104 ON ITARMS. 



used for yard, buildings, &c. I raise between the rows of trees the 

 various kinds of vegetables needful for family use. 



One row of apple trees, 125 feet in length, and containing 400 

 trees, budded September last, now stand five and a half feet high, 

 of the present year's growth. But to be more sure of a good growth 

 another year I intend to transplant some of them. My apple trees 

 have borne but little fruit yet, which I account for by the rapid growth 

 they are making. My stone fruit trees would yield me large crops, 

 were it not for the Curculio. I have tried many experiments to no 

 avail, and some with more success. I have applied salt to plum 

 trees since I first commenced growing thnm, using from one to two 

 quarts to each tree, according to its size, spreading it in March or 

 April under the branches of each tree as far as they extend. Al- 

 though there is no perceptible diminution in the ravages of the Cur- 

 culio on trees thus treated, yet I use salt annually, as I perceive it 

 to be of great benefit as a fertilizer. I practice washing my trees 

 annually with potash or strong soap-suds, and throwing dry ashes on 

 to the trees -when the dew is on them, in the morning, and am not 

 much troubled with insects, except the Curculio, and sometimes the 

 borer. The borer is only destroyed with knife and wire, by watch- 

 ing the trees. 



I will here mention a successful experiment for the protection of 

 the plum against the curculio. Last year I made two bags of old 

 thin muslin and drew them over two limbs, about the time the fruit 

 set. Within each of these bags I saved a few beautiful plums, and 

 not a plum did I save on any other part of the tree. Taking cour- 

 age at this good success, I bought last spring a few yards of bonnet 

 lining which I made into bags according to the size of the limbs I 

 Avished to cover. These I drew on the limbs of several trees, some 

 when the plums had set, and others when they were in the blow ; for 

 I found the enemy had made their appearance while the trees were 

 in bloom. Under each of these bags I saved plums, apricots and 

 nectarines, upon limbs of twelve difierent trees ; and these were the 

 only ones I saved this year. The first of August I removed the 

 bags, the curculio having disappeared. Some may think this 

 would be too expensive, but I think not. The muslin would last 

 many years ; and by training the trees, or the branches in the right 

 form, they might easily be covered, to the profit of the fruit grower. 

 Be this as it may, I have found it of great use to me, as I had 



