DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



he applied three times, allowing three days to 

 intervene between each application. 



I have great faith in his remedy, and the more 

 from an experiment which I performed upon 

 two plum trees several years ago, which I will 

 now describe to you. I had read somewhere 

 this fact, or it had been related to mc, that a 

 man sowed gypsum, or plaster of Paris, in a 

 field adjoining an orchard of apple trees, at a 

 time when they were in full blossom. It was 

 quite windy that day, and the plaster was car- 

 ried pretty abundantly to all the trees on that 

 side of the orchard next to the field. In the 

 fall it was observed that those trees which re- 

 ceived the plaster bore very abundantly, while 

 the other trees which did not receive it, bore 

 little or none ; and I remember that the cause 

 of the great bearing was attributed to the plas- 

 ter. Receiving a hint from this, others had ap- 

 plied the plaster to other fruit trees when in 

 blossom, and with similar good results. Hav- 

 ing become acquainted with these facts, I resolv- 

 ed to try the efficacy of plaster on my two plum 

 trees, which had previously been full of blos- 

 sums from year to year, but had borne no fruit 

 of any account. This year they were very full 

 of blossoms, and I applied the plaster by throw- 

 ing it in a powdered state, on to the blossoms, 

 in the morning, I think, and probably when they 

 were somewhat moist with dew. In the time 

 of their ripening, the tops of the trees were one 

 almost perfect blush of purple. I never saw 

 plum trees hang fuller in my life. 



I did not then know that the plum tree was 

 subject to the attacks of such an insect as the 

 curculio, nor did I understand what connection 

 there was between the x'^aster and the great 

 bearing of the trees. The next year, I think, 

 I left the place, and not till within the past year 

 or two, ha%nng had any plum trees large enough 

 to bear, I had forgotten all about my experi- 

 ment, nor had I had seen in any quarter, notice 

 of the continued application of plaster for the 

 purpose of making trees bear more. 



Mr, Ludlow attributes the perfect success of 

 his experiment to the sw/pftMr,and if he is cor- 

 rect, I think I can see now the reason of my 

 success in the case I have mentioned. Gyp- 

 .sum, or plaster of Paris, is sulphate of lime, and 

 throwing this on to the blossoms, sufficient 

 ur was communicated to them, and ab- 



sorbed by them, to protect the growing fruit 

 from the ravages of the curcuHo. I think I did 

 not make the application but once. Perhaps, 

 however, it had better be made two or three 

 times — once, at least, after the fruit is formed. 

 This method of applying the sulphur, i. e., by 

 throwing ground plaster on to the blossoms, has 

 this advantage over Mr. Ludlow's method, that 

 it is more simple and easy. Yours respectfully, 

 E. L. Hart. Farmington, Ct., Sept. 18, 1851. 



Cheap Covering for Green-houses, etc. — 

 I have a few words to say about a cheap and ef- 

 fectual covering for green-houses, pits, etc., 

 which will answer for the American climate, as 

 it has answered for our severe winters in the 

 northern parts of Germany for the last 30 years, 

 to the greatest satisfaction, under all circum- 

 stances. According to the size of your lights, 

 have a frame-work made, so if put on, to cover 

 the whole light .sufficient. Take paste-board of 

 the mo.st common kind — tar it well over, so that 

 the tar wiU soak well in the paste-board — do it 

 a second time — then, according to the size of the 

 paste-board, nail it on to the above mentioned 

 frame, and put so many lath in your frame-work 

 as to make the paste-board tight , or rather keep 

 it, when snow or rain is falling, from bending on 

 the glass. After that is done, give the whole 

 another tarring over with a better sort of tar. 

 I forgot to mention that it is best to put the tar 

 on when it is either boiled, or made thiu by 

 means of hot stones pxit into it. After that is 

 done, take a fine sieve and sift some sand over 

 the whole, which will give it a nice appearance, 

 and prevent any sticking which might be left by 

 the last tarring. This, done every second or 

 third year, will keep these shutters for many 

 years. Any accidental hole can be repaired by 

 sewing a piece of prepared paste-board in it. It 

 is possible that many may think boards for shut- 

 ters, cheaper and better than this ; but any one 

 acquainted with them, will know that the glass 

 is very liable to be broken by them, besides get- 

 ting so often out of repair, and being so very 

 hea\-y when snow or rain falls on them. Tlie 

 way to secure these sashes, (or shutters,) must 

 be left to any one's own choice. 



P. S. It is the air, or space between the shut- 

 ters and glass, which keeps the frost out. 



Viola arborea. — I find it said in your co- 

 lumns, some years back, that this violet is grow- 



