The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-05-08
TOPICS FOR THE FARM.

TOPICS FOR THE FARM.
Destruction of Insects.-Dr. Hagen
has lately made some suggestions rela-
tive to the destruction of obnoxious in
sects; while occupied with close ex-
animation of the proposed remedies and
looking through large number OF scien.
tifc pamphlets, he came across some OBJ
servations made twenty years ago by
DR.. Bail of Prussia, and the final result
of his study of these reports was that
remedy for insect pests, offering several
prominent advantages, could be found
in the easy application of the yeast OF
fungus and that this remedy could be
tried in an easy way against the hairy
caterpillars and potato bugs, and in
every greenhouse against leaf lice and
similar pests. DR.. Bail has proved by
many skillful experiments that four
species of mieroscopical fungi are merely
different developments of the same
species, the fungus of the common house
fly, the common mold, 30 easily pro-
duced on vegetable matter in damp
place, the yeast fungus, a microscopical
species and the basis of all fermentation,
and small water fungus known only to
professional botanists. He contends
that the fungus of the house-fy develops
in the water this last species, out OF
water in mold, and that the seeds of
mold are transformed in mash tubs
into yeast fungus and that healthy in
sects brought in contact with mash and
fed with it are directly infected by the
spores of the fungus with fatal conse-
quences. Considering this fact and the
easy way in which the poisonous fungus
can always be procured and adhibited,
DIR. Hagen proposes to make trial OF 1T
against insect calamities. Beer mash or
diluted yeast should be applied either
with a syringe or with 4 sprinkler, and
the fact that infected insects poison
others with which they come in contact
will be a great help. OF course it will
be impossible to destroy all insects, but
a certain limit to calamities may thus be
obtained. In greenhouses the result
would probably very well justify trial,
and on currant worms and potato bugs
the experiment would not be difficult,
as the Larvae of both insects live upon
the leaves, which can easily be sprinkled.
everywhere to be had and if successful
q
The quantity to be applied and the man.
ner of application can only be known by
experiments and may first result in
a failure, but DIR. Hagen has good con-
fidence in it, since it is the application
of true and well observed facts.
The Cabbage WOrm.-A correspond
ent of the Farmer and Fruit Gro,Cer thus
disposes of the cabbage worm: The cab
bage worm, the scourge of northern and
easternkitchen gardeners and truck-patch
men, for the last four or five years, has
been gradually moving over the country
and his march westward has just reached
this country. At any rate 1 was frs
made aware of his presence by its depre
dations on my cabbage patch, and frs
saw the millers, or butterflies, which lay
the egg, producing the worm, early tht
present week. The miller is an innocen
enough looking white butterfly, having
a spread of wings of about two inches
and the worm is tender green thing, O.
from third to full inch long, accord
ing to growth. When the millers ar,
abundant, they futter in swarms owe
cabbage patches, and the worms are vo
racious feeders. But the latter ar
easily killed, hot water at a temperatur
of one hundred and twenty-five degree
doing the business efectually. For my
self, I attacked with soap suds, made il
the following way: 70 one quart O
soap, add teaspoonful Of carbolic acid
stir and mix thoroughly. Repeat tn
operation every morning till the worm
are destroyed. OF these Prof. Lszcuby
of Cornell University, says: "Afte
numerous experiments and very careful
trials, we can commend the following
remedies, knowing them to be safe, cheal
and effective: First, solution of on
pound of whale-oil soap in about 81:
gallons of water, applied two or thre
times during the season; second, tai
water-prepared by placing few q uart
into barrel of water, and applying thi
mixture two or three times during tn
season." Having no whale-oil soap o
tar at command, used the suds, as pre-
pared above, and so far with good re
suits. The worm must be destroyed
because when the cabbages, which hav
only been slightly eaten by it, come t
be dressed for cooking, they will b
found to be fouled past decency for eat
ing.
The Future Of American Farming
The Rural New Yorker thinks it prob
able that in the near future the ar
proach of storms of rain or wind vii
be announced by our Signal Servic
everywhere throughout the country. l
forewarning of this kind would serve
even with our present conveniences, t
greatly diminish the heavy losses en-
tailed on the farming community by tn
unexpected advent of stormy weather
Approaching discoveries in science an
the useful arts will doubtless enabl
farmers to turn such warning to still
greater advantages. Nor will this
the only benefit derived from such
convenience; for whenever it shall
widely introduced, many labors in tn
fields, which are now wearily performe'
during the torrid heat of our midsun
mer days, can then be pleasantly don
in the cool summer nights. Then again
such heavy and expensive machinery a
thrashers, ETC.. can be utilized all tn
time in the busy season, by means O
relays of men; and thus a considerable
larger profit will be realized from tn
capital invested in them. Favorabl
spells of weather, too, can be utilized t
the utmost and the evil consequences O
paucity of labor will be reduced to
minimum. There is no class for who1
the future holds so much social and in
tellectual advancement; 30 much al
sured prosperity, and so much rations