Fruit Trees with Oil. 456 



were in progress, I was informed, that a Lady, who is fond of 

 horticulture, had cured several trees of canker, by first removing 

 the disea'^ed p uts, and then covering the wound with a piece of 

 rag spread v.'jtli hog's lard. We may infer, that oil will hare 

 the same cffocl. 



I notice;! verv early in the proj:;ress of my experiments, that 

 on the Nteins and branches which had been oiied, parts diseased, 

 and whv^ie l)ranches had been removed, became of a different 

 hne from the rest of the bark ; an c-sfoliation appeared to com- 

 mence ; and in autumn, new bark xvas seen to have been pro- 

 duced, and to have displaced that which was dead and diseased, 

 so that it could be easily removed. 



From (vhat has been related, I am satisfied, that in many 

 cases, trees will derive mnch benefit from the application of oil, 

 care being taken not to touch the buds, especially if they have 

 begun to swell. 



Besides the enemies to fruit, which hirk in the bark, we have 

 yet to contend with those which deposit their eggs on the leaves 

 and blossoms. From wall and espalier-trees, the larvae may be 

 removed with little trouble ; but when an attempt is made to 

 clear standards, the trouble and time required cannot be ex- 

 pected to be repaid. Gardeners are in the habit of suspending 

 on wall-trees, bottles with a little sugar, or honey, and water, to 

 destroy the insects which attack ripening fruit. If they vniS 

 hang up the bottles early in spring, both on wall-trees and Stand- 

 ards, and continue to use them during the whole season, they 

 will be surprised at the destruction of insect enemies which will 

 ensue. Thousands of insects, some in search of food, and most 

 of them pregnant, and some moving about for the purpose of 

 depositing their egos^ will be tempted to their destruction ; and 

 few, comparatively, will be left to do mischief in the autumn. 

 The bottles I have used for this purpose, are narrow in the neck, 

 and depressed a little under the shoulders. 



There is an enemy, however, which does more mischief than 

 perhaps all the others put together, that cannot be destroyed by 

 these means. As this enemy commits its depredations only du- 

 ring the night, it is not probably generally known. Pear-trees 

 and vines seem to be most liable to the attacks of this lurking 

 enemy; but it has been detected on many other kinds of trees. 

 The destruction so often observed on grafts, is the result of this 

 creature being permitted to multiply. It is, I believe, the Cur- 

 culio vastator, a weevil, which retires during the day amongst 

 little clods of earth, from which, owing to its colour, it is 

 scarcely distinguishable, as it never moves when touched. V^ hen 

 mischief is observed to have been done, and the enemy is not 

 perceived, by looking amongst the earth at the foot of the tree, 

 F f 4 these 



