APPLES. CULTIVATION. 105 



as of a single triaJ, and the first of the kind to his knowl- 

 edge on record, and expresses his hopes that it may induce 

 others to pursue still further the experiment; for while 

 tarring is injurious to the tree, and expensive in its appli- 

 cation, the lime, which may consist of sweepings of the 

 lime store, is comparatively cheap ; it requires but a single 

 application in a season ; it is not only destructive to ani- 

 mal substances, but is useful as a manure. 



Professor Peck has recommended that the ground 

 should, in October, be carefully inverted with a spade to 

 the depth of five inches, and, as far as the branches extend, 

 the clods broken, the surface raked smooth, and rolled 

 with a heavy roller; the rolling to be repeated in March. 

 Lime, reduced to an impalpable powder, he thinks, might 

 be with advantage applied to the surface thus smoothed, 

 not only as being adapted to close the openings which 

 may appear, but useful also from its caustic qualities. 



Dr. Robbins, of Roxbury, has recommended, as an ef- 

 fectual remedy, that a strip of sheet-lead, of four and a 

 half inches in width, be formed into a tube or gutter, by 

 bending over a wooden cylinder ; this is again bent round 

 the tree by passing a rope through it. After being ad- 

 justed to a level, it is secured by nailing its inner edge to 

 the tree. This, being soldered at the ends, is filled in 

 autumn with winter-strained oil, spirits of turpentine, or 

 other liquids; and above this is placed a strip of oiled 

 sheathing paper, cut in proper form, as a screen from the 

 falling rain. 



The plan invented by Mr. Abel Houghton, of Lynn, and 

 said to have proved effectual, differs from the above, as the 

 circular gutter is formed of thick pasteboard painted ; it 

 is filled with oil, and a pasteboard screen projects from 

 above, covered with painted canvass, to shield it from the 

 rain. 



On similar principles Mr. Briggs, of Bristol, Rhode 

 Island, has successfully stopped the ascent of the grub by 

 gutters formed of tin. Four straight gutters are connected 

 by soldering at their corners ; these, being adjusted to a 

 level, are supported on strips of boards nailed to the tree ; 

 the inner edge of the gutter is so bent as to project over 

 the outer edge, to shield it from the rain. The space be- 

 tween the gutter and tree being filled with swingling tow 

 properly secured, and the gutter being filled half full of 



