pleased to know that in the year 1852 the imports and exports of it were respectively 22,042, and 8964 cwt. There were also imported in that year 15 cwt. of granilla, a finer kind, and 271 cwt. of the dust.

Great quantities of cochineal are annually imported into France from Algeria. There are great nurseries there of the peculiar Cactus on which the insects feed; and in one year, 1839, M. Guerin-Meneville tells us that 304,991 kilogrammes were imported into France. The Algerine production is not, however, so valuable as the Mexican, though the colouring matter is nearly as pure and strong. The Spaniards have introduced the cochineal into the Canaries, and the Dutch into Java, with excellent results to their exchequers.

In Teneriffe, it is on the Opuntia tuna that the Coccus feeds. The plant is abundant in Maderia, where, according to Mr Johnson, it gives a peculiar feature to the rocky parts of the landscape. This writer informs us that the merchants of Funchal are beginning to turn their attention to the cultivation of the Cochineal insect, in the hope of its ultimately becoming a remunerative substitute for the

Vine.

The Pe-la, or insect which produces the insect-wax of China, is a species of Coccus (Coccus sinensis), which was believed to feed on a kind of Privet, somewhat brighter in leaf and foliage than the stiff shrub known so well in every garden and hedgerow by that name. Mr Fortune, however—a good authority-says that it feeds on a species of Ash. It is chiefly found in the province of Sze-tchuen, where the crude material is deposited by the insects around the branches of the tree on which they feed, and resembles a white, soft, fibrous, velvety coating of from I to 2-10ths of an inch in thickness.

The late George Newport says:-"So complete have been the ravages of the Coccus of the Orange trees, that one of the Azores, the Island of Fayal, lost its entire produce from this cause alone. The usual exportation of fruit from Fayal has been 12,000 chests annually, but in 1843 not a single chest was exported. This injury has already

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extended to St Michael's, and is still con- . tinuing; and the inhabitants of the whole of that group of volcanic islands, depending almost entirely on the produce of their Orange groves, and despairing of retrieving their prospects, are fast turning their attention to the cultivation of other objects of commerce. This amount of injury to a whole population by a diminutive and apparently contemptible insect, has been the result of but three years. The effects of this insect on a single article of luxury may fairly be adduced to shew that entomological inquiries are deserving of full attention. The Orange trade between this country and the Azores gives employment, in round numbers, to upwards of 200 sail of vessels.

Coccus Sinensis.--Mr Westwood has applied this name to the insect which produces the white insect-wax of China, an important article very much used by the Chinese in the manufacture of candles; as much as 400,000 lb. are believed to be annually used.

The bark-louse of the Apple-tree (Aspidiotus conchiformis) frequently does much damage to the orchard. It has the form of a minute scale, resembling a mussel or oyster shell in shape, and hence its specific name conchiformis. This insect adheres close to the bark, and is found often in prodigious numbers.

Porphyrophora.-Before the discovery of America, cochineal was obtained in considerable quantities from Poland. This cochineal was the dried bodies of the female of another species of the family Coccidæ, which derives its specific name from the country whence it was exported (Porphyrophora polonica). The female is roundish, about the size of a Cherry stone, and furnished with short legs; she is quite soft, and of a dark amaranth colour throughout. When dried, the insects shrivel up into a small size, and are covered with a bluish mould. The true scarlet colour is produced by infusion, with the addition of acids; while the purple is produced by a solution of potash.

Lecanium Coffea.-This creature does not seem to have attracted attention till about 1845, when it began to spread with such

rapidity that, in 1847, the planters became alarmed. It is curious that it was about the same period that the Potato Vine and Olive began to be affected by disease in Europe. This scaly bug seeks out the softest and most sheltered parts of the Coffee tree, such as the young shoots, the undersides of the leaves, and the clusters of berries.

Diptera.-An order of two-winged insects, constituting one of the most extensive groups amongst the Annulosa. Although, strictly speaking, they are only two-winged, yet they have, as it were, two abortive wings behind the true pair; these are commonly called halteres or balancers; they are frequently kept in rapid motion, whilst the true wings are apparently quiescent, and by this rapidity of motion cause a loud piping noise, this is particularly observable in the genus Sericomyia. Diptera are usually of moderate size, the largest known being a species of Acanthomera from Mexico-about 134 inch in length; the majority are, however, small insects.

Individual species are sometimes extremely abundant, so much so as in some instances to become a plague and a nuisance. Some of the species may be called domestic, the house-fly being an example. Flies have in all ages attracted observation from the numbers in which they sometimes appear, and in others from the terror they excite by their well-known power of causing the most intense annoyance both to man and animals. One of the plagues of Egypt was a "swarm of flies," probably mosquitoes, which came from the banks of the muddy Nile. Flies have no mandibles (jaws), but are provided with a proboscis and also several lancet-like organs. The common gnat (Culex pipens) has the parts of the mouth produced into a slender rostrum, half as long as the insect; the males have beautiful plumose antennæ. The approach of the gnat is known by its shrill hum; but its alighting on the face or other uncovered part of the skin is so light as not to be easily perceptible; it instantly pierces the skin with its fine lancets; these, it pushes by degrees quite in to their base, and while the creature imbibes its fill, it apparently

envenoms the wound, which subsequently causes the most painful irritation. Records of their appearance in immense hosts in particular localities, even in this country, are not wanting; thus we are told, that in 1736 they appeared at Salisbury in such hosts as to resemble columns of smoke; and in 1766, in the month of August, they accumulated in incredible numbers at Oxford, resembling a black cloud, almost totally intercepting the beams of the sun. Such appearances are not uncommon in Suffolk and Norfolk, as I have been informed by residents in those counties; on such occasions their torment is beyond description terrible.

Neither heat nor cold seems to affect these tormentors of the human race. In Lapland they swarm in incredible hosts during certain periods of the year; there is neither rest nor sleep for the inhabitants, in-doors or out, unless the body is smeared with some unguent, such as grease, tar, or oil. In the eastern part of the world we well know that mosquitoes are a plague by day, and a "terror by night." Other species, belonging to the family Tipulidæ, are well known for the loss occasioned by their attacks on grain crops. The Cecidomyia tritici deposits its eggs in the corolla of the young wheat plant, in which the larvæ are hatched, and by their ravages frequently cause a considerable loss, if not an entire destruction of the crop. In North America, the ravages of the grain crops at times spread to an alarming extent. In Fitch's "Report of the Noxious Insects of the State of New York," are detailed accounts of their ravages; the larvæ of several genera are equally destructive. Species of the genus Chlorops have long been known seriously to injure crops. Linnæus mentions one, Chlorops Frit, which infests the heads of barley, causing an annual loss of not less than half a million of dollars annually in Sweden. The species of the genus Chlorops have, as the name indicates, green eyes, and may be seen frequently on the young heads of grain crops in the spring; but we must refer the reader to the work above alluded to, for a detailed account of the enormous loss occasioned to the farmer through the destructive

THE

HERE are many Country Gentlewomen whom we know, who are anxious to have good information about their hothouses and their gardens in general. We have seen Vines killed by the application of too much manurial liquid, and others recovering after a long illness, and becoming convalescent, as it were, after protest only. The advice given by a trans-Atlantic contemporary, Germantown Telegraph, under the above heading, is one that is perfectly applicable here, and being so, we quote it in full, with the premise, however, that tobacco, as all our British readers know, is not quite so cheap in this country.

Burning of the odds-and-ends of tobacco to be obtained at some stores, and at all tobacconists, for two or three cents per lb., is the best thing to smoke out all the early vermin from the Grapery; and just now is a delicate time to watch the Vines to see that they are free from these enemies. The smoking, however, should be done without regard to their presence. It is a protection. No one who knows anything about raising Grapes under glass, will water the Vines while they are blossoming. But when this is fully over, the large syringe should thoroughly sprinkle everything inside, including Vines, soil, &c.,

twice or thrice a-day. This must be accompanied with powdered sulphur, placed in the vicinity of every Vine, as a protection against mildew; and should mildew unfortunately make its appearance, the Vines themselves should be sprinkled with it.

Just now the out-door Grapes are liable to suffer from the steel-blue bug, which feeds upon the blossom, and leaves behind its progeny the small brown maggot that feeds ravenously upon the leaves, and seriously damages whatever crop is left by the bug. A solution of whale-oil soap and water is death to them, but the larvæ is difficult to get at, and the best way to destroy them is to get over the Vines and use the finger and thumb. Last year there were very few, and did but little damage, and there may be no damage from them this year, but the Vines should be carefully gone over, and not an hour should be lost in doing so.

There is also another insect which propagates its species in the out-door Vines, for which we have seen no name. This makes its nest in the the extreme leaves of an outer shoot, which is known by the leaf being gathered up like a purse. Open it, and one of the pests will be found. Some times we have found six or eight on a single vine.

HE Registrar-General of Ireland has just issued the summary of the Agricultural Statistics for the year. In one important branch these statistics are of an unfavourable character-viz., flax-growing. In a series of articles which we published a short time ago, we minutely entered into the question of flax-cultivation, and endeavoured to shew the profits that might be derived from its more extensive cultivation, not only in Ireland, but in Great Britain. It has been clearly demonstrated, we believe, that flax could be grown with profit in many localities. Flax-culture, however, appears to be losing its hold in Ireland. This year each of the Provinces exhibits a decline in the acreage under the cultivation of flax, as compared with last. In no one of the districts in Ulster do we find that any advancement has been made in the number of acres; on the contrary, each and all return a decline, which, in the aggregate, reaches to 33,224 acres. In 1870, there were in Ulster, 180,412 acres under flax, while this year there are only 147,18S. Passing on to Munster, where the acreage was never heavy, we find that this year there is a total decrease of 1263 acres, as compared with 1870, the figures being1870, 4192 acres; 1871, 2929. In Leinster, we find that the falling off this year, as compared with last, is about in the same ratio to the total decrease as in the other divisions. The total number of acres under the cultiva

VOL VII.

tion of flax is this year 3199, whereas in 1870 there were 4238, shewing a falling off amounting to 1039. In Connaught, where flax receives generally a wide acreage, we find a falling off of 2620 acres as compared with last year, the respective seasons being— 1870, 6068; 1871, 3448. We draw the following conclusions, therefore, from the Returns in respect of the cultivation of flax throughout Ireland :-That flax was grown to the extent of 194,910 acres during the year 1870, while during the present year there are only 156,764 acres, shewing a total decrease, in 1871, of 38,149 acres. Of the entire number (1518) of scutching mills in 1870, 1409 were in Ulster, 39 in Leinster, 39 in Munster, and 31 in Connaught.

The Return also proceeds to enumerate the number and value of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs for Ireland during 1870 and the present year. Of horses there is an increase of 4667 in favour of the present year as compared with last, the respective numbers being-1870, 532,657, as against 537,324 for 1871.

In value there is little appreciable difference per head, the sums being, 1870, £4,261,256, and in 1871, £4,298,529. There is also an increase to be noticed this year as compared with last, under the head cattle, the number being 170,052 ; the value, £105,338. In 1870, the number of cattle in Ireland was 3,799,912, estimated at a value of £24,699,428, while