DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



283 



tivated garden, in which, though the soil has grown 

 dark with repeated manuring and continual culti- 

 vation, many vegetables and fruits do not thrive 

 as they once did, so quickly as a moderate dress- 

 ing of caustic lime — applied when the ground is 

 broken up, (at the rate of 150 bushels to the acre) 

 and is to lie for a short time in that state — either 

 in the fall or spring. 



Woolly Aphis. — The woolly aphis (or " Ame- 

 rican blight,") has made its appearance in some 

 orchards in this vicinity. Diluted sulphuric acid 

 has been applied, but it proves more destructive 

 to the trees than the insects. The same applica- 

 tion, still further diluted, so as to be harmless to 

 the trees, leaves the insects uninjured. Any ad- 

 vice upon this subject will be thankfully received, 

 experiments made pursuant thereto, and the result 

 communicated. J. B. Keeseville, N. Y., 10th 

 mo., 26th. 



The easiest mode of destroying this singular in- 

 sect, is by painting over those trunks and branches 

 of the trees covered by them, with a thick paint 

 formed of yellow clay, mixed with water into such 

 a consistency or thickness that it may just be laid 

 on easily with a brush. It should be well brushed 

 into every crack and crevice where the insect is, 

 and a single application will be found quite effec- 

 tual, without doing the least injury to the tree. 



Orchards on North Slopes. — Mr. Editor: 

 I believe when a person of little experience or 

 knowledge in Horticulture, sets about planting an 

 orchard, or even a fruit garden, he invariably se- 

 lects a southern aspect, a south slope, or even the 

 south side of a hill. 



Perhaps you will allow an orchardist of three 

 score years' experience, to offer his opinion on this 

 subject. It is, that invariably, in the Middle 

 States, the northern aspect, and even the north 

 sides of hills, make the finest sites for orchard 

 planting. 



I have had many occasions of verifying this, 

 both on my own premises (where I have now four 

 orchards) and in other situations where the site 

 has been accidentally selected — without design on 

 the part of the planter. In every case (unless the 

 soil be unsuitable) the orchard in the northern as- 

 pect has proved more healthy, vigorous, produc- 

 tive, ind n.uch freer froin disease and lonnrer lived, 

 than orchards in the same neighborhood on the 

 southern side of hills. 



I think the popular impression which gives a 

 preference to the southern aspect, arises from a 

 supposition that the greatest possible heat and 

 warmth are necessary to ripen the fruit, &,c. This 

 is a mistake. The amount of solar light and the 

 mean temperature of the air and soil, are the same 

 on the north as on the south side of hills, and up- 

 on these the maturity depends. On the other 

 hand, the excessive accumulation of heat in mid- 

 summer, in exposures directly southern, not only 



parches up the soil and enfeebles the tree, but pro- 

 motes the attack of all manner of diseases and in- 

 sects. On the south side of a hill, every excess of 

 heat and cold is experie.iced in its utmost ; while on 

 the north side the uniform temperature of the soil 

 is much more certainly maintained, and the health 

 of the tree greatly promoted thereby. Yours, D. 

 Chester co., Pa., Nov. 12, 1850. [Excellent ad- 

 vice, which we fully concur in. The only person 

 in our neighborhood who has regular and abundant 

 crops of apricots, gets them from trees planted on 

 the north side of buildings, where they get only 

 the morning and evening sun — and yet the apricot 

 is the tree which experienced planters always feel 

 obliged to put in a warm, sunny spot. Ed.] 



Stoves and Ventilation. — Dear Sir: I have 

 read, very attentively, your remarks on the effect 

 of stoves on our health and complexion. Being 

 fully aware of the truth of what you urge re- 

 specting the necessity of ventilation, but being 

 one of those unfortunates, obliged, for at present 

 at least, to use stoves, will you not oblige me, 

 and perhaps many others, by telling us more de- 

 finitely, where the cheapest and best ventilating 

 apparatus for a room can be had, how much it 

 costs, and how it should be put up, so as to give 

 us a supply of fresh air, or carry off that which 

 is impure. Yours, j1 "Pale Countrywoman.''' 

 Rochester, N. Y., Nov. 8, 1850. 



Answer. — With pleasure. The best cheap and 

 simple ventilating apparatus for a room, is Dr. 

 ArnotVs chimney valve. It is manufactured and 

 kept for sale at Ciiilson, Allen, Walker &. Co.'s, 

 351 Broadway, New-York. Its price at retail is 

 $3, and it may be fixed in any room where there 

 is a chimney flue, by a mason, who will cut a hole 

 through the chimney breast into the flue, and in- 

 sert the chimney valve — which may be done in 

 half an hour, so as not to disfigure the wall in the 

 least. Ed. 



VYistaria sinensis. — Being highly delighted 

 with your description of this beautiful climbing 

 vine, in the June number of the Horticulturist, 

 1847, I was induced to put out two in the spring 

 of 1849. 



I had the border well trenched, and manured 

 from an old hotbed. I then procured two cedar 

 posts, with limbs shortened for the vines to twine 

 around, and carefully set out the roots. Opposite 

 to the Wistaria, I put the Queen of the Prairies 

 rose. 



Every day during the summer, I examined the 

 Wistarias, hoping to see them starting into lux- 

 uriant growth; but will you believe me, sir, after 

 leafing out finely, they did not grow an inch. The 

 ground was kept mellow and very clean with hoe- 

 ing. 



This spring I had put near their roots two hand- 

 fuls of ground bones to each, as likewise to the 

 Prairie roses, and thinking I might have been in 

 error in keeping them so clean and the ground so 



