342 



NtW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAY 8, 1833. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAYS, lf!.33. 



FARMER'S WORK FOR MAY, 



Wash for Fruit Trees. Altliough we have here- 

 tofore published the following, we again insert it 

 for the benefit of young farmers and recent sub- 

 scribers.' It was reconniiended by Mr. Benjamin 

 Wheeler, of Framingham, Mass. and first publish- 

 ed, we believe, in the New England Farmer, vol. 

 iv. page 248. 



"Dissolve 2 pounds of potash of the first qual- 

 ity, in 7 quarts of water for tlie bodies of the 

 trees. If the limbs are covered with moss or lice, 

 I take a painter's brush, and a])ply the solution to 

 the moss, &c. with care not to touch the leaves or 

 buds. It may be done at any time of the year 

 when we are most at leisure. Once in two to 

 four years is generally sufiicient. I have no gen- 

 eral rule, however, but wash them as often as they 

 appear to need it — which is always when the 

 bark is not smooth." 



Mr. Wheeler observes that " No person need 

 be afraid of this a[)plication's injuring fruit trees; 

 but it may be applied with the utmost confidence. 

 I have used it for nearly twenty years with great 

 effect. I have recommended it to a great many 

 gentlemen, but only a few have used it. Those 

 who have tried it, are much pleased with its oper- 

 ation. The reason that it has not been more gen- 

 erally used is that it has been fashionable to daub 

 the trees with lime, clay, manure and other com- 

 positions, which take two or three years to wash 

 oft' before the tree will look natural. When this 

 Bolution of potash is a]ii)lied it has the desired ef- 

 fect immediately. It kills tlie moss and lice at 

 once ; and the first rain that comes washes the 

 bark perfectly smooth ; and gives ita fair, natural, 

 liealthy color. 



It is said that this application was introduced 

 by the late Governor Brooks, in Medford, Mass. 

 the summer before his decease, who believed that 

 it not only accelerated the growth of the trees, but 

 was an effectual preservative against the borer. It 

 was applied by that gentleman once every year, 

 either the latter part of May, or the beginning of 

 June. The opinion that the above described 

 wash, is a remedy against the borer is corrobora- 

 ted by Messrs. Winships, proprietors of an ex- 

 tensive nursery, &c. at Brighton. In a letter to 

 the Editor of N. E. F. they observe; " Five years 

 ego, (preceding 1830) we were exceedingly troub- 

 led, having, at the same time several thousand 

 trees infested with borers. We applied the wash 

 as recommended by B. Wheeler, Esq. of Fram- 

 ingham, and have continued it ever since, the 

 first week in June in pleasant weather on from five 

 to ten thousand trees, annually. The admirable 

 efliect has been astonishing; not only eftectually 

 preventing the destructive effects of the borer, hut 

 killing immediately the moss, and destroying those 

 other insects usually found impeding the good 



health of the tree, also resuscitating and invigorat- 

 ing every kind of tree we have applied it to. We 

 would recommend as a general wash, one pouml 

 of potash to six pints of water. And for prompt- 

 ness of execution the mariner's long handled tar 

 brush, which may be had at the Agricultural 

 Warehouse North Market Street, or the common 

 paint brush will answer. Every other year will 

 answer as a remedy against the borer, although 

 the horticulturist will find himself richly rewarded 

 by a more frequent application." 



Remedy against Mildew in Grapes. The follow- 

 ing was communicated by Mr. Samuel R. John- 

 son of Charlestown, Mass. to Mr. William Prince, 

 proprietor of the Linna-an Botanic Garden, L. Is- 

 land ; and has been used and recommended by 

 the last mentioned gentleman, as well as many in 

 this vicinity. 



" Take a pint and a half of sulphur, and a lump 

 of the best unslacked lime of the size of the fist, 

 put these in a vessel of about seven gallons meas- 

 urement ; let the sulphur be thrown in first, and the 

 lime over it, then pour in a pail of boiling water, 

 stir it well, and let it stand half an hour, then fill 

 the vessel with cold water, and after stirring well 

 again, allow the whole to settle — after it has be- 

 come settled dip out the clear liquid into a barrel, 

 and fill the barrel with cold water, and it is then 

 fit for use. You ne.\t proceed with a syringe, 

 holding about a pint and a half, and throw the 

 liquid with it on the vines in every direction, so 

 as to completely cover foliage, fruit and wood — 

 this should be particularly done when the fruit is 

 just forming, and about one-third the size of a 

 pea, and maybe continued twice or thrice a week, 

 for two or three weeks, — the whole process for 

 one or two hundred grape vines need not exceed 

 half an hour." 



" In order to fully test the above, the process 

 has been pursued in some cases with only half of 

 a vine, and omitted towards the other half; the 

 result was perfect fruit on one, where absolute 

 failure attended the other. Some persons use 

 sulphur in a dry state, which is thrown on with a 

 bellows suitable for the purpose, but the liquid 

 preparation is far superior, and I think will prove 

 that we are complete masters of the mildew." 



Poison by Ivy. The poison of ivy is said to be 

 of an acid nature, and alkalies are recommend- 

 ed as remedies for it. Lime water, lye obtained 

 from wood ashes, or weak solutions of potash or 

 pearlash, will therefore be good applications for 

 poison by ivy. It has also been reconmiended to 

 hold the part affected, as near the fire as can be 

 well endured for twenty or thirty minutes. This 

 remedy, however, should be applied during the 

 first twenty-four hours after the poison has begun 

 to operate. Soft soap and cold water is likewise 

 said to be a good application. 



Poison by Dogwood. The poison of dogwood, 

 [piscidia) is said to be of an alkaline nature, and of 



course its best remedy would seem to be some- 

 thing acid. A strong solution of copjieras water 

 has been recommended by several writers in the 

 New England Farmer, as a wash for the parts af- ■ 

 fected by the poison of dogwood. The efficacy 

 of this remedy we have lately been assured of by 

 a medical friend, in whom we have the highest 

 confidence. Another physician asserts that a de- 

 coction of hemlock bark will cure the poison of 

 dogwood. Likewise, he affirms that bathing the 

 part aflTcctcd with new rum, is an efficacious 

 reinedy against this poison. 



IVEW ENGLAND GA1.AXY. 



Every friend of man, every wull-wisher to the 

 paramount interests of society, must view with ap- 

 probation, the efforts of the present Editor of the 

 JVeto England Galaxy, to bring to light and to 

 merited chastisement the gamblers, swindlers, 

 cockfightcrs, and other adepts in the arts of in- 

 iquity, who infest the good city of Boston. Yet 

 some deride, some censure, and some " damn 

 with fiiint praise" the patriotic and perilous efforts 

 of Mr. Snelling to ferret out and hunt down the 

 worse than wild beasts, who disgrace the form and 

 garb of humanity. 



If the city were plagued with gangs of ruffians, 

 who made it their vocation to undermine our 

 streets with pit falls, beset our paths with man 

 traps, and to annoy mankin<l with other cunning 

 devici s, for decoying, depraving, and robbing the 

 wayward and unwary, should we not applaud the 

 man, who, at the risk of life, would bring to light 

 the deeds and their doers, the "devilish enginery" 

 and Satanic engineers ? Why then withhold sup- 

 port and a|>probation from an Editor of a paper, 

 who at the imminent peril of life and limbs per- 

 fiirms services of equal importance? A powerful 

 pen, and an unbiased press, under tho direction 

 of a num of princi|)le, are very efficient means of 

 reformation, and may warn the heedless and pun- 

 ish the perverse in cases without the pale of legal 

 sanctions, and beyond the reach of the sword of 

 the magistrate. 



ITEMS OF INTELLIGENCE. 



Lotteries. It sli<iuld seem from sundry paragraplis in divers' 

 papers thai Ihc Slate of .New York, and Ihc Stale of Maine, are 

 ^leierrained to pul an end lo loUery-gambiiug. 



Great Fire at N. York. Four blocks or squares of buildings 

 containing from 130 lo 150 houses have been recently destroy- 

 (;d by fire at New York. The fire originated aboul U o' clock 

 al night in some stables at the cornrr of Hudson and Bank 

 streets. Loss aboul 5150,000. The Daily Advertiser says 

 ■ Language can scarcely describe the scene of consternation 

 i\\ this moment — hundreds of families who had removed their 

 turiiiture lo places supposed by ihem lo be secure, were now 

 seen flying in all directions before the fury of the all-absorbing 

 clement : in many instances; furniture, after being removed, 

 was destroyed by liie fire. Tlirougli the dense cloud ol smoke 

 and burning embers, children half naked were lo be seen run- 

 ning lo and fro; Trying for iheir parents, and parents in des- 

 pair shrieking the name of their children." 



It is proposed, we hear, to call the asylum for the blind, 

 Perkins Asylum, this would be highly appropriate. The asy- 

 lum for the insane at Charlestown is called the McLean ssy- 



