On Peach Trees. 191 



their noxious influence, on insects generally, that I am 

 determined to make trial of them. I will not take up 

 your time with any account of the little insects which 

 curl the leaves of peach trees. They have always ap- 

 peared to me so unimportant, in comparison with those 

 before described, that I have paid very little attention 

 to them. 



In my.jaunt through Maryland, I was attentive to the 

 subject of your letters. I found the peach trees gene- 

 rally were long lived, healthy and bore well. In Ed- 

 ward Loyd's garden, I observed some of these trees 

 fifteen or eighteen inches diameter, and perfectly heal- 

 thy. Col. Nicolsj near Easton, abounds in the' best 

 kind of peaches. He is an old residenter, and particu- 

 larly attentive to fruits. I shewed him your letter and 

 enquired for information. He told me he had read my 

 dissertation on the curculio, and could vouch for the 

 salutary effects of hogs running at liberty among fruit 

 trees, particularly the peach, apricot, &c. He also gave 

 me a receipt^ which he said, he had practised on peach 

 trees w^ith advantage to their health, and which I now 

 transcribe in his o^vn words. " Take away the dirt from 

 around the roots, and where you discover gum issuing 

 out, you will also find a white maggot, which is care- 

 fully to be taken away, then w^ash the body and roots 

 \\ ith strong brine, which you will repeat now and then 

 in the spring and summer." In the course of conver- 

 sation, he remarked on the noxious influence of salt, 

 fsal. marin.J upon insects generally : and observed, that 

 by tying a small bag of salt round the body of a tree, 

 no insect would crawl up it. He said he had practised 



