New-York tribune., 1875-08-18
TIE ASSOCIATION HARD AT WORK.

-
the readinS Of papers before the - ctons
TIE ASSOCIATION HARD AT WORK.
VARIOUS INFORMATION ABOUT INSECT PEslS-NEAs-
URiNG 10 4 MILIIoNrH PART FOR LAND 81 II
yEYs-cUTTING sTEfL WITH SOFT IRON-H0w
TIE Sun MAY BURN OR iEEiZB US-'hNiNG
UPoN LOCUsIs-A THEFf OF DIAMONDS.
IrEOM STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TrIBUNR.I
DETRoIT, Aug. ia very pleasant recep-
ton was given by the Detroit Scientific Association to
the American Association night The short space OF
Is months has enabled tho Detroit Association ts bng
together museum Of valuable objects wmch
is in the highest degree celitab!o to them and to TINS
community OF course II is not largo museum but there
is already enough in make very handsome and at
racive display. In casts and resoratioDs OF the sahge
creatures OF bysone ages, this collection is unusually
rich As might be expected AZ the West. the geological
treasures are prominent and numerous and some of the
single specimens very valuable crystal OF g'coh
feldspar California caught the eye of one OF the WISH
tors learned in such matters. who enthusiastically DC
clared that it could DO equa!ed by anything he Lad
elsewhere seen small aiming specimens OF all
the chemical elements in state of purity made another
center OF attraction for the chemists of the party
DR. j. !. lie Conte Of Philadelphia has never favored
the extcrpina0n OF tho potato beetles by Paris green
lie would apply extended means aHd prefers that
the United States Government shogd take Land in the
work no only against beetles bat to attack all the insect
swarms that Interfere with agriculture Here are some
of his propositions set forth in paper read before the
Association: A commission sLouid be constiiu
ted OF scientific who can devote their entire
time to the subject. The result Of their obscrya
tions should bo formulated in the shape of
recommendations to tho state Legislatures ihe
laws should practicable ana not barely heorctc and
should Of consultation With farmers as
well rs Of eccntfc study These laws should he reso-
iutely enforced pish this they must be IN
scco,d with popuar sentiment. Tho attacks upon III
sects should far possible bo concentrated at It's
earlier forms life. wherever tAS ia practicable Com
bued OF authorities may he necessary to carry out
these suggestions. mechanical means OF attack against
insects which with great success ia the atomzcr
which - thin spray driven by hand OF steam 1t w
a. brought to bear upon armies of insects be thoroughly
destructive 10 them, whether they be army worms or
locuste potato beetles other foim Of Agricultural
pet
To an inquiry from Prof Newbcrry to the effect OF
parasites Prof Riley bcing appealed to- said that hc Lad
knOwedgc % such parasites which enabled him to say
that they are numerous, and help to keep down many
pess Prof Riley said that hc Lad hopes Of such COM
mission as was proposed lie did hot expect great success
from atomzcrs large scale. because the pc!so 10
DO useC could Kill fast as the crowds Of the living
pressed OF 10 take their place. But he heartily approved
the suggestion OF national commission. Tho farmers
OF Western States had lost 5o0o0000 by insect posts
within the last thce years 1t was hIgh tifne
20 bring this subject before the Natioili
Government Tho suggestions that had so far checked
the Atlantic came from trIomoloSiss One OF tue
members described the grassopper in his native home.
the Rocky Mountains. lie had seen them Ill vast c0u&s
there darsenns the SKY. Thence they originated AID
were travelling ia swarms. Prof Dawson dhe
chairman fully concuryed in the views expressed by
Prof lie Cnte and felt certain that the destruction of
TIE locusts in their breeding places III the Rocky nea-
tains, will among tue earlcs; Recommendations OF a
national commission
ARE Potato BUGS PsISONOCsf
This interfering question ycCy fully discussed IN
paper by Pros Aug. X. Groc and Ad0lph Kayser they
maintaining the negative in opposition to widely cir
cuated in the newspapers and ia the Seventh
Report on the Iusccta of Missouri" by Prof c. " Riley
1t has claimed that people handling the bugs, or
exposed to the fumes Of them VIXEN boiled burnt. have
been poisoned thcrc,y. To test the question quantity
OF bugs were collected and sewed down. one quart Of
bugs beng thus reduced 10 foar ounces OF liquid
which was perfectly cloar and had an offensive
smell II wa- alkaline containing free ammonia anl It's
carbonate. An equal quantity OF the bugs dgestcd
In pure alcohol and fracture thereby obtained. not
dsagrecabie in smell and having aold reacticn I'm
happy frogs were tin su-ct OF tho experiment About
half OF a cubic centiict,r OF liquid ana tnctUre WIS
introduced separately INTO their stomrhs. No
bad effects followed the frogs retained tie
doses and LOpl'od about nerily ever.
Then two other had tie liquid and tincture scpa
ratey introduced into their VEINS by u hypOderInic
syringe The distilled liquid taus introduced did no
harm. The tucturc injected, killed the frog
but this Circumstance was regarded by the oX-
rerimentcrs as merely cons, quence Of tho aod
contained similar injection OF the acrd scCrcied by
mosquitoes and ctiIor insects cOaiates the boO. Bat
potato bags have organs by whicfi to mako sucn acd
secre,iens Tac cQnausion in TIE hght OF Acae expert
Usnts IT, that Che potato bug not poisonous irs ct
The evil ecs Iat have nnotcd, II not due 10 oxide
q carbon DiIcd4n burning Gduhty of bugs, must he
attributed the incidental presence Of Paris gfc0n.
Tn. fact should he new ihOelc L" care IL he use oi
that mineral poison.
Prof Riley replied tb paper. and adhered {" his
previous H. had made some uN est ions which
assured him that of alleged poisoning cOsd not
IN common be sscrbed Ia Paris ISpcri
nients on fIOss not Conclusive. Noac people were
far more sensitive thaA Others poisonous Influences
much greater differences might be expected Ia cOmlal-
people sensitive TO poisons Gated by
tonch Inhalation much ,ends the uifOraT}
dltion pf tine skin the blood Ot the psdnt He felt
assured Of gcuHine poisoning from potato bugs In the
cases he hsd examined. Prof Cock related another
series OF exueIIirons which re- too, had been making
with fiOgs lie starved his frogs before administering 10
them dec0ctOn potato bugs and The eject On tio
reptiles was 90 make theW very sick. Perhaps the
srewdes uggsOn offered III TIE FDsis" of lls debate
that the beg poison Ia probably volatile ana III tic
process making dccoCtlGs ara tBCtures from the M
secis the poison iisek mad escaped into air, wIen
heated.
PLANTS THAT FEED on iN,ECTS.
Prof w. j. Beal of Lansing Mich read paper on car
niyerous plants He gave very concise abstract VI
what discovered by Others III reference 10 the
Lroseras Sarracenias D0ri.n0tonio NfPenthes, Ctr-
ta0ria Frgineuio aud Others. He also referred 10 some
Which catch lnoecs by stieky LGis, do tAe la e OF