DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



to whether it be of oak or chestnut, was 

 without doubt, erected a thousand years ago, 

 and continues perfectly sound; and there are 

 other edifices in the old world which con- 

 tain equally old timber in perfect preservation. 

 But there has lately been imported into Eng- 

 land, some specimens of ancient timber, which 

 by contrast take away the dignity of age from 

 the European ancients. During the excava- 

 tions which have been so perseveringly prose- 

 cuted under the direction of Dr. Layard at 

 Kinevah. some timbers of considerable size, of 

 the wood of the Mulberry, have recently been 

 discovered, which are said to be as solid and 

 firm as they were when placed in the position 

 from which they are now withdrawn. But 

 when were these venerable ancients submitted 

 to the axe? At least seven or eight hundred 

 years before the christian aera ; and they are 

 now some twenty five or six centuries old! We 

 are not aware that any specimens of old timber 

 can at all bear comparison to these, for in none 

 of the ruins of Egypt or of India, that the re- 

 searches of the many indefatigable travellers 

 of the last hundred years has produced, was 

 there found any wood work that, from its posi- 

 tion and appearances, indicated ap age coeval 

 with the structures themselves 



The Curculio or Plum Wkevil. — Much 

 has been written about this destructive insect, 

 and many plans have been adopted to prevent 

 its ravages on the Plum, and other smooth skin- 

 ned fruits. Some prefer paving under the trees ; 

 others planting in hog or poultry yards; many 

 use salt, ashes or sulphur, scattered over the 

 ground around the trees. 



The first method has been adopted by Mr. 

 LoNGwoRTH, and others, in Cincinnati, with 

 eminent success, but in the country it is not 

 found so effectual. The other modes, so far as 

 my observation and inquiries extend, have not 

 been successful. 



The plan I pursue is a very simple one ; De- 

 struction — shaking off the insects from the trees 

 on sheets, in the morning and evening, and/ci/Z- 

 ing them. This method was proposed many 

 years ago, by David Thomas, one of the best 

 ■practical horticulturists in Western New-York, 

 and has been adopted by me from the recom- 

 ndation of my friend Doct. Moshf.r, fur the 

 eleven years. Since that period, I have 



saved my plums seven years out of the eleven ; 

 the frost destroyed them in blossom four years. 



I have never failed to secure at least half a 

 crop, on an average, and on some of the trees 

 more than they should have been allowed to 

 bear. To make this plan effective, the plum 

 trees should be planted by themselves, near the 

 house or barn, and if in a paved, or hard smooth 

 yard, so much the better; if in grass, keep it 

 mowed down close ; gather up the injured fruit 

 as it falls, and throw it to the pigs. When the 

 trees are young, a sudden blow with the hand 

 will bring down the insects; when old, saw off 

 a lower branch, leaving a stump of 3 or 4 inches, 

 to be struck with a mallet, for the same purpose. 



It may be objected that the crop is scarcely 

 worth this trouble, but it requires less time than 

 would be supposed by those who have not tried 

 it; a few minutes in the morning and evening 

 will be sufficient to protect a dozen or two of 

 trees. I have now 36 in bearing, and I find the 

 trouble less than I anticipated. Those the frost 

 spared this spring are now loaded with fruit. 



The curculio commences its ravages when the 

 plum is first formed, and continues until the 

 latter end of July. During all that period, in 

 fair weather, they should be shook off early in 

 the evening and destroyed. Perhaps early in 

 the morning alone might answer. The insect 

 flies most at night. 



This " shaking system" as it is termed, has 

 been sneered at bj' some who have felt disposed 

 to be witty on the subject, but I must confess I 

 canuot find a more practical remedy. We de- 

 stroy caterpillars and many othei insects found 

 depredating on our fruit trees, and why not the 

 curculio? To be sure it requires labor, and so 

 does everything else about the orchard, if you 

 want healthy fruit trees and good crops. For 

 my own part, as an amateur cultivator, the care 

 of fruit ti-ees has always been to me a delight- 

 ful hobby. 



To watch their growth from year to year — 

 to cultivate, prune, and train them — to observe 

 the effects of experimental treatment in cul- 

 ture, in grafting and budding — to gather and 

 test the first fruits of new or famous va- 

 rieties — and to be enabled to present to friends, 

 splendid specimens of the finest fruits in their 

 seasons, are pleasures that richly repay the toil 

 of the amateur, to say nothing of the health 



