SALT. ASHES. CLAY. MANURE. 17 



tion for white-washed trees ; they are rather un- 

 pleasing and unnatural-looking objects, at the 

 best ; but if we can drive from our gardens and 

 orchards this monster malady of the pear, by vir- 

 tue of a lime coat, we will be content to shut our 

 eyes to all but the economical view of the sub- 

 ject." This form of blight is rare with us, owing, 

 we think, to the general quality of our soil, which 

 is of a warm sandy loam ; the growth of trees 

 is generally completed in the summer, and there- 

 fore they escape the malady which is now so 

 common in the rich soils of the West. 



The insect blight, which is sometimes confound- 

 ed with the frozen-sap blight, " we do not consid- 

 er," says Downing, " a malady of a very serious 

 nature, as it begins at the extremity of the tree, 

 at or near the ends of the branches ; and as its 

 spreading depends entirely upon the care or care- 

 lessness of the cultivator, it is his own fault if 

 it ever destroys many trees. Experience and 

 observation have convinced us, that the pruning 

 knife, vigorously applied, the moment the insect 

 first commences his attack, in June,* and faith- 

 fully persisted in, will soon rid one's garden or 

 orchard of this minute but most poisonous sco- 

 lytus" 



SALT. ASHES. CLAY. MANURE. 



We commenced our experiments upon the use 

 of salt and saline substances, some years since, 



* " Speedily known by the appearance of the shoot, which 

 turns / black, leaf and branch, almost immediately, and should 

 be amputated below the discoloration." 



