three years.
past and particularly the lat year, they have been
very destructive, and have spread over great part
Of illinois, Indiana and Wsconsin. Even the tallest
Illinois corn when attacked by them, s IN few days
backened ard wthered. Tie stencil emitted by them,
either when dead injured, was ptoieraDie, and tho
most ickening imaginable. On the moving ma
chimes OF certain maker boxes arranged for the
men 10 stand in 20 a. TO them the necessity OF
STOPPING when at their work. These D"Lss pecamo
in the affected districts filed with the Chinch bug
that the men, being annoyed by having these pests
crawling up their legs and bodies, would stamp num-
hers Of them TO DEATH when still more distressing
cotseoueuce was experienced in the overwhelming
euvla which they emitted; Dry weather sse,1 S Ts
Nudge also Of the most destructive insects,
and identical with the European insect OF that name
Tfere il parasitic insect which IA the naturefensmy
of the midge. The Doctor stated that be bad from
Dir Curtis and other members OF the London Entomo-
logical Society promise that they would render him
the requLte asirtsnce to introduce this destroyer Of
the midge There two varieties Of still another
insect which has proved very irjunous-namsy, tho
Trips. OF one Of these have received specimens
from Wscon,n and the other found my place
~ New-York. This insect ia 20 numerous In Europe
that celebrated entomoogist has said that be never
examined q head Of wheat which was free nom ".
The wel-known catwom IL another insect WHICH mas
received particular attention. have not yet CON-
peted nv examinations, but am inclined 70 TIE behef
that ths J. by no means the slow ANA slug
9Th creature that it appears IN the Day
time, but that it is exceedingly active Traveller by
NIGHT often crossing the largest cornheid IN lew
Icnrs | have reason TO believe that II rarely com
nil ia depIedatoDs the spot where II wa hatcbed
reooumend the blowing OF deep furow around tho
field AZ a means OF stopping Us progress. Of th's
worm there are several varieties. They change To
darkcolored moths which BY into windows az
night in great quantities. Thee moths have been
described by English Entomologsts as very rare ma
tive infeots; but they American insects wnicn
have accidentally found their way across the Atanue'
The lecturer showed the practical beneht Of thes1
investgaticns BY reading extracts from letters OF
farmers. who stated that they had increased their
Gro Pc more than one third by adopting the sagger'ns
Of his report for lss4.