OP FRUIT TREES* 105 



successful, I will mention the flax rubbish and sea- 

 weed, page 58 of this volume. The next which 

 occur, are ashes, lime, sea-shells, sea-sand, mortar- 

 rubbish from old buildings, clay, tanner's bark, frag- 

 ments of leather from the tanner's and shoemaker's 

 shops, &c. Some, or perhaps any of the abovemen- 

 tioned substances, if pressed closely round the trunk 

 of the tree, must inevitably prevent the fly or worm 

 from having access to the bark, and of course prove 

 an effectual remedy. Should it be the case, that 

 the worm advances from some distant part in search 

 of the tree, it is possible, on meeting foreign sub- 

 stances^ to which it has not been habituated, its in- 

 stinctive faculties may be baffled, or it may die be- 

 fore it can effect its object. Besides the expedient 

 just described, another remains to be mentioned ; 

 it is the application of the clay paint, page 74, or 

 the following composition, which is preferable. 

 Take equal parts of quick lime, cow dung and clay, 

 which by the addition of soap suds and urine, should 

 be reduced to the consistence of common paint. To 

 make it more adhesive, add a little hair. Let the 

 whole stem, from the roots to the branches, be en- 

 veloped with a coating of this composition, and oc- 

 casionally repeated, and it will scarcely be possible 

 for the fly or worm, or insects, to injure the trunk 

 of the tree ; and it will at the same time prove con- 

 ducive to its health and vigour. It might even b 

 recommended to make this application to all young- 

 trees, at the time of transplanting, especially in 

 places where the worm is known to prevail. 



It appears that this destructive worm is rapidly 

 extending its ravages among our orchard trees. In 

 attending to the examination of my own trees since 

 writing the above, (September 4th,) I was aston- 

 ished to find that more than half of them were suf- 

 fering injury by the borer, in considerable numbers, 

 fifteen being taken out of a single tree ; I was struck 

 with the remark of the workman, that those trees 

 14 



