250 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



acres. Part of the orchard was on an old charcoal bed, 

 and there the trees grew most luxuriantly, and were de- 

 cidedly the best in the orchard. The charcoal was also 

 applied to some of the trees. He considered charcoal a 

 valuable manure. It should be used to absorb the liquid 

 manure, and absorb the ammonia. Its use would double 

 the value of manure the country through. 



Joseph Harris asked the President if it was not possi- 

 ble that the land on which the old charcoal bed stood had 

 not received more or less ashes from the wood that was 

 burned in making the charcoal ; and if this might not ac- 

 count for the great growth of the trees on this portion of 

 the land? 



The President answered in the affirmative. 



Mr. |Ellwanger had the pleasure of visiting the or- 

 chard alluded to.. He must acknowledge that he was 

 never so surprised. The whole orchard was fine, but the 

 trees with charcoal were exceedingly large^and hanging 

 •down to the ground. 



Dr. Beadle, of Canada, said he had often heard English 

 gardeners speak highly of the value of burned soil. 

 They take old sods, and mix lime with them. The mass 

 takes fire.* Did not the charcoal used by the President 

 •contain burnt clay? He had used pure charcoal on trees 

 and strawberries, but could see no beneficial effect from 

 it. Fresh charcoal will absorb the gasses largely, but old 

 charcoal will not absorb much. 



Dr. Sylvester said charcoal will absorb fourteen times 

 its weight of water, and therefore charcoal will keep the 

 soil moist. It will also absorb ammonia from manure. 

 Some ten years ago, in planting an orchard, he put half 

 a bushel of charcoal under each tree. He did not leave 

 any without charcoal, but the trees did remarkably well, 

 and he attributed it to the charcoal. He lost only five 

 trees out of one thousand planted. Some of our black- 

 ash swamps contain deposits three or four feet deep of a 

 black matter closely resembling charcoal, that was an 

 excellent fertilizer. He used it in making a compost with 

 manure. If acid, it should be frozen, or mixed with lime 

 and salt. Had used it for years with success. 



The President said the free use of animals manure often 

 caused the trees to blight, and he was glad to hear of a 

 substitute. 



L. B. Langworthy was in doubt as to the cause of 

 blight in the pear. The free use of animal manure, and 

 perhaps artificial manures, produced a plethoric condition 

 of the trees, and favored disease. 



Mr. Ellwanger asked if the trees did not grow as 

 luxuriantly when the country was new and before the 

 blight was 'known ? 



Mr. Langworthy said he never knew a time when the 

 pear trees did not blight, during the last thirty-three 

 years. 



In regard to charcoal, he agreed with Dr. Beade. It is 

 not a manure in itself. Ashes are valuable iov\every thing. 



Mr. Holmes, of Syracuse, had used ashes on a clay soil 

 for grapes, and found that they improved the quality and 

 early maturity of the grapes. 



* Is not this a mistake ? We have seen in England large quan 

 tities of sods burnt, principally from old headlands, but we never 

 before heard of the plan of burning them with lime. Lime and 

 old sods make a good compost. They will decompose ; but that 

 ihe heap will take fire, is, to say the least, very doubtful. [Ens. 



^QUESTION V. 



The application of manures to the surface, at what season 

 is the application most beneficial, and in what condition 

 should the manure be tvhen applied? 



E. Moody thought applying manure on the surface a 

 wasteful practice. It might do good as a mulch. But as 

 a rule he liked to plow it in. If he applied it on the 

 surface it should be early in the spring. He could see no 

 advantage of applying it in the fall. 



L. B. Langworthy — Applying manure in the fall to 

 meadows is universally acknowledged to be an excellent 

 practice. For fruit trees, hie would apply the manure on 

 the surface in a rough condition. 



Dr. Sylvester said ten years ago he plowed manure in 

 deep. He has now changed his practice, and spreads a 

 good deal on the surface. He composts his manure with 

 muck. In the fall the heap will cut down like old cheese 

 Applies this in the fall on the surface. Mulches straw- 

 berry beds with it, and they do not winter-kill. Dwarl 

 pear trees are treated to an allopathic dose. Spreads if 

 in the fall aud forks or drags it in iu the spring. 



Mr. Holmes put a shovel-full of charcoal on the top o 

 his potato hills. It absorbed all the moisture, and the 

 potatoes did not come up. 



Mr. Downing would fork in manure in the fall an inch 

 or two deep* 



H. N. Langworthy uses liquid manure on his trees. If 

 has a remarkable effect. Used it last season, and the 

 shoots of his pear trees were five feet long. They are on 

 a light sandy soil. He puts it on in wet weather and in 

 dry, just when convenient. Has never seen other ma- 

 nure produce such beneficial effect. This can be applied 

 at any season of the year. Ordinary manure, in a dry 

 season, sometimes shrivels up the trees. When it is used, 

 he would apply it in the fall. 



question vi. 



The Currant Worm: What are its habits ? What are thi 

 most effective means for its destruction ? 



Mr. Ellwanger said slacked lime dusted on the bushes 

 was an effectual remedy if applied thoroughly and re- 

 peatedly. The lime does not hurt the foliage. They had 

 an acre of currants, and had been using the lime for two 

 weeks. The lime for an acre did not cost more than two 

 dollars. Thinks it a certain remedy. 



H. N. Langworthy— Soft soap is an effectual remedy, 

 aud within reach of every family. It must be strong, say 

 one pint of soap to two gallons of water. Shower the 

 bushes with it and it will kill the caterpillars. 



Dr. Beadle — In regard to its habits, he would say that 

 it has the habit of eating the foliage off the bushes ! Had 

 kilkd them with two applications of lime. 



Dr. Sylvester had used one pound whale oil soap dis- 

 solved in four gallons of water. It is effectual if applied 

 thoroughly and perseveringly every other day. 



question vii. 

 The White Grub. What are its habits? What are the 

 most effectual means for its destruction? 



L. B. Langworthy— The white grub is the larva of the 

 May-bug. Is four years before it changes to the perfect 

 insect. Commences its depredations the second year; 

 the fourth season'it is not so injurious. Knows no way 

 of killing them. They delight in feeding on the straw- 

 berry plant. This season, insects of all kinds are less 



