162 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



THE APPLE TEEE CATEEPILLAE. 



Messrs Editors: — The common apple tree cat- 

 erpillar is beconiiiijj; so prevalent that I tliink it 

 ehould be noticed more frequently by the agricultu- 

 ral journals of the day, and the best means to extir- 

 pate the evil more thorou.^ldy disseminated among 

 fanners. I have seen a noble orchard entirely stript 

 of leaves by these insects. No orchard can flourisli 

 where these pests are allowed to have clean swing. 

 Fruit cannot mature where the trees are stri])t of 

 their leaves, even if the blossoms escape, which 

 rarely happens. The trees so infested must event- 

 ually die, and should it so happen that the insects 

 become less in numbers by being "Avinter killed," 

 or otherwise destroyed, the trees will require a num- 

 ber of years to recover the thrift and vigor lost by 

 one season's neglect. One method of ridding our- 

 selves of them is, when pruning in the spring, to 

 give a little attention to this siibject, and cut off all 

 the eggs that may be discovered. They are easily 

 distinguished, and once seen, will never be forgotten. 

 They' resemble a cluster of small eggs compactly 

 glued together. If cut off at this time, the bud will 

 not burst, so the little miscreants will starve before 

 they can find food in another direction. Should 

 you be so unfortunate as to overlook a few, they 

 may very readily be detected by watching your 

 orchard, when, on a bright sliiney morning before 

 the dew has dried off, you will discover a small nest 

 of a silvery appearance. These I invarialdy cut off 

 with the twig to which they are attached and burn 

 them. I think they will leave no seed behind them 

 to perpetuate their kind, and if all would do so we 

 should see but few of them in a few years, even on 

 the wild cherry. D. — Gates^ N. Y. 



CULTIVATION OE PLTJM3 



To have thrifty plums trees, and free from disease, 

 procure stones from the common blue or horse plum. 

 Freeze through winter, and in the spring crack what 

 stones have not been cracked by the frost. Plant in 

 beds close together. When two years old, take them 

 up, cut off the tap roots, and plant in nursery form. 

 If they grow thrifty, they «ill do for budding that 

 summer. Bud about the 20th of July. If the buds 

 do not grow, they can be grafted the next spring 

 When two or three years old from bud or graft, set 

 them in your orchard, fifteen feet apart, always se- 

 lecting a clayey soil. 



Most varieties of the plum are subject to the black 

 excrescence commonly called black knot. The best 

 remedy for it is to cut off the diseased limb and de- 

 Btroy it, as soon as it appears. 



The trees are often injured by slugs. They come 

 on the tree about the end of Jane. If left on they 

 destroy the leaves, which injures both the tree and 

 fruit. They may be destroyed by scattering dry 

 ashes or lime on the tree when the dew is on the 

 leaves. 



The curculio, one of the chief enemies of the 

 plum, is a small brown fly, which stings the fruit 

 when about the size of peas, causing it to fall soon 

 after it is stung. There are several ways in which 

 the fly may be destroyed and the fruit saved : one is 

 to place a sheet under the tree, shake the tree, and 

 the insects will fall on it, and they can be thus de- 

 stroyed. J. E. B. 



J\'ewcastle, Durham Co., C. Jf, 



CULTIVATION OF PEACHES. 



To BEGIN with, pits taken from healthy trees, 

 natural fruit, are the best. Lay them out doors, 

 where they will freeze, during the winter, and 

 cover sliglitly with dirt to prevent their drying outk 

 Crack, and plant in May, in rich soil. Bud frorti 

 July to September, and cut the t(,)ps off tlie next 

 spring. Transjilant when two or three years old. 

 Cultivate the ground very well every year, and 

 prune off all surperfiuous sprouts. 



When the trees commence bearing, enrich thB 

 ground well with manure, and sow a peck of ashea 

 around each tree in the spring. 



The orchard should be jilowed sometime in May 

 or the first of June, and again in the fall, after the 

 peaches are gathered, taking care to disturb the 

 roots as little as possible. 



Beans and rye should never be raised in a peach 

 orchard, and the grass and sods should be cleared 

 away from around the trees. 



High culture after the trees commence bearirrg 

 will tell on the cro])s, both in quantity and quality. 



Clarhstown., N. Y. Myron E. Tannek. ^ 



CiTRRAST Busn "Worm. — In the February Na 

 of the Farmer.^ a correspondent asks for informatioti 

 respecting the currant worm. I think by tlie des- 

 cri[)tion it is the same that has ajipeared here in 

 some gardens. They are easily got rid of, but re- 

 quire daily attention while they last, (wliich is a 

 short time,) in order that none may escape. Ab 

 soon as they show themselves, which they do gene- 

 rally in one colonj^ spread cloths under the bushes, 

 and jar, when they will instantly web themselves 

 down. Then with a stick break oif their webs, and 

 draw out the cloths and dispose of tlie worms. Fol- 

 low this up a few days, and there will none be left 

 to tell the tale. 



They turn into a white miller that may be seen 

 flying at night. There is also here a species of 

 borer, that works in the stem, though I have never 

 seen the insect. Hy the holes they make, they 

 must be very small. Mrs. I. 0. 



Saratoga Co..^ N. Y. 



Growing Melons, &c. — In the February num- 

 ber, you ask for the experience of your readers on 

 the subject of soaking seed previous to planting.-— 

 We used to practice that, but now have a better 

 way for such as have no hot-beds With a knife 

 cut thin sods eight inches square, lay tbem on an 

 old pan, or any vessel that can be kept in a warm 

 place, with the grass side down. Put two or three 

 inches of soil on the top and plant your seeds, a hill 

 on each sod, a few days before you make garden. 

 They will come U|) quickly. Transplant them by \)\x\i>- 

 tinijthe hand under the sod and i)laciiigitin the hilk 

 Cover the hill v/itli a box having m(is(iuir<) net on 

 the top, which may remain on until tbe iilontsara 

 too high for tlie box. Tliis will jjrotect tbi-m from 

 the bugs, and keep the cold night air and winda 

 from injuring them, and they will be nmch earliei;, 

 A Farmer's Wife. 



Saratoga Co.., N. Y. 



Celeriao, or turnip-rooted celery, is cultivated 

 in the same manner as celery, exte[)t that it 

 not need earthing up. 



