NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



349 



mass still use them as a dessert rather than as food ; 

 and not a few studiously avoid them, as active agents 

 in producing most of the diseases which appear 

 durinfr the warmer portions of the year. 



It is an unaccountable occurrence, that these de- 

 licious fruits are provided by a wise Providence, just 

 at the time when we naturally expect bowel difficul- 

 ties, and that they are so universally palatable, if not 

 provided for a definite purpose. And who dares as- 

 sert that this design is not a wise and benevolent one ■ 

 Who can produce a shadow of evidence that it is not 

 remedial f 



It is unquestionably true that some forms of dis- 

 ease sccrn aggravated during the abundant supply of 

 the more delicious fruits. This is attributalDJe to 

 their abuse rather than their use. That an indiscrimi- 

 nate use of crude, unripe, or decayed fruit is decidedly 

 injurious, is too apparent to admit of doubt. When 

 their use is regulated by an enlightened judgment 

 rather than blind, voracious impulse, we may expect 

 far different results. When fruit shall constitute a 

 prominent article of diet, at certain periods of the 

 year, instead of cumbrous additions to an already 

 overloaded stomach, we may know something of the 

 legitimate use of these luxuries. 



To say nothing of such as, by their timely appear- 

 ance, juicy character, their peculiar combination of 

 sweetness and acidity, and their rapid decay indicate 

 their definite design, there are still others which may 

 be appropriately used during most of the year. I refer 

 l)articularly to the apple, grape, pear, &c., in their 

 extensive variety, all of which possess, to a greater 

 or less extent, valuable medicinal properties, es- 

 pecially the first. The aperient qualities of the apple 

 render it peculiarly valuable in this age of dyspep- 

 tics, and it would not be too much to expect that 

 its general introduction as food would almost, if 

 not entirely, annihilate this destroyer of human hap- 

 piness. 



Aside from this, they have claims, as connected 

 with their nutritive principles, which should not be 

 overlooked. The recent difficulty in raising the po- 

 tato suggests the propriety of a substitute. In Eng- 

 land, in time of scarcity, the apple had been some- 

 what extensively used, and regarded as nearly as 

 nutritive as bread, — more so than the potato. In 

 France and Germany, they are extensively used by 

 the laboring classes with favorable results. With a 

 small (juantity of bread, they, not unfrequentlj', con- 

 stitute the entire meal. That they can be easily 

 raised will not admit of a reasonable doubt. A tri- 

 fling inve>stment, with the requisite knowledge of the 

 best methods of preparing and adapting soil, prun- 

 ing, iScc, will secure an ample return, not only in 

 gustatory jdeasurc, but in a pecuniary point of view. 



In what maimer these may be raised in the largest 

 (}uantity and of a superior (juality • — for it should be 

 our object to get the best — is a matter of much im- 

 portance to the farmer. It is not sufhcient that we 

 have Jruit, but that we have such as may be palatable, 

 and conducive to health in the highest degree. To 

 ctlect this, the culture must be conducted on scien- 

 tific principles. Jiundom experimenting is far too 

 expensive for the mass of producers, and unwise 

 in any. 



The more particular design of this article is to 

 refer to certain observations and experiments, com- 

 municated to the writer by I^oring Wheeler, Esq., 

 of this village, a gentleman who is much interested 

 in fruit culture. He has raised, during the present 

 season, several varieties of pears from scions inserted 

 about fifteen months jjrcvious. Some of these pro- 

 duced some four or five large pears, though thcv 

 were only about one third of an inch in diameter, and 

 six or eight in length. In selecting these, he was 

 very careful to use only those of the second year's 

 growth. He is of the opinion that fruit may be 



secured the^r«< year, by proper care in selecting, in- 

 serting, &c. If so, fruit of any inferior quality may 

 be changed without any loss of time, or diminution 

 of the annual crop, by simply ingrafting most of the 

 smaller branches in this manner. 



A singular result came under his observation some 

 few years since, which, though it may seem incredible 

 to some, is nevertheless true. A peach-tree, which 

 produced only an inferior fruit, was budded from one 

 of a far different quality. The bud seemed to live 

 about six months, though it did not branch. During 

 the following season, the branch in which it was in- 

 serted produced fine peaches, while the rest of the 

 tree remained as usual, though, aside from this, 

 nothing special was done to the tree. 



In the course of several succeeding years, as many 

 branches became renovated in a similar manner, until 

 the whole tree was radically improved, after which 

 it died, without any visible cause. 



This tree and fruit were examined by several men 

 of integrity and judgment, though none were able to 

 explain the process by which such a change was 

 effected — a change by which worthless fruit became 

 valuable and delicious. If any of your readers are 

 familiar with any thing of tRe kind, or if you can 

 throw any light upon this singular freak, it will be 

 very acceptable to readers in this vicinitv. 



J. H. IIANAFORD. 



Newton, Upper Falls, Sept. 17, 1850. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 INSECTS-THE CROPS. 



Mr. Cole : I enclose the exuviae and egofs of aii 

 insect found upon a branch of one of my apple-trees. 

 Not an entomologist myself, I much desire more in- 

 formation as to this particular species of insects, and 

 hope you will give it in the P'armer. It seems this 

 worm wove her shroud between a twig and a leaf 

 drawn down upon itself, and then layed and ce- 

 mented over its profuse deposit of hard eggs, and died. 

 I should have done better to have cut off the twig, and 

 not scraped off the cocoon, but preserved over winter 

 till the eggs hatched. What I liave read of the cur- 

 culio and codling moth does not at all correspond 

 with the habits of this insect ; for I understand this 

 breeds in the ground. Nor is it the spring caterpillar. 

 What is it r I suspect it to be the autumnal cater- 

 pillar, that weaves bags upon various trees, not only 

 apple-trees, but wild cherries.' 



My peaches, despite thinning out, dwarf, wilt, and 

 refuse to enlarge to proper size, and small branches 

 are dying. In one twenty-four hours' time my Mer- 

 cer potatoes died, or rather nil turned brown, and 

 white mould attacked the tubers, and thev rot fast. 

 Other sorts show rapid decay of tops, and soon I shall 

 see the result, (."orn will be good, if frost holds off 

 late ; otherwise it will not generally be sound. Win- 

 ter and s[)ring wheat is good ; and as to apj)les, thev 

 will be scarce in this town, though there will not be 

 an entire failure. 



Yours, trulv, 



J. LEE. 



Salisbury, Ct., Atigi. 31, 1850. 



Remarks. — The above has been delayed by mis- 

 take. As to the insect, we are not acciuaintcd with 

 its habits. We endeavor to learn all we can of these 

 tiny tribes, which, although so small as to seem hard- 

 ly worthy of notice, are known to be powerful ene- 

 mies. The Mercer or Chenango potato is more lia- 

 ble to rot than most other varieties ; and as this fact 

 has been well known to farmers, they have made a 



