AND DISEASES OP FRUIT TREES. 17 



The Apple-tree borer is said to deposit its eggs beneath 

 the surface of the soil, and the worms are often to be found 

 in the spring of the year, by digging round the tree, and 

 clearing away the earth to the roots, and may be taken out 

 with a knife or gouge, and destroyed. After the worms are 

 removed the wounds should be covered over with grafting 

 clay and wood ashes mixed, and the earth then returned to 

 the roots of the tree. Some use bricklayers' mortar early 

 in the spring, around the base of the tree, so as to cover the 

 part where the deposit is made, and prevent their attacks. 



Although our limits will not admit of a farther description 

 of the various sorts of insects which injure our gardens, and 

 frequently destroy the fruit of our labour, I cannot forbear 

 directing the attention of our citizens to the importance of 

 saving all kinds of ashes. If all agriculturists and horticul- 

 turists were to offer an inducement to the inhabitants of 

 large cities, to save their ashes in a dry state, they would be 

 supplied not only with a valuable manure, but an antidote 

 for many kinds of insects ; and our citizens would be at less 

 risk from fire, by having a brick vault on their premises for 

 safely keeping them. In England, a private dwelling is not 

 considered complete without an ash-vault ; and a good farmer 

 would dispense with his barn, rather than be destitute of an 

 ash-house. I have known farmers to supply the cottagers 

 with as much peat as they could burn, on condition of their 

 saving them the ashes ; and there are some that will keep 

 men under pay throughout the year, burning peat for t'he 

 same purpose ; and any thing that has passed the fire is so 

 valuable, that a chimney-sweep will frequently clean chim- 

 neys for the sake of the soot, which is conveyed miles into 

 the country, and sold at a price sufficient to reward the col- 

 lectors, besides paying all expenses ; even the house-keep- 

 ers' ashes in cities is a marketable article at all times, bring- 

 ing from ten to twenty-five cents per bushel, when kept dry 

 and clean, and a guinea a load was formerly the common 



price in the villages of Berkshire and Hampshire. 



2* 



