124 tSSAY ON THE AlPPLfi. 



practice is to "touch their nests with a sponge attached to the end 

 of a pole, and dipped in strong spirits of ammonia ; the sponge is 

 turned slowly round in the nests, and every insect coming in con- 

 tact will be instantly killed." They may be destroyed by the well 

 known circular brush, invented by the late Col. Pickering. We 

 have found the most effectual way of destroying this pest upon small 

 trees, if begun in time, is to strip them off with the hand, and 

 crush them under the foot ; as they do not leave their nests until late 

 in the morning and return again about four or five in the afternooUj 

 we embrace the opportunity of visiting them at home. 



The Apple Borer. The apple and quince tree borer is another 

 insect, which is net, however, so common as the caterpillar or canker 

 worm ; it is a large, fleshy grub, which enters the tree near the 

 ground where the bark is tender, girdling the stem ; we have never 

 seen but one instance of the insect on our premises ; this was upon 

 a quince tree, which was destroyed by thrusting a flexible wire into 

 the hole. A mound of ashes or lime around the trees, is said by 

 Downing to prevent the attack of the apple borer. 



Coccus or Bark Lome. The apple tree, when young, is apt to 

 be infested with an insect called the Bark lease or coccus, which are 

 so near the color of the bark, and adhere so closely, as to be almost 

 imperceptible ; these are easily destroyed by a strong mixture of soft 

 Boap and hot water applied with a brush to the bark. 



Ashes. These various insects are kept down greatly by the use 

 of ashes as a top-dressing of the soil ; it is also one of the best ma- 

 nures for trees. Mr. Bridgman says that in England "a good far- 

 mer would dispense with his barn rather than be destitute of an ash 

 house ; I have known (says he) farmers to supply the cottagers with 

 as much peat as they could burn, on condition of their saving them 

 the ashes, and there are others that will keep men under pay through- 

 out the year, burning peat, for the same purpose." 



Keeping Apples. As regards the best method of keeping winter 

 apples, opinions are various. In Europe, they usually spread their 

 fruit after gathering it, on a floor to sweat, previous to their final 

 packing, which is then placed in sand, sawdust, chaff, charcoal dust 

 or peat earth. In this country, we find the practice of our most ex- 

 perienced growers is to gather the fruit by hand, and immediately 

 place them in tight flour barrels, shaking them gently while packing, 

 and then head them up tight : they are then placed in a cool, shady 



