182 The Mountahi Laurel. * 



Kerosene and th.e Cnrculio. 



THE readers of the Western Pomologist for 1871, will recollect a comraunication 

 from H. G-regg, Downey, Iowa, in the use of kerosene for expelling the curculio 

 from his plum trees, and in the course of which he said : 



" Last season (1870) I rolled up woolen cloths and saturated them with kerosene 

 and hung them in the tops of the trees, and my plums were all perfect — ripening up 

 a very full crop last season. This season I have tried a different method with equal 

 success. I took strips of cotton cloth and wrapped around the trunks of the trees 

 some 18 or 20 inches from the ground, and then saturated the cloth with kerosene, 

 and repeated the application once in ten or fifteen days during the curculio season. I 

 neglected to put the cloths on the trees until after the curculio had commenced 

 operations this season, consequently some few plums were stung and fell off; but I 

 do not think one plum was injured after the kerosene was applied. The trees are so 

 loaded with plums (August 12) that I have had to prop and tie up almost every 

 limb. They are just beginning to ripen and look splendid. 



" Now, others may not have the success with kerosene that I have. If that has 

 saved my plums, and I think it has, it is worth a trial by every one who would save 

 their plums at a trifling outlay." 



We are sorry to learn, as we now do, from Mr. Gregg, that his crop of plums was 

 saved only at the expense of the lives of his trees. He has no trees left ; says : 

 "Kerosene around the trunk of a tree, is death to it, but applied in woolen cloth, 

 hung in the trees, as done the previous season, I still believe will save the plums 

 without injuring the trees. No . one else about here has the Lombard in bearing, 

 consequently there is not much mischief done with kerosene, only what I have ex- 

 perienced myself, and that is bad enough sure." 



The Monntain Laurel. 



ED. Western Horticulturist: In the March number of The Horticultur- 

 ist, I notice an article, " Notes from my Grarden," by my old friend, Porte Crayon. 

 If not out of place, I should like to ask him to give, through. your columns, his 

 experience in transplanting the Kalmia Latifolia — commonly called Mountain Lau- 

 rel — a beautiful, fragrant, and hardy plant. I am anxious to obtain some of the plants, 

 if they can be grown in this locality. I might ask for this information direct from 

 my friend, but no doubt there are others, among your readers, who would be pleased 

 to hear of the success of growing this much admired plant. This coming summer, 

 three years ago, I made a visit to his place of residence, Berkely Springs, West Va., 

 'and in his grounds saw a number of plants which had been transplanted there. I am 

 desirous to know with what success he has grown this Kalmia Latifolia. 



St. Joseph, Mo. A Subscriber. 



Remarks. — The Mountain Laurel is found growing so plenty in the hill and 

 mountain pastures of the New England States as to be regarded as a nuisance. In 

 our early days, attempts used to be made to domesticate it, by transplanting from its 

 native hill-sides, but it seemed no more inclined to civilization than an Indian from 

 the wilds of the Rocky Mountains. If it can be successfully transplanted, or repro. 

 duced from seed, we should like to know how the thing is done. It is a desirable 

 plant on account of its delicate foliage and charming fragrance. 



