tcr;)s before ; stir the contents, and continue 

 process until the water poured off, is a* 

 ir as that [)ourO(l on the earth. What re- 

 in« in the first cmploj'ed vase is sand silicious 

 cakdiiotis. 



3d. The dirty water, collected in the sccnmi 

 e, will form a deposit, which (after poiirini; 

 the w.iter) m'i~t be dried, ii'eighcil and cai 

 i. On weighing it after this process, tlu> 

 intity lost, will shew the portion of animal 

 1 vegetable mould continned m the soil : and, 

 1th. This calcined matter must then be carc- 

 ly pulverised and weighed, as also the lirsl 

 )osit of sand, but without mixing them. To 

 se apply, separately, sulphuric acid, and 

 at they respectively loose in weight, in the 

 tion of calcarious or ahiminoiis earilts contain- 

 Iheni. These last may be separated 

 the mass of soap lye, which dissolves 



^e^e is the light wfe wanted. In knowing 

 disease, we lind the cure. Clay and san<l 

 lily each other; either of these will correct 

 excess of lime, and magncsian earth, when 

 jrated with carbonic acid, becomes fertile." 



ON THE CURCULIO.— B* IIr. Tit.Ton. 

 'urcullo, a genus of insects belonging to the 

 eoptera, or Beetle order. The species are 

 I to be very numerous. The immense dam- 

 done, by an insect of this tribe, to the fruits 

 bis Country, of which there is no similar ac- 

 Ot in Europe, has given rise to a conjecture 

 1 some naturalists that we have a peculiar 

 very destructive species in America, 

 'he manner in which this insect injures and 

 roys our fruits, is, by its mode of propaga- 

 Early in the spring, about the time when 

 fruit trees are in blossom, the Citrcidiones 

 ;nd in swarms from the earth, crawl up the 

 s, and as the several fruits advance, they 

 cture the rind or skin, with their pointed 

 ra, and deposit their embryos in the wounds 



inl^icted. The maggot thus bedded in the 

 [, preys upon its pulp and juices, until in 

 t instances, the t'ruil perishes, falls lo the 

 md, and the insect escaping from so unsafe 

 sidence, makes a sure retreat into the earth : 

 re, like other beetles, it remains in the 

 n of a grub or worm, during the winter, 

 (ly to be metamorphosed into a bug or beetle, 

 ne spring advances. Thus every tree i'ur- 

 es its own enemy ; for although these bugs 

 J manifestly the capacity of flying, they ap- 

 • very reluctant in the use of their wings ; 

 perhaps never employ them but when ne- 



ty compels them to migrate. It is a fact, 



two trees of the same kind may stand in 

 icarest possible neighborlinod, not to touch 

 I other, the one liave its fruit destroyed by 

 '"urculio, and the other be uninjured, mere- 

 ura contingent circumstances, which [irevent 

 insects Irom crawling up the one while 



are uninterrupted from climbing the other. 

 Vhy not tie a rope dipt in tar round the tree, 



t the lime when these insects begin to ap- 



? The tar can be renewed. We strongly 

 mmend the treatise on fruit trees, by Mr. 



Burlington, New-Jersey. — T. C] 

 lie Curculio delights most ia the smooth- 



'his method of analysing soils, is that described 

 r. Bose, a member of Uib institute of France, &c. 

 ;coflHiieoded to FreacU agriculturist?. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



stone fruits, such as noclnrines, plums, apricots, 

 Hic. when they abotmd on a farm : they never- 

 theless attack the rough-skinned peach, the ap- 

 ple, pear and quince. The instinctive sagacity 

 of these creatuins directs (hem especially to the 

 fruits most adapted to their purposes. The 

 ■ilone fruits mote certainly perish by the wounds 

 made by these insects, so as to fall in due time 

 to the ground, and afforrl an opportunity to the 

 young maggot to hide itself in the earth. Al- 

 though multitudes of seed fruits fall, yet many 

 recover from (heir wounds, which heal up with 

 deeply indented scars. This probably discon- 

 certs the Curculio, in its intended course to the 

 earth. Be this as it may, certain it is, that 

 pears are less liable to fall, and are less injured 

 by this insect than apples. Nectarines, pinms, 

 i:c. in most districts of our country, where the 

 Curculio has gained an establishment, are utter- 

 ly destroyed, unless special means are employed 

 lor their preservation. Cherries escape better, 

 on account of their rapid progress to maturity, 

 and their abundant crops : the Curculio can on- 

 ly puncture a small part oi' them, during the 

 short time they hang upon the tree. These de- 

 structive insects continue their depredations 

 from the tirst of May until autumn. Our fruits, 

 collectively estimated, must thereby be depre- 

 ciated more than half their value. 



it is supposed the Curculio is not only injuri- 

 ous above ground, but also in its retreat, below 

 the surt'ace of the earth, by preying on the roots 

 of our fruit trees. We know that beetles have, 

 in some instances, abounded in such a manner 

 as to endanger whole forests. Our fruit trees 

 ot'len die from manitest injuries done to the roots 

 by insects, and b3' no insect more probably than 

 the Curculio. In districts where this insect 

 abounds, cherry-trees and apple-trees »>hich 

 disconcert it most above, appear to be the 

 special objects of its vengeance below the sur- 

 face of the earth. 



We are unacquainted with any tribe of insects 

 able to destroj' the Curculio. All the domestic 

 animals, however, if well directed, contribute 

 to this purpose. Hogs, in a special manner, 

 are qualitied for the work of extermination. 

 This voracious animal, if sufiered to go at large 

 in orchards, and among fruit trees, devours all 

 the fruit that falls, and among others the curcu- 

 liones in the maggot state, which may be con- 

 tained in them. Being thus generally destroyed 

 in the embryo state, there will be few or no bug's 

 to ascend from the earth in the spring, to injure 

 the fruit. 



The ordinary fowls of a farm yard are great 

 devourers of beetles. Poultry in general are 

 regarded as carnivorous in summer, and there- 

 fore cooped sometime before they are eaten. 

 Every body knows with what avidity ducks 

 seize on the tumble-bug, {Scarabeeus cam'fex,) 

 and it is probable the Curculio is regarded by 

 all the fowls as an equally delicious morsel. 

 Therefore it is, that the smooth stone fruits 

 particularly, succeed much better in lanes and 

 yards, where the poultry run without restraint, 

 than in gardens and other enclosures, where the 

 Ibwis are excluded. 



Even horned cattle, and all sorts of stock, may 

 be made to contribute to the preservation of 

 our valuable fruits. By running among the 

 trees, they not only trample to death multitudes 

 of these insects ; but by hardening the ground, 

 as in lanes, it becomes very unfit to receive or 



________ 69 



admit such tender maggots as craitl tVom the' 

 I fallen fruits. Besides, the Curculio is very 

 , timid, and when frightened by the cattle rubbing 

 against the tree, or olhevwisp, ilioir manner is 

 to fold themselves up in a littl,- ball, and (all to 

 jthe ground; where they may bo tramjiled and 

 Idevoftired by the stock, pnnltry, &.c. Col. T. 

 Forrest, ot' Germantown, having a fine plum 

 I tree near his ])nmp, tied a rope from the free 

 j to his pum() handle, so that the tree was gently 

 I agitated every timi; there was occasion to^pnnip 

 I water. The consequence was, that the fruit oa 

 j this tree was preserved in the greatest perfec- 

 1 tion. 



1 All the terebinthinale substances, with cam- 

 j phor and some others, arc said to be very offen- 

 sive to insects generally. Upon this principle, 

 j General T. Robinson, of Naarnan's Creek, sus- 

 ! pends annually little bits of board, about the 

 size of a case knife, dipped in tar, on each of 

 his plum trees. From three to five of these 

 striiTis are deemed enough, according to the 

 size of the tree. The General commences his 

 operations about the time or soon after the trees 

 are in full bloom, and renews the application of 

 the tar frequently, while the fruit hangs on the 

 tree. To this expedient he attributes his nev- 

 er failing success. Other gentlemen alledge, 

 that common turpentine would be still better ; 

 being equally pungent, and more permanent in 

 its etTecls. Some have sown offensive articles, 

 such as buckwheat, celery, &,c. at the root of 

 the tree, and have thought that great advantages 

 followed. 



Mlaqueation, or digging round the trees, and 

 making bare their roots in winter, is an old ex- 

 pedient of gardeners for killing insects, and may 

 answer well enough for a solitary tree, a year 

 or iwo : but the Curculio will soon recover 

 from a disturbance of tiiis sort, and stock the 

 tree again. 



There is no surer protection against the Cur* 

 culio than a pavement. This, however, is on* 

 I ly applicable to a few trees. It may serve in 

 town ; but will not answer in the country. Flat 

 stones may however bo placed round the tree, 

 and where lime is at hand, they may be cement- 

 ed. 



Man^' other expedients, such as smoking, 

 brushing, watering, &c. may be successfully em- 

 ployed, tor the protection of a favorite tree or 

 two ; but it is manifest, from the preceding his- 

 tory, that a right disposition of stock, especial- 

 ly hogs, among the fruit trees, can only be re- 

 lied upon by a farmer, with orchards of consid- 

 erable extent. And that the stock, poultry, &c. 

 may perform the task assigned them, it is evi- 

 dent that a [iroper disposition of fruit trees i& es- 

 sentially necessary. 



As the smooth stone fruits are the grand nur- 

 series of the Curculio, special care should be 

 taken to have these effectually protected. Un- 

 li?ss this can be done, a farmer should not suffer 

 ihem to grow on his plantation. He will de- 

 rive no benefit from them; ami they will fur- 

 nish a destructive vermin that will ruin his oth- 

 er fruits. Cherry-trees, nect.irines, plums, ap- 

 ricots, he. should thercibre be planted in /uhcs. 

 and liprd beaten yards, or paved yards, the cont- 

 mon highways of all the stock of the farm, and 

 not beyond the range of the ordinary domestic 

 fowl*. Orchards of apple trees, pear trees^ 

 peach trees, &,c. should all be in one enclosure. 

 The pear trees and peach trees may occupy 



