INSECTS AND DISEASES. 209 



A more simple and easy way of covering the difficulty, where 

 there is a plum orchard or enclosure, is that of turning in swine 

 and fowls during the whole season, when the stung plums are 

 dropping to the ground. The fruit, and the insects contained in 

 it, will thus be devoured together. This is an excellent expe- 

 dient for the farmer, who bestows his time grudgingly on the 

 cares of the garden. 



3. The use of salt. A good deal of attention has lately been 

 drawn to the use of common salt, as a remedy for the curculio. 

 Trials have been made with this substance in various parts of 

 the country, where scarcely a ripe plum was formerly obtained, 

 with the most complete success. On the other hand, some per. 

 sons after testing it, have pronounced it of no value. Our own 

 experience is greatly in favour of its use. We believe that, 

 properly applied, it is an effectual remedy against the curculio, 

 while it also promotes the growth of the tree, and keeps the soil 

 in that state most congenial to its productiveness. The failures 

 that have arisen in its use, have, doubtless, grown out of an im- 

 perfect application, either in regard to the quantity or the time 

 of applying it. 



In the directions usually given, it seems only considered ne- 

 cessary to apply salt, pretty plentifully, at any season. If the 

 soil be thoroughly saturated with salt, it is probable that it would 

 destroy insects therein, in any stage of their growth. But, 

 though the plum tree seems fond of saline matter, (and one of 

 the most successful experimenters applied strong fish brine, at 

 the rate of three or four pails full to a tree of moderate size,) it 

 must be confessed this is a somewhat dangerous mode, as the 

 roots are forced to receive a large supply of so powerful an 

 agent at once. 



The best method of applying salt against the plum-weevil is 

 that of strewing it pretty thickly over the surface, when the 

 punctured plums commence dropping. The surface of the ground 

 should be made smooth and hard, and fine packing salt may then 

 be evenly spread over it, as far as the branches extend, and about 

 a fourth of an inch in depth. Should the weather be fine, this 

 coat will last until the fruit infected has all fallen ; should it be 

 dissolved or carried off by showers, it must be replaced directly. 

 The larvaB or grubs of the weevil, in this most tender state, 

 emerging from the plum to enter the ground, will fall a prey to 

 the effect of the salt before they are able to reach the soil. If 

 this is carefully and generally practised, we have little doubt of 

 its finally ridding the cultivator of this troublesome enemy, even 

 in the worst districts and soils. 



The knots, or black gum. In some parts of the country this is 

 a most troublesome disease, and it has, in neighbourhoods where 

 it has been suffered to take its course, even destroyed the whole 

 race of plum trees. 



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