The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-11-06
An Exhibition of Insects i'm Paris.

Lucy Hooper writes from Paris to the
Philadelphia Press: Among the numerous
exhibitions which have lately been opened
in Paris. the one which presents most
attraction 10 an agriculturist Is certainly
the Exhibition of Insects. which has Just
been opened in the Orangery of the Tuile-
ries. There the sericultunst or the agri-
CT lturist can learn from practical observa-
ton the latest facts connected with the
silk-worm or the bee: can find out the
best food TO give them, the best methsd OF
treating them, and the latest inventions for
housing them, or for utilizing their pro-
ducts. | had no idea before visiting this
exhibition that raw silk was such a very
pretty thing. but the golden and silvery
coils and br;iids which are exhibited there
are exquisite in gloss and hue. as threads
of spun glass or metal might be- The
silk is shown ia every Stage, from the
rough cocoon 10 the smooth, wound tress
of ircsh-spun filaments, and there are also
specimens given of the varied kinds of
cocoons produced by feeding the worms on
various sorts of food. Thus the ailanthus-
fed worm produces a strong cocoon Of a
pale brown hue. The most exquisite silk
exhibited was that spun by the Japanese
silk-worm il Is purely. lustrously white.
with all the sheen of frosted silver. Honey
and wax were exhibited in all manner of
shapes. some of il in great combs in baskets
and boxes, In which ii had been deposited
by the bees themsel, e., o. else i'm liquid
shape i'm dainty little pots and jars, while
the wax was displayed in bars and cubes,
some darkly brown, and others bleached
TO virgin Wilderness. The honey did not
strike me as being remar kably beautiful
there was none of IL that al all compared
In, no
full white clover honey. pale as a noon
beam. and odorous as heliotrope blossom.
with which we are familiar at home. There
was an extensive and most useful display
of noxiOus insects, with instructions for
destroying them, we were shown vines in
every stage of perishing from the deadly
phylloxcra. aud specimens of wood riddled
and followed by devouring beetles, and
other curious examples of insect devasta-
ton. Then, too, a row of cases displayed
the birds and reptiles which aid man by
destroying these foes 10 his crops and his
peace. The star of the exhibition was "A
huge South American spider, with body
about an inch and a half in length and
legs as thick as a pigeons quill. all covered
with hair, and sufficiently hideous and
demonstrating to make ones flesh
creep I'm gazing on IL. 4 his pleasing crca-
ture, described by its enthusiastic guardian
as "a large and beautiful specimen, began
its career in public life by shameless
murder. There had originally been two
of these lovely animals, bat when they
arrived they were incautiously left together
for few minutes i'm one receptacle. while
separate boxes were being prepared for
them, whercupon the largest of the two
instantly bounced upon his companion,
and made an end of him, after which he
dined of Of his body. He is now fed on
raw meat. In view of the deficiency of
other spiders of the same species. Yet
this hideous creature is in reality bene-
actor 20 man, being exhibited as one Of
the destroyers OF the noxious insects,
namely, the wood-cating, wool-cutting,
and other devastating races.