Ga9 Lime. — In your January number is an in- 

 quiry as to the value of gas lune in the destruction 

 of the larv:c of the May bug, <fec. ; and having 

 used a little, as also the tar, some eight years since, 

 I give you the result of my experience. My gar- 

 den, which was a light sandy loam, was much in- 

 fested with the centipede and the larvfc of what is 

 called in some parts of England the Fern Shaw, a 

 small brown beetle rather less than the Rose bug, 

 and which in its perfect state is exceedingly de- 

 structive to apples, pears, peas, <fec., <fec. In Octo- 

 ber I spread a load of lime fresh from tlie gas 

 works on about three rods, and dug it in immedi- 

 ately, thus absorbing the ammonia which was pass- 

 ing off freely. In the spring following I planted 

 with early potatoes, manuring as usual with stable 

 manure ; and the crop was certainly more free 

 from the ravages of the centipede than any I had 

 before raised, and but few of the insects were 

 found ; but as to the larva' of the beetle, I did not 

 perceive auy diminution in their numbers, nor 

 was there any marked increase in the crop. 



To one gallon of the tar I added one pound of 

 sal soda'and ten gallons of boiling water. This 

 mixture I aj^plied to a part of a row of peas, and 

 to the remainder pure water. The part to wliieh 

 the mixture was applied made a much larger 

 growth of haulm without a corresponding increase 

 of pods. This increase, I have no doubt, was due 

 more to tlie eoda than the tar. I also applied 

 the tar undiluted to the stems of some old goose- 

 berry trees that had been infested very much 

 with the caterpillar the previous summer, and the 

 application proved fatal to the trees. L. — Brook- 

 lyn, N. Y. 



« 



ArrLTCATiox OP Manitre.— I wish to learn through yonr 

 paper, as I have had access to it but a few months, sotue- 

 tljing of llio use of manure — the most economical way of 

 applying it. I mean manure that is made through the sum- 

 mer season, from the droppings of cows, &c. I gather up the 

 droppings and mix well with dirt through the summer ; usu- 

 ally in the fall I have carted it out, and sometimes spread 

 it on green sward and plowed it in, when I intended to 

 plant even the coming season ; and sometimes I have, after 

 digging my potatoes, spread it on and plowed it in, where 

 I iutended to seed down to grass the coming season ; and 

 my expectations have not been fully realized. I wish to 

 know your opinion in spreading it on as a top-dressing for 

 grass, and at what time it should be used as a top-dressing. 

 1 used it in this manner for the purpose of getting it out of 

 the way, and so that it might not dry up and thereby loose 

 its strength. I also wish to know the best way of using soap 

 boilers' ashes, whether to sow on grass ground, and at what 

 season, in the fall or spring, or to put them on the land 

 where we sow down to grass. 



A Feiend to AoKictiLTtrRAL Knowledge. 



1st. Be sure to save all the liquid as well as 

 solid part of the manure voided during both sum- 

 mer and winter. This can be done by bedding 

 cows, and other domestic animals, on any absorb- 

 ent substance, like dry swamp muck, loam, straw, 

 forest -leaves, and the like. 



2d. On open, porous soils, and such as are 

 inclined to surface wash, (hill sides,) it is best to 

 apply manure in the spring before grass starts, or 

 at that time ; but on retentive soils, to apply ma- 

 nure in the fall and turn it under for a spring 

 crop, is sound policy. If applied to a meadow, or 



pasture, we should harrow the surface, partly to 

 incorporate the manure or ashes with the soil, and 

 partly to give the grass plants a new start by a 

 kind of root pruning Thus treated, land will 

 retain all, or nearly all, of the fertilizing elements 

 applied to it. 



3d. Soap-boilers' ashes are greatly improved by 

 mixing lime with them, say at the rate of one 

 bushel of recently slaked lime to three or four of 

 ashes. On soils that lack lime, equal parts of the 

 two would be better. If we had the time at our 

 disposal, we should apply the food of all plants to 

 the earth where they are to grow only a few days 

 before said plants were expected to begin to con- 

 sume it. But circumstances vary all genei'al rules 

 indefinitely. 



HORTICULTURAL. 



Two apples have been received from Mr. Jos. 

 Patterson, which Mr. P. states in a note origina- 

 ted in the orchard of his father. Alios Pattersox, 

 in the town of Union, Broome county, N. Y., and 

 called in the neighborhood Patterson Sweet — sup- 

 posed by Mr. B. to be the Bailey Sweet. This 

 apple looks and tastes so much like the Bailey 

 Sweet, that we dare not say it is not it. The 

 specimens were too ripe to determine correctly. 



(C. D. H., McLean, N. Y.) A correspondent 

 has taken up the subject of the Grape Vine, and 

 will probably give you the desired information. 

 Tlie Fruit Garden is $1.25 — postage 20 cts., pre- 

 paid. 



(B. J., "Wilkins, Allegany county, Pennsylva- 

 nia.) The tree of which you enclose a piece, is 

 the Taxus cayiadcnsis, (American Yew.) It does 

 not flourish in the sun. The Cupressus thuyoides, 

 or white cedar, is difierent from the American 

 arbor vitje, although the latter is generally called 

 white cedar in this part of the country. It is a 

 lofty tree, with somewhat drooping branches, and 

 foliage, in appearance, between the ai'bor vitje 

 and red cedar. It abounds in swampy grounds in 

 New Jersey, and southward. We are much 

 obliged for your drawings. 



Apples.— (P. J. W., Fort Plain, N. Y.) No. 1 

 is Rhode Island Greening. No. 2, Westjield Seek- 

 no-further. No. 8, don't know. The seeds will 

 be sent out in time. 



Buckthorn Hedge. — (E. C. S., "Wauwatosa, Wis.) 

 Prepare the ground as you would for wheat or 

 corn, and get two year old plants at about $10 

 per 1000. Plant in a single row at six inches, or 

 in a double row at twelve inches apart; about 

 1800 for 100 rods. 



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