THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



501 



full of worms; some of the trees were dead, 

 others apparently dyinjj, and but very few put on 

 the appearance of healih ; such wns iia distem- 

 pered condiiion that some ol' my Iriends advised 

 ine to cut down about onehidf of those that yet 

 showed life, sayino: that such was the practice ol' 

 peach growers. I thought it would be a bad 

 practice (or a physician to destroy one or more 

 of a lamiiy to prevent disease fiom spreading, 

 and after cutting down those thai were dead, I 

 commenced operations on the balance with equal 

 quantities of suit and saltpetre combined, apply- 

 ing about a half a pound upon the surface and in 

 contact with the trunk of the tree ; then sowed 

 it broadcast over part of the orchard, at the rate 

 of about two bushels per acre. The result ol' 

 tliis application, to the surprise of my Iriends, was 

 the appearance of perfect health, with new and 

 vigoioiis shoots, the trees full of fruit, which ma- 

 tured with increased size and improved flavor. 

 Towards the last of March, and again in May 

 and September, 1837, I applied the same ingre- 

 dients m different proportions without observing 

 much difference in the effect ; though I have 

 since thought that where I applied the saltpetre 

 alone, and where the largest portion of the mix- 

 ture was nitre, the effect was best ; but in conse- 

 quence of (he price of saltpetre, I have endea- 

 vored to ascertain the smallest quantity that should 

 be used, and I would not advise less than one- 

 eiirhth, though I should preler onelburih or more. 

 My trees this (all (1837) were free (i-om worms, 

 all doing well, and I have (bund no further use 

 (or the axe in the orchard. In the year 1838, I 

 applied the mixture to a part of my orchard in 

 March, the other part received the application in 

 June and September; upon that part done in 

 March, 1 had an abundance of Iruit, while those 

 done in the 6ih and 8ih months were compara- 

 tively destitute of Iruit, it having been killed by 

 a late frost. It occurred to me that I was indebt- 

 ed to the salt, &c., for the abundance of fruit on 

 the trees done in March, by iis retarding vegeta- 

 tion ; and from an experiment made in '.39, it ap- 

 peared to be the case, though I have never con- 

 sidered it of sufficient importance to repeat it, for 

 the purpose of testing it fiirther. 



in regiird to the best time to make this applica- 

 tion, I would say about the first of April, and to 

 those trees having worms in them again in June 

 or September, as the appearance of the worm 

 may indicate its necessity, using about two-thirds 

 of the usual quantity for the June or September 

 dressing, and to be used only in contact with the 

 trunk of the tree. I have not discovered any 

 great benefit from sowina it broadcast over the 

 orchard every year; I prefer lo do this every se- 

 cond or third year. If the tree is injured very 

 much by the worm, to wash the bark of' the trunk 

 with a solution of this mixture and water might 

 be of service, being careful not to apply too much ; 

 this should not prevent its application in a pow- 

 dered state. To my trees, planted in the fall and 

 spring, i apply as soon as done planting in the 

 spring about one ounce upon the surface, in con- 

 tact with the trunk ol' the tree, and repeat this 

 quantity again early in June or September, the 

 peach worm at these two last periods, being in 

 their infancy, are destroyed. 



In August, after one application of this mixture 

 to my young trees in the spring, I have taken 



several worms from off the outer bark of a tree, 

 bedded in gum, they having punctured it in a 

 number of plnces, but did not penetrate lo do any 

 injury lo the inner bark, while the next tree lell 

 without the above mixture was nearly destroyed, 

 the inner bark being eaten for more than two- 

 thirds around the tree. It might, be supposed 

 that the salt and saltpetre would jiroduce instan- 

 taneous death, but this is not the case ; I have 

 kept them hall covered in a solution of salt and 

 water, and saltpetre and water, and in these two 

 articles combined lor several hours without caus- 

 ing death ; they will avoid its approach, and 

 will not remain in it unless compelled by necessity. 

 In compliance with the promise heretofore 

 made, I have endeavored to give in a brief man- 

 ner my practice on the peach tree (or five years, 

 from which I have no reason (o make a change, 

 but many inducements lor a continuance of the 

 practice. If you consider it sufficiently important 

 ibr publication, it is at your disposal, and i( any 

 benefit should arise therefrom, be assured it would 

 be the highest reward lor any services of mine 

 that could be tendered to, yours, 



Lyttleton Physick. 

 Ararat Farm, Cecil county, Md., 

 July 6, 1841. 



THE ALPACA. 



From t)ie (London) Farmers' Magazine. 



The Alpaca is being attempted to be natural- 

 ized in Britain, and is now possessed by several 

 noblemen and gentlemen in England and Scot- 

 land. A memoir on the subject has been aditress- 

 ed to the proprietors of waste lands by Mr. Wal- 

 ton, and is now published in the shape ol a pam- 

 phlet by Smith and Elder, London ; and Coiinell, 

 Liverpool. The animal is a native of the Andes 

 Cordilleras, of Peru, and inhabits the cold regions 

 elevated 8,000 to 12,000 feet above the levef ol the 

 sea. There they find their favorite and peculiar 

 beverage, the ichu plant, one of ihe gramineous 

 tribe, which grows to a considerable height, and 

 produces in suitable places some good natural 

 meadows. The naturalists place them in the nn- 

 tural order of " Ruminantia,'"' but they also lear 

 a comparison with the " Capridee ;" and in some 

 properties approach the camel. The constitution 

 is iiardy, and adapted to cold, mountainous re- 

 gions. The only doubt entertained with regard 

 to our climate is the humidity, our latitude pro- 

 ducing that noxious quality, though the degree of 

 dry cold is less intense. The wool is fine and glossy, 

 and resembles silk more than common wools'; con- 

 siderable quantities have been imported, and in 

 the custom-house returns it is included under 

 the article " mohair yarn," which is manufactured 

 into camlets and moreens. Many persons think 

 alpaca wool will suit the manuliiciure of Cash- 

 mere shawls. Fine goods are mixed with alpaca 

 wool, and in many cases it passes for silk. 



The flesh resembles that of the deer, and is 

 well adapted for hams. The skin is useful in 

 book-binding, and in making belts and straps. 

 The average weight of the carcass of the alpaca 

 is about 200 lbs., and many of them much exceed 

 that weight. In our country the carcass is rather 

 more regarded than the wool ; and, under our 



