CH. VIII.] THE DISEASES OF PLA^'TS. 307 



regular fomiation, or presenting its fluidity. And 

 that, by such a treatment, the honey-dew may be 

 entirely prevented, I have myself often witnessed in 

 my own garden, when experimentalizing with totally 

 different objects. Thus I have seen plants of various 

 kinds which have been treated with a weak solution 

 of common salt and water totally escape the honey- 

 dew, where trees of the same kind, growing in the 

 same plot of ground, not so treated, have been ma- 

 terially injured by its ravages. I think, however, 

 that the solution which has been sometimes employed 

 for this purpose is much too strong for watering 

 plants. I have always preferred a weaker liquid, 

 and am of opinion that one ounce of salt (chloride of 

 sodium) to a gallon of water is quite powerful enough 

 for the intended purpose. I am in doubt as to the 

 con'ectness of Knight's opinion as to the mere water 

 having any material influence in the composition of 

 such a remedy, since I have noticed that standard 

 fruit trees, around which, at a distance of six or eight 

 feet from the stem, I had deposited, at a depth of 

 twelve inches, a quantity of salt to promote the 

 general health and fniitfulness of the tree, according 

 to the manner fonnerly adopted to some extent in 

 the cyder counties for the apple orchards ; that these 

 escaped the honey-dew (which infected adjacent trees) 

 just as well as those which had been watered with 

 salt and water. It is ^rith much diffidence that I 



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