CURRENT PUBLICATIONS IN RURAL ART. ay 
below the surface, the dirt being scraped away for the purpose. After 
adjusting the paper properly, the dirt should be drawn back and pressed 
down firmly. 
The cureulio, or plum weevil, has become very troublesome at the 
West in peach orchards. This dreaded insect has nearly banished 
plums from our gardens. Many remedies have been recommended. The 
most efficacious is jarring the tree with a sudden blow by a mallet; 
this dislodges the insects, which fall upon sheets placed under the tree, 
and are gathered up and destroyed. Bandaging the trees with strips 
or bands of wool, cotton, or rope, dipped in coal or gas tar, is recom- 
mended, the offensive odor of which is always effectual in driving away | 
insects. Covering the ground with a heavy coat of whitewash of lime, 
or of lime and sulphur, and planting in paved yards, or where the 
branches will hang over water, on the principle that instinct teaches the 
eurculio never to deposit its eggs where they cannot be hatched, are 
alsorecommended. ‘They are, at least, palliatives. A cheap, convenient, 
and certain preventive or remedy for the ravages of this insect is a 
desideratum -earnestly desired, but it is a blessing which has not yet 
been conferred. 
In the selection of sorts, it is impressed upon beginners not to 
plant too many varieties. In no case should they exceed twenty; in’ 
most, twelve will be enough, and in some six, say Hale’s Karly, Old- 
mixon Free, Stump the World, Crawford’s Karly, Reeves’s Favorite, 
and Crawford’s Late, (the first three white, and the last three yellow,) 
will be better than twelve, depending on various circumstances. The white 
peaches are distinguished for the tender, delicate, and sparkling quality 
of their flesh; the yellow, for their bright color, rich juice, and great 
size. To the multitude the bright color and large size of the yellow 
peach are irresistible, and generally they sell better in market than the 
white. hy 
Mr. Fulton concludes his book with directions for the construction 
and management of peach houses, and a descriptive catalogue of the 
most valuable, as well as of the fancy varieties, many of which deserip- 
tions are the results of the author’s extensive experience. 
Tne AprLe CuLtrurisr: A complete treatise for the practical pomologist, to aid in 
propagating the apple, and cultivating and managing orchards. Illustrated with 
engravings of fruit, young and old trees, and mechanical devices employed in con; 
nection with orchards and the management of apples. By Sereno Edwards Todd, 
author of the “ American Wheat Culturist,” &c. I2mo, 334 pages. New York: Har- 
per & Brothers, 1871. 
In this work Mr. Todd gives the result of his experience in the propa- 
gation of apple trees and the management of orchards. Propagating 
the trees, grafting and budding, preparation of the soil and laying out 
the ground for orchards, removing, transplanting, pruning, and training 
both old and young trees, and renovating old and declining orchards, 
are discussed. 
Farmers often complain that on light and sandy soils their apple trees 
are failing, and that after one or two fair crops they bear but few or none. 
In such eases their trees require a supply of clay in the soil. This is 
particularly so of the light soils of New Jersey and Long Island, where 
these complaints are general. There is nothing available in the soil 
from which the roots of the trees can produce apples. In sugh cases a 
ton or two of clay, a few bushels of lime, a top-dressing of rich compost, 
would cause the trees to hang down with plump and luscious fruit. 
Fine-looking trees may be grown, but without the proper ingredients in 
the soil they will bear only inferior crops of small, knotty, scabby, and 
