The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-12-14
Our Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, ~ ", Dec. IL, 1870.
There are continual rumors of peace
negotiations between Mr.. Hayes and Senator
Conkling, but so far nothing has been de-
veloped that shows either of them willing TO
compromise On the contrary, the indica-
tions are that hostilities will become more
active.
THE HURON SURVIVORS,
The bill giving sum of money to survi-
vors of the Huron disaster, and years pay
to the heirs of those lost, has passed both
Houses, ard will at once be approved by Mr..
Hayes. The only precedent is in the case of
the Oneida, lest some ten years ago. There
has been no opposition in either House. AL
ready proposition is on foot to erect at
Annapolis, by private subscription, monu-
ment in commemoration of the lest. The
investigation into the causes of the disaster
is still in progress at the Navy Department,
and all testimony so far elected goes to con-
firm the now very general opinion that the
responsibility Of the loss and the sacrifice of
over a hundred lives, must rest upon the
officer or officers charged with navigating
her away from n stretch of coast perilously
beset with bars, shoals, splits, currents, coun-
ter-currents and miles upon miles of break.
ers dangerous even in the mild weather of
midsummer. But they shared the fate of
the vessel whose fate was committed to their
custody and arc gone beyond the reach of
censure or praise.
THE TOLEDO POSTMASTERsHIP.
A great many here and elsewhere who be-
lieVe Downing, the Toledo Postmaster, to
have been removed TO make way for Reed,
because the latter earned Stanley Matthews
gratitude during his contest to succeed Sena-
tor Sherman, are gratified at the rather
humiliating necessity imposed on the author
tiles of re-iDstating the former in office. A
more fragrant disregard of the reform pro-
gramme for filling Federal positions could
hardly be pointed out among the instances
alleged against the Administration, and if
Mr. Reeds chickens have come home thus
early to roost, there will be found few to
commiserate his forlorn and wretched condi-
ton consequent upon the miscarriage of the
joint scheme for his reward.
A USEFUL INVENTION.
The annual report of the Commissioner of
Agriculture, just issued and ready for distri-
BUTTON contains many things of interest TO
the general reader. The volume is unusually
compact and well arranged, ard there are
several new subjects treated. In look through
the book | notice an article concerning "a
Successful Insect Destroyer" accompanied
with drawing or cut of the invention. 1t
is n new thing, patented during the year, and
promises to be a great benefit to the farming
and truit-growing community. The annual
destruction of crops of fruit, cotton, corn,
tobacco and vegetables by the curculio, cot
ball, army, cut and tobacco worm,
amounts to millions of dollars. OF all the
numerous remedies tried none have So far
proved successful. The Little Turk" as the
curculio is called, has almost driven plum
culture from the country, while the ravages
of the other species named are immense
The worms are all Matched from eggs laid by
miller and beetle insects that fly Mt night, and
are easily caught by Il properly arranged
light. 1t is estimated that these insects de-
post from 10000 to 100000 eggs each, &C.
cording to the Species in the seventeen DAYS
oftheir average life. If, therefore, the insects
can be destroyed before appearing in the
worm stage of existence, this will prove the
most successful point of attack. The device
referred to by the Commissioner was patented
by firm in Russellvile, ADMINISTRATION
d Duke-and consists of peculiary-con-
structed lamp, which is to be lighted and set
on pan filed with water, the bottom of
which receives stick or other support, so as
to raise the light to the desired height for the
crop or tree 10 be protected. Everybody
knows the proneness of insects to "go for'
light 1t is one of the curious facts connect
ed with insect life that their eggs are always
deposited ut night. The miller species never
fly by day. On warm dark night, when
there is no rain or wind, they are, in season,
almost numberess, and can readily be de-
stroyed by this device. The Commissioner
says; THE moths being attracted by the
light, dart against ii and fall into the pan,
and are destroyed before depositing their
eggs upon the tender leaves of the growing
plants" SEMINOLE.