12 GENERAL REMABKS. 



soaking the seed in any preparation, or dusting the plants 

 with any composition whatever ; but as the roller must only 

 be used previous to, or at the time of sowing the seed, and not 

 even then if the ground be wet, it is necessary that the 

 gardener should have a hogshead always at hand in dry 

 weather, containing infusions made of waste tobacco, lime, 

 soot, cow dung, elder, burdock leaves, &c. A portion of 

 these ingredients, or any other preparation that is pernicious 

 or poisonous to insects, without injuring the plants, thrown 

 into a hogshead kept filled up with water, if used moderately 

 over beds of young plants in dry weather, would, in almost 

 every case, insure a successful crop. 



Saltpetre is pernicious to many species of insects ; it is 

 also an excellent manure, and may be used to great advan- 

 tage when dissolved in the proportion of one pound to four 

 .gallons of water. This liquid applied to plants through the 

 rose of a watering pot, will preserve health and vigour. Soap 

 suds are equally beneficial, if used occasionally in the same 

 manner say once a week. These remedies applied alter- 

 nately, have been known to restore Melon and Cucumber 

 vines from the ravages of the yellow fly, bugs, blight, &c., 

 arid to keep plants in a thriving condition. 



As liquid, however, cannot be conveniently used on a 

 large piece of land, it may be necessary, if insects are nume- 

 rous, to sow tobacco dust mixed with road dust, soot, ashes, 

 lime, or the dust of charcoal, in the proportion of half a 

 bushel per acre, every morning, until the plants are free or 

 secure from their attacks. Turnip seed will sometimes 

 sprout in forty-eight hours. Cabbage seed ought to come up 

 within a week after it is sown; but it sometimes happens 

 that the whole is destroyed before a plant is seen above 

 ground ; the seedsman, in this case, is often blamed without 

 a cause. 



A correspondent has communicated the result of an ex- 

 periment he has tried for preventing the attacks of flies or 

 fleas, on turnips. He says, " steep your seed in a pint of 

 warm water for two hours, in which is infused one ounce of 

 saltpetre ; then dry the seed, and add currier's oil sufficient 



