434 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



its leading articles during the last year, in relation 

 to the common interests of the two countries, and 

 avows the opinion that they ought to be indissolu- 

 bly connected in every thing that relates to the 

 welfare of each. Some of our own papers have 

 met this feeling in a kindred spirit and have spread 

 it broadcast among our population. That it may 

 take deep hold of all hearts in each land ought to 

 be the desire of every son and daughter of this 

 free country; that it will be the means of averting 

 wars, and ages of oppression, we have no doubt, 

 and therefore hail this new advent of peace with 

 unmingled gratification. 



The agricultural meetings in both countries 

 will do much to promote these enlightened and 

 Christian views, and strengthen the bonds of af- 

 fection, as well as interest, between the two lead- 

 ing nations of the earth. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THS "NSW DEPREDATOR"— OAK PRU- 

 NER. 



[Tlie following communication was received after the laje 

 letter from Dr. Harris was printed, and we have therefore 

 omitted a considerable portion, as it had particular reference 

 to the insect as described in the work on "Insects injurious to 

 Vegetation." The writer states that his father "noticed it 

 forty years ago, and has seen more or less of it ever since."] 



Mr. Brown : — One reason why they are called 

 "new depredators," is because in years past they 

 have operated to a small extent and have not been 

 noticed by all, but this year they are very numer- 

 ous ; even the "oldest inhabitant" cannot tell 

 when their ravages have been so great. They are 

 not confined to the oak, but prey upon the apple, 

 cherry, walnut, sugar-maple, &c; within a few 

 days I have found the tops of sugar-maples, three- 

 fourths of an inch in diameter, sawed off — on the 

 ground, blown down by the winds ; I have picked 

 out quite a number of the "sawers" from the 

 branches that have fallen, and found that they va- 

 ry in length from half to three-quarters of an inch. 

 Out of the wood they seem to have no powers of 

 "locomotion;" for one that I laid on a wall_ re- 

 mained there over thirty hours, until it died, with- 

 out moving half an inch from where I put it ; it 

 could only turn over. They are truly formidable 

 looking "animals" when viewed through a micro- 

 scope ; they seem to be furnished with very sharp 

 teeth, which may, like the rat's, grow sharper the 

 more they are used. Last week I took pains to 

 count the branches that had fallen from a large 

 white oak in our village, when to my astonishment 

 I found five hundred and jifhj-six, to say nothing 

 of those that may have been carried or blown off 

 to a distance so that I could not count them, nor 

 of the hundred or two which are eaten off, and 

 still hanging to the tree by a portion of hark. — 

 Some smaller trees that I have seen have suffered 

 to a still greater extent in proportion to their size. 

 Should any person be inclined to doubt the cor- 

 rectness of the above assertion, I would only say, 

 if they will come here I will give them ocular de- 

 monstration of its truth. Some of our noblest oaks 

 — for the oak suffers the most— already present 

 quite a ragged and lean appearance, and should 

 this insect continue to work for two or three years 

 oa h<> has this v^ar. many trees would he nearly 



or quite ruined. I hope we shall take the advice 

 of Dr. Harris, and pick up and burn the branches 

 and with them the insects. 



James F. C. Hyde. 

 Newton Centre, Aug. 9, 1852. 



For the New England Farmer. 



EFFECTS OF THE LATE SEVERE WIN- 

 TER UPON VEGETATION. 



The above is the head of an interesting editori- 

 al in the last Farmer, and as the views of its read- 

 ers upon the subject are solicited, I will communi- 

 cate mine, hoping that others will do likewise. 



The question is asked, "Is it the intensity of 

 the cold that has killed the trees and plants 1 and 

 after clearly showing that the severity of the cold 

 could not have been the cause, the inquiry is made, 

 "to what then may be imputed such wide-spread 

 injury to trees?" 



The fact could not have escaped the notice of 

 every observer, that the last autumn was favora- 

 ble to the growth of trees v until a late period, and 

 that the cold weather commenced very suddenly ; 

 consequently the newly-made wood had not suffi- 

 ciently ripened for so sudden a change of temper- 

 ature ; and hence in my opinion the injury. 



An acquaintance of mine early anticipating bad 

 effects from the late growing of trees, ] inched off 

 the tops and extremities of some of his choicest 

 and tenderest varieties to check their growth and 

 cause the wood to ripen and prepare for winter ; 

 his success was complete. I have also previously 

 had recourse to the same method, with beneficial 

 results. It is more than forty years since I have 

 had something to do in tree culture, but have nev- 

 er known the damage to trees equal to the past 

 winter, although once within that period it was 

 severe in this section, destroying not only nursery 

 trees, but in some instances, those of six and eight 

 inches in diameter which had previously made a 

 rapid growth and consequently did not ripen so 

 early as those of less growth. Some indication of 

 injury may be noticed by the close observer, very 

 soon after the sap begins to circulate. First, a 

 very faint yellowish shade may be discovered upon 

 the inner surface of the bark (as I have noticed in 

 examining the vitality of scions) which increases 

 and seems to incline towards the root as the sea- 

 son advances. I am satisfied that early heading 

 back, and covering the wounds with grafting ce- 

 ment, trees whose extremities show indications of 

 injury, is beneficial to their health, believing that 

 the diseased sap exerts an unhealthy influence up- 

 on the other parts of the tree. D. Tabor. 

 Vassalboro', Me., 8lh mo., 1852. 



Remarks. — Some of the best cultivators of trees 

 are in the habit of pinching off the late, tender 

 growth of branches. Out of the various experien- 

 ces of observing men, we cannot doubt but that 

 by-and-by some valuable discovery will be made, 

 whereby we shall be able to prevent these occa- 

 sional great losses in our trees and shrubs. 



SuLPnATE of Lime. — The attention of the reader 

 is called to the article on the suhject in another 

 column. He will not find it too long when he 

 finds how plainly and practically it is treated. 



i 



