248 OBSERVATIONS ON INSECTS, 



Although our limits will not allow of a further description 

 of the various sorts of insects which injure our gardens, and 

 frequently destroy the fruit of our labour, I cannot forbear 

 directing the attention of our citizens to the importance of 

 saving all kinds of ashes. If all agriculturists and horticul- 

 turists were to ofter an inducement to the inhabitants of 

 large cities, to save their ashes in a dry state, they would be 

 supplied not only with a valuable manure, but an antidote 

 for many kinds of insects ; and our citizens would be at a 

 less risk from fire, by having a brick vault on their premises 

 for safe keeping them. In England, a private dwelling is 

 not considered complete without an ash-vault ; and a good 

 farmer would dispense with his barn, rather than be desti- 

 tute of an ash-house. I have known formers to supply the 

 cottagers with as much peat as they coujd burn, on condi- 

 tion of their saving them the ashes; and there are some that 

 will keep men under pay throughout the year, burning peat 

 for the same purpose ; and any thing that has passed the 

 fire is so valuable, that a chimney-sweep will frequently 

 clean chimneys for the sake of the soot, which is conveyed 

 miles into the country, and sold ata price sufficient to reward 

 the collectors, besides paying all expenses ; even the house- 

 keepers' ashes in cities is a marketable article at all times r 

 at from ten to twenty-five cents per bushel, when kept dry 

 and clean, and a guinea a load was formerly the common 

 price in the villages of Berkshire and Hampshire. 



While an this subject, I would urge the importance of a 

 Spring dressing of ashes. If cultivators were to prepare 

 turfs from tanners' bark, peat-earth, coal dust mixed with 

 clay, cow dung, &c. and get them dried in the Summer 

 season, these,by being preserved through the \Vinler, may be 

 burned around fruit orchards, while the trees are in blossom, 

 and if the fires are properly managed, a smoke may be kept 

 up, by lit aping on damp litter every night ; this will prove 

 pernicious to such insects as may reside in the trees, and the 

 ashes being spread on the ground, will serve as a means for 

 the destruction of others. An orchard thus managed every 

 year, will need no other manure. The smoking should be 

 effected first on one side of the plantation, and afterwards 



