FARMERS' REGISTER— FLOUR OF SLIPPERY ELM— HOPS. 



439 



You will never find a pltmt of any kind infested 

 with the aphis, without also observing a number 

 of anls and ladybirds among them, and also a 

 queer-looking insect, like a lat lizard, which is in 

 fact the caterpillar of the ladybird. The connex- 

 ion of the ant and the aphis is of the most 

 peacetid kind that can be conceived; their object 

 is the honeydew which the aphis emits; and, far 

 from hurting the animal which atlbrds iheni this 

 pleasant food, tliey show it the greatest possible 

 attention and kinchiess. licking it all over with their 

 tongues, and tbndling it, and patting it, and caress- 

 ing it with their antenn-* in the kindest, prettiest 

 way imaginable. Not so the ladybird, or its liz- 

 ard-hke caterj)illar: these feed on the blights most 

 voraciously, a single grub clearing a leaf, on whicli 

 Averc forty or more, in the course of a day. The 

 perJcct ladybird is a decided enemy to them, but 

 not so Ibrmidable a one as the grub. The eggs of 

 the ladybird may often be seen on the hop leaf; 

 they are j^ellow, and five or six in a cluster placed 

 on their ends; these should on no account be de- 

 stroyed, as is too often the case; but, on the con- 

 trary, every encouragement should be given to 

 60 decided a friend to the hop-grower. 



Besides the ladybird and its grub, there are two 

 other terrible enemies to the poor aphis; one of 

 which is a green ungainly-looking grub, without 

 legs, which lies t]at on the surface of the leatj 

 and stretches out its neck just like a leech, till it 

 touches one of them; directly he feels one he 

 seizes it in his teeth, and holds it up wriggling in 

 the air, till he has sucked all the goodness out of 

 it, and lelt it a mere empty skin. This curious 

 creature turns to a fly [one of the Sylphida?, Ed. 

 Eat. Mag.,'] which "has a body banded with dif- 

 ferent colors, and which in summer you may often 

 observe under trees and about flowers, standing 

 quite still in the air, as though asleep, yet, if you 

 try to catch him, darting of}' like an arrow. The 

 other has six legs, and very large strong curved 

 jaAVs, and is a most ferocious-looking fellow, strut- 

 ting about with the wings of the blights which he 

 has killed on his back. This fiei-ce fellow comes 

 to a very beautiful fly [Chrysopa Peria, Ed. Eat. 

 Mag.] with four wings, all divided into meshes 

 Uke a net, and two beautiful golden eyes. All 

 these creatures, which thus live on the plant lice, 

 have a very strong and disagreeable smell in the 

 perfect state. 



For a favorite plant infested with blight there 

 are several remedies — smoke of tobacco, snuff, &c.; 

 but the most effectual, and the least hurtful to the 

 plant, is to let it stand in the tank of cold water 

 for half an hour, when all the blights will leave 

 it, and swim on the surface of the water. 



nutricious diet for consumptive and dispeptic per- 

 sons. From tlie character I received of it, I jjre- 

 sume that it only need be known to become of 

 general use. It is sold by Isaac Tliompson, 

 druggist, corner of JMaiket and Second streets. 



From tlie United States Gazette. 

 FLOUR OF SLIPPERY ELM. 



Being in the country a few days since to visit a 

 pick friend, I was sliown an article entirely new to 

 me, whicli is said to be remarkably nutricious and 

 palatable, for debilitated and sick persons. It 

 was flour prepared by the shakers, from slippery 

 elm, and used, the same as arrow root. One ta- 

 ble spoonful of this flour boiled in a point of new 

 milk, is excellent to feed infants weaned from the 

 breast; they \vili not only fatten upon it, but it will 

 prevent bowel complaint?. It makes eui easy and 



From the New England Fanner. 

 ON THE CULTURE OF HOPS. 



In compliance with repeated requests, we j/ropose 

 to devote a column or two to remarks on the culture 

 of hops, preparing them for market, &c. 



An excelkuit article on this subject, written by 

 NVni. Blanchard, Jr. Esq. was first published in 

 the New England Farmer, vol. 11, p. 52; and has 

 been since rej)ublished in Eessciiden^s Complete 

 Farmer, p. 140. Mr. Blanchard obsen'es, that 

 the soil best calculated for the production of hops 

 is a sandy loam, rather low and moist; but states 

 that he has seen very fine crops raised on very 

 cUftcrent soils. Plough the land 9 or 10 inches 

 deep in October — harrow thoroughly in the spring 

 in the same direction the land was ploughed — 

 manure at the rate of about 16 cords to the acre, 

 or more if the land be much reduced. Cross 

 plough the land to nearly the same depth — furrow 

 as for planting corn, the furrows at least four feet 

 apart — plant corn or potatoes, (potatoes prefer- 

 able,) tlie first year with the hops. Plant every 

 other hill in every other row with hops, thus 

 placing the hills of hops at least eight feet apart — 

 put four cuttings from the running roots about 

 eight inches in length, into each hill, and cover 

 them the common depth of potatoes — keep the 

 hops clear from weeds, by hoeing. In October 

 cover each hill with a shoveliuU of" compost ma- 

 nure, that from the hog-stye preferred — in each 

 following spring, before the hops are opened as it 

 is termed, spread evenly over the yard about eight 

 cords of manure to the acre, (that which is coarse 

 and strawy is preferred,) plough the land both 

 ways at the first hoeing — but three iioeings in a 

 season, unless necessary to subdue weeds. The 

 last time of hoeing about the beginning of August, 

 or Avhen hops are in full blossom. 



"After the first crop it is necessaiy to open the 

 hops every spring by the middle of May; which 

 is performed by making four furrows between the 

 rows, turning the furrows from the hills, and run- 

 ning the i)lough as near the same as possible with- 

 out injuring the main roots. Tlien the earth ia 

 removed from the roots with a hoe — all the run- 

 ning roots cut in with a sharp knifli, within two 

 inches of the main roots — the tops of the main 

 roots must also be cut in, and then the hills covered 

 with earth about two inches deep." 



The poles should be set as soon as the hop 

 vines appear, which will save labor in tying up 

 the vines. Mr. B. allows but two vines to a pole, 

 and two poles to a hill — poles not to exceed six- 

 teen feet in height. I'lie most thrif\y vines must be 

 selected and trained to the poles by fastening them 

 by a piece of yarn slightly twisted together by the 

 thumb and finger. Frequent attention is necessa- 

 ry to tie up the vines, as they are subject to be 

 blown off' by high winds. The hops are ripe 

 about the beginning of September, and should be 

 immediately gathered, or the crop is lost. The 

 quality of the hops dejiends much on their being 

 picked clean from leaves and stems. The picking, 

 may be done by women and children, having one 



