The national leader., 1889-04-20

BAG WORMS AND How To DIES.
| TROY THEM-One OF the most
troublesome and destructive insects
which attack the leaves Of trees is the
Bag worm or Basket worm (Ihyrad-
opteryG ephemeT9f fornis, HawOrth). Its
Larvae overrun and prey on great
variety OF fruit and shade trees, both
deciduous and evergreen. The perfect
insect Is moth. the male having filmy
wings. which give 1t the appearance of
large wasp rather than moth, as 1t
futters around on warm summer days.
| The female is wingless and legless, and
when she has deposited her eggs in the
| bag-like case she falls to the ground
and dies. Late In the following spring
these eggs hatch out In small brown
larvae which feed on the foliage OF the
tree to which they attach themselves.
| They begin to build for themselves
silken coverings, to the outside of
which they fasten pieces Of the leaves
upon which they feed. In time each
of these silk.lined coverings becomes
bag, suspended from the lower side Of
the limb or twig. When they have at
tanned nearly their full growth. these
larvae have an unpleasant habit Of spin
ming down upon any person under the
tree. Having spent the sunny hours Of
June and July in stripping the leaves
| from the trees and rendering themselves
generally disagreeable, the Larvae fasten
| their pendent homes securely to the
twigs, and change to the pupa form.
| After a brief period they burst forth
from their pupal Enclosures, the male
to flutter his brief hour IN the waning
sunshine. the female to lay her eggs
inside the empty bag and die.
Throughout the winter the bags are
plainly seen banging from the twlgs.
and are readily removed by means of q
| fine wire brush at the end of q pole of
the proper length to reach them, by
| man standing beneath the tree. The
bags having been brushed of are
gathered up and burned. A very little
labor will clear an orchard or row of
| shade trees.
EARLY SQUAsHEs AND POTATOES
TOGETHER have never grown
these vegetables together, and see no
advantage in 80 doing. unless 1t be the
possible protection the potato vines
might give the squash as decOy to the
squash bug and spotted beetle. The
soil should be prepared for the potatoes
as early as possible, the rows marked
out three feet apart, and only the alter
nate rows planted, leaving the others
for the squash, This would give
squash vines six feet one way, and they
could be planted three feet apart in the
row, for bush varieties. Well rotted
manure Of the best quality should be
applied in the hills for the squashes be-
fore or at the time the potatoes were
planted, the squash hills to remain un-
| til the conditions of soils and weather
were right for planting the seed. which
probably would not he until the pota-
toes were up. BY the time the squash
had sprouted, the potatoes would have
good start, and would protect the
squash from hard winds. the frequent
cultivation given the potatoes would
hasten the growth Of the squash and
interfere wonderfully with the ravages
of the squash bug. as he is shy and
runs away at the first alarm. Precaution
should be taken against the flea beetle
by dusting the young vines in the top
of each hill Of squashes with gypsum
or land plaster. into each bushel of
which pint Of turpentine has been
thoroughly stirred; then allow it to
stand few days well covered to retain
all the fumes; This acts as a pre-.
ventive, not as remedy, and can also
be used on the cabbage and all plants
liable to infection from the flea beetle
| To o,1fldrn fhn ~ hn
crop is the most expensive and laborlous
part of its culture. The potatoes
would be dug before the squash vines
were done growing. or before the
squashes were picked.
For THE GOOD OF THE CoLTs.-
Give the mare daily feed OF bran.
Treat her with the greatest gentleness
and kindness. If it has never yet been
done, give her few slices of apple
from the hand, and make her approach
you for them. The coming colt will
inherit this disposition and can be
made as friendly and confding as the
dam before 1t is week old, and will
never forget your kindness unless it is
badly treated afterward. In thirty
years of farming and horse keeping the
writer has never used or owned whip
nor has he permitted hired man to
use one, and every horse. cow. bull. or
sheep, and even mule, he has reared
has been petted one and would come
to his hand freely. Kindness is good
crop to sow in the farm-yard, for it
yields in profit an hundred fold.
Sow your celery seed. An ounce of
seeds should produce 1000 plants. Sow
on a fine seed bed and cover the seeds
very lightly. If the weather becomes