CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES. 295 



other and more virulent poisons are employed. To make a 

 strong solution, put a half-bushel or bushel of tobacco stems, or 

 even the leaves, into a cask or barrel, and press down and hold 

 in place with a stone or other weight ; then pour on hot water 

 enough to cover the tobacco, and leave it for a few days to 

 steep. After steeping, the cask may be filled up with warm or 

 cold water, and the solution is ready for use. If a half-pound 

 or pound of crude potash is added, or a quart or two of soft 

 soap is stirred in, the solution will be much improved, especially 

 in its destructive properties. After using the first liquid, the 

 barrels may be filled again with water, and left to steep a few 

 days longer than the first time, or some fresh tobacco may be 

 added, to give the solution the required strength. Tobacco 

 water is certainly a cheap insecticide, and will frequently be 

 found quite as efficacious as those that are more costly and 

 troublesome to apply." 



A gentleman from Erie, Pa., writes to me that he has 

 used this remedy for years, with complete success. 



Mr. J. McK. Beattie, of Pictou, Nova Scotia, has written 

 to me of a still simpler method : — 



" I notice in the April number of ' Scribner's Monthly ' that 

 you intend to use tobacco-dust to destroy the currant worms. 

 It will prove effectual ; but as I can give you a far more simple 

 plan, I take the liberty of writing. It is one which I have 

 proved for the past seven years, and never have known it to fail 

 wherever tried. 



" After digging about my bushes, and manuring in the spring, 

 I cover the earth around the bushes with tobacco stems, and 

 place a handful in the middle of the bush, and the work is done 

 for the season. I found that when using the dust I had to re- 

 new it after every heavy rain, whereas the stems did not need 

 renewing, unless it was a very wet season, and then, if any 

 worms appeared, a handful of fresh stems scattered through the 

 bushes made them disappear. 



" The stems have several advantages : they are cheaper than 

 dust ; they serve as a mulch to keep the ground off the fruit ; 



