USE OF SALT, ASHES, AND CLAY. 13 



generally, and as it is, when applied in proper pro- 

 portion, an excellent manure, particularly to light 

 soil. We recommended to an individual, some 

 three or four years since, who was complaining of 

 the loss of his plums by the curculio, to dig away the 

 soil around his trees early in the spring, as far as the 

 branches extended, even to the laying bare the top 

 roots, and filling the hole with dock mud, green 

 from the sea shore. After this experiment, he in- 

 formed us that his trees produced more plums the 

 year following than they had done for ten years 

 previous. We have used brine upon gooseberry 

 and currant bushes, for the destruction of insects, 

 with decided benefit, by dissolving salt in water, 

 in the proportion of one pound to about four gal- 

 lons. We, however, proportion this mixture ac- 

 cording to the state of the plant upon which we 

 use it; thus, for the gooseberry, we applied early 

 in the spring, before the leaves or shoots were at all 

 developed, a decoction so strong as to whiten the 

 branches without injuring the future crop of fruit ; 

 but on the contrary, after the development of the 

 buds or leaves, we use the proportion named in the 

 article " Gooseberry." 



We have used clay to a portion of our soil, with 

 decided benefit, by applying it late in the fall, upon 

 the surface, exposing it to the action of the frost, 

 and when meliorated in the spring, digging it in. 

 2 



