No. 11. 



Lime for Plum Trees. — SfC. 



345 



Lime for Plum Trees. 



Professor Cleveland, of Bowdoin Col- 

 lege, in Maine, says in a note to the " Boston 

 Cultivator," that "previous to 1S41, several 

 of my plum trees had been so attacked by 

 the curculio, that I scarcely obtained a ripe 

 plum. Early in the spring of that year, as 

 soon as the blossom buds began to swell, I 

 removed the soil around the tree to the depth 

 of two or three inches, and as far on all sides 

 as the limbs extended. I then deposited in 

 the opening a layer of lime, recently slacked 

 and still warm, about half an inch in thick- 

 ness. The soil was immediately restored to 

 its place over the lime, and closely pressed 

 down upon it. I had an abundant crop of 

 well ripened plums. In the spring of 1842, 

 I again applied lime in a similar manner, 

 and with the same success. 



" In the autumn of that year, it was stated 

 in some agricultural journal, that salt sprink- 

 led around the tree, in sufficient quantities 

 to render the ground whitish, would prevent 

 the ravages of the curculio. In 1843 I made 

 the experiment. The trees bloomed well, 

 and showed an abundance of fruit; but every 

 plum was attaclj:ed by this insect and fell to 

 the ground. 



" I ventured to apply lime again the pre- 

 sent spring ; and if I obtain a good crop of 

 plums, my confidence in this remedy will be 

 strong." 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Some things that do not look well. 



When I saw the substance of the following para- 

 graphs in the Prairie Farmer, I felt more than half in- 

 clined to be out of humour with its editors. Parts of 

 them touched me so closely, that I concluded at once 

 some of my neighbours had been to Chicago, and told 

 of me, and had got the piece inserted just to vex me. 

 Let, however, " him laugh who wins." Instead of 

 being annoyed, though touched in a sore place, I have 

 made up my mind, not only to try to reform myself in 

 those particulars, but also to give tile readers of the 

 Cabinet an opportunity to profit by them. Q. 



It does not look well to let the garden 

 grow up to weeds, and then say that a gar- 

 den is good for nothing. 



It does not look well to have the gate 

 without hinges, held up by a prop, leaving 

 at the bottom an aperture through which 

 some hog with a convenient nose can rub, 

 and so slip around into the garden. 



It does not look well for a man to thump 

 and abuse his horses or oxen, just to try his 

 whip ; or to suffer his boys to do so. 



It does not look well to keep the horse in 

 a stable not cleaned, till his hind feet are 45 

 degrees higher than his fore feet, so that he 

 is obliged to rear up to get himself on a level 



every time he wishes to swallow a little hay 

 or oats. 



It does not look well to have the women 

 hang out the clothes on rough and thorny 

 bushes, and tear them in getting them off, 

 when a neat line would save that trouble. 



It does not look well for a man to keep a 

 dog, when he can keep no cow or pig; and 

 for no purpose but to worry the neighbours' 

 cattle, and annoy the neighbourhood with 

 continual barking. 



It does not look well for any body's daugh- 

 ters to walk the streets in kid slips in De- 

 cember, and lace themselves so cruelly that 

 their voices waste away, and their cheeks 

 turn to the colour of moon-light. 



The following may also be found in the 

 same excellent paper. 



I have seen a farmer cut down thrifty sap- 

 lings in his door-yard, and then set out others 

 in their place, that would require ten years' - 

 growth ere they would present the same 

 beautiful appearance. 



I have seen farmers that would carry their 

 produce fifty miles to market, when they 

 could sell it at their own doors for the same 

 price. 



I have seen many farmers that would drink 

 slough water and have the ague six months, 

 when four days labour would dig a good well. 



I have seen farmers' daughters that were 

 " very accomplished" in every thing, except 

 carding, spinning, weaving, knitting, churn- 

 ing, making cheese, cooking, &c. 



Watering Fruit Trees. — There is great 

 danger in over-watering. The newly trans- 

 planted tree will generally, from its innate 

 vigor, push its leaves well, and until they 

 are fully expanded, retain their freshness: 

 then, they call for a greater supply of moist- 

 ure than the atmosphere usually furnishes, 

 and in such case copious watering of the 

 roots is usually resorted to, which excites 

 them to overaction, followed, of course, by 

 a corresponding debility. The proper way 

 is to water over the top two or three times 

 a day, with a watering-pot or syringe. — Wes- 

 tern Farmer and Gardener. 



Cellars, Outhouses, &c. — Clean out 

 your cellars, and white-wash the walls, and 

 be sure, if you have not done so already, to 

 white-wash your outhouses, garden fences, 

 &c. Such things add to the neatness and 

 beauty of the Homestead, ag well as to the 

 health of those inhabiting it. If farmers 

 could hear the commendations bestowed by 

 travellers upon the proprietors of farms, 

 where these matters are attended to, but 

 few would neglect them. — Am. Farmer. 



