242 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



fruit was, however, better than was expected, un- 

 der the circumstances. 



This exhibition, you will probably say, from the 

 small supply of fruits and vegetables, should have 

 been denominated a Floral Festival. To this, 

 you have my hearty consent. And if yon think 

 my narrative of it of sufficient interest to your 

 readers to secure it a place in your excellent ma* 

 gazine, I shall feel myself highly Haltered. Very 

 respectfully yours, A. H. Ernst. Cincinnati) 

 Spring Garden, Oct. 5, 1849. 



Destruction of the Curculio. — This sub- 

 ject has received no inconsiderable share of the 

 attention of your correspondents. While one party 

 recommends a layer of manure from the barn- 

 yard, to be spread around the trees, another thinks 

 his end attained by allowing the swinish family a 

 roving commission in his plum orchard, and a third 

 party considers paving the only grand panacse; a 

 fourth supposes he has found the great desidera- 

 tum in guano and iron filings. Still another, with 

 a significant shake of the head, will tell you that, 

 after having tasked his ingenuity to the utmost, 

 he has given up the case as hopeless. Doubtless, 

 every cultivator of the plum is greatly indebted to 

 those who have been at the trouble and expense 

 of these experiments ; and bad their success been 

 equal to their zeal, the curculio by this time would 

 have been numbered among the things that were. 



Still, it would seem that the effects of these re- 

 medies are, at. the best, temporary and uncertain; 

 and something more permanently effectual is yet 

 wanting. 



What I particularly wish to notice at present 

 is, that in making such experiments, it is neces- 

 sary that they be of a nature, and conducted in a 

 manner, as not to be prejudicial to the health of 

 the tree. 



In this respect, many of the methods tried and 

 promulgated, are certainly objectionable; paving, 

 for instance, cannot be looked upon in any other 

 light, since practical cultivators are well aware 

 that the mainspring of their success lies in having 

 the soil in such a condition, that the ameliorating 

 influence of the atmosphere may have free access 

 to it. If the soil was merely a simple substance, 

 supplying from its bulk the only food which plants 

 require, it would perhaps be of little consequence 

 how it was situated ; but when we reflect that it 

 chiefly acts as a laboratory, so to speak, w T here 

 an essential part of their food is prepared, and 

 that depending entirely upon the conditions in 

 which it is placed, it is obvious that particular 

 attention to this point is necessary. We know 

 that by having the soil exposed to the atmos- 

 phere, the principal agents in the growth of 

 plants are induced and promoted; by having it of 

 an open texture, the roots are enabled to extend 

 their spongioles and the water holding nutritive 

 matters in solution, can convey them more equally 

 and extensively to the roots; by frequently stir- 

 ring up the surface, we admit a large amount of 



atmospheric air, — thus keeping up an ample and 

 constant supply of those electro-chemical agencies 

 on which the growth of plants mainly depend. 



These, then, being the most favorable condi- 

 tions in which the soil can be placed for the heal- 

 thy existence of vegetation, it follows, that sur- 

 face paving may be looked upon as opposed to 

 successful cultivation. 



With regard to the guano cure, the stimulating 

 effects of this manure upon vegetation are suffi- 

 ciently established; it is no less a fact that by its 

 means, in many instances, insects are extirpated. 

 Indeed, it is rather offensive to the olfactory or- 

 gans of animals in general, and possibly the cur- 

 culio tribe may have objections to its coming 



" 'Twecn the wind and their nobility." 



What part the iron filings play in the process, is 

 not so apparent. 



In applying the guano, it is recommended to 

 " remove two or three inches of the surface soil;" 

 at the same time, it must not " come in contact 

 with the roots of the tree." Here the questions 

 naturally arise, — what injurious effects are to be 

 anticipated by the action of guano on the roots? 

 Or, if injurious, how is it to be prevented? Gua- 

 no is of easy solubility, and is quickly conveyed to 

 the roots. Moreover, the roots are, or should be, 

 within a few inches of the surface; so if harm was 

 likely to accrue, removing the soil would only be 

 the means of accelerating it. 



The science of horticulture has attractions of 

 the highest order; and, like other branches of sci- 

 ence, a large amount of speculative knowledge 

 concerning it may be derived by reading and stu- 

 dying horticultural and botanical works. In the 

 entire absence of any practical experience on the 

 subject, acute and philosophical views, bearing 

 upon it, may be offered, and theories propounded, 

 plausible enough as such, at the same time rather 

 absurd when put in practice. Those individuals 

 who have acquired a stock of information of this 

 description, and can afford to indulge their taste 

 in practical horticulture, are the most of all likely 

 to commit mistakes. It has been said, that '' a 

 little learning is a dangerous thing;" and in this 

 case, if not dangerous, it is frequently found to 

 be a very expensive thing. Examples illustrative 

 of this are numerous. 



There is a very important point in the cultiva- 

 tion of the soil, which I am sorry to say is sel- 

 dom resorted to. I mean that of turning it over 

 in autumn, for the purpose of being pulverised by 

 the winter frosts. I allude to this here, because 

 it is also one of the most effectual means for the 

 destruction of insects and their larvse, apart from 

 its highly beneficial effects on the soil. Turning 

 and exposing the soil to the frost, will go much 

 farther towards ridding it of destructive insects 

 than is generally supposed. Indeed, when a tho- 

 rough and systematic course of cultivation, based 

 on sound principles, is fairly and fully followed up, 

 there is little need to resort to expedients, which 



