THE GENESEE FARMEE. 



187 



GOOSEBEEKY SAW-FLY, 



CTE gooseberry bushes are attacked by this in- 

 There are hundreds of caterpillars on a single 

 L. Some of the bushes at this time (May 20) 

 completely defoliated, while others adjoining 

 as yet, untouched. 



lis same insect {Nematus trimaculatm)wQB very 

 :uctive to currant bushes last year, in this sec- 

 ; and a cut which we had engraved for the 

 mer at that time, may not be uninteresting to 

 y of our new subscribers. 

 le flies emerge from their winter quarters about 

 middle of April, and the female soon after de- 

 ts her eggs on the under side of the leaves. 

 larva are hatched in about a week, and com- 

 ce feeding on the leaf. The broods appear in 

 ession from May till October, but in greatest 

 :bers in June. The early brood of caterpillars 

 end into the earth, spinning themselves a yel- 

 sh cocoon. Here they undergo their trans- 

 lations, and emerge as flies in about three weeks, 

 later broods descend in the same Avay, but the 

 I lie in the ground all winter, 

 acked lime, scattered over the bushes while the 

 is on, is said to be a good remedy. It should 

 one two or three times, and the earlier in the 

 3n the better. Syringing the bushes with wa- 

 leated to 140°, will kill the caterpillars, without 

 ing the foMage. By spreading cloths under the 

 les, and then jarring off the caterpillars, many 

 lem may be easily destroyed. A little care for 

 V days, in this way, and in picking them off 

 t)ushes, will be effectual. 



LIGNITE TO DESTROY INSECTS. 



The London Cottage Gardener last year gave an 

 account of the discovery of a black powder, which 

 proved very destructive to insects. It also destroyed 

 the mildew on grapes, when dusted on an infected 

 bush. It did not injure any plants to which it was 

 applied ; on the contrary, it proved a good fer- 

 tilizer. 



M. MiLLOT Beule exhibited the article at a meet- 

 ing of the French Academy of Sciences, and stated 

 that it was a species of lignite — sulphur coal — 

 ground fine. It is found in extensive deposits in 

 Saxony, where, for some years past, it has been 

 turned to account for the preservation of timber. 

 The lignite is ground fine and dissolved in water, 

 and the timber allowed to soak in it until it has 

 undergone a change, which partakes of the nature 

 of mineralization. Mere contact with the lignite 

 appears to suflice; and it is said that beams which 

 have been used in the workings for thirty years, 

 are sounder and more likely to last than when first 

 put up. In Saxony, railroad sleepers are prepared 

 with this substance, and with manifest advantage. 



These effects would indicate that it contains some 

 empyreumatic substance, (something allied to creo- 

 sote, perhaps,) gas tar, soot, &c., having, to some 

 extent, the same action as is ascribed to this lignite. 



We have looked for further information in regard 

 to this substance and its effects, but nothing has 

 appeared. It is nothing more than the "Bovey 

 coal " of England, and undoubtedly exists in many 

 places in this country. It is well worthy of trial. 



Sulphur and Lime foe Gooseberries. — I have 

 raised gooseberries successfully for six or seven 

 years. I prune out all the wood over four years 

 old, and let one or two strong shoots stand every 

 year ; and after the crop is off, I shorten them in 

 about one-third, and in spring salt well around the 

 bush, under the branches, with a little sulphur and 

 lime, worked in the soil, and mulch with coarse 

 manure. My gooseberries are on a clay soil, dug 

 deep, which I think essential. I have not had a 

 dozen berries mildewed, and have raised all I want 

 for family use. The varieties are Crown JBoi, Bi- 

 fieman^ Eed Warrington^ &c. — A Subscriber, Wil- 

 son^ Niagara Co., N. Y. 



Lime on Apple Trees. — I have a fine lot of thrifty 

 apple trees, which are bearing well. One of my 

 neighbors has also a lot of trees which looked as 

 thrifty as mine, until within the last three years. 

 He applied one bushel of lime at the trunk of each 

 of his trees, turning it in, and now the worms have 

 eaten nearly all the bark off from them a few inches 

 below the surface of the ground, and the trees 

 look as if they would die. I also limed and ma- 

 nured my trees, but spread it all over the land, and 

 they now bear so much the better. — J. B. H., New- 

 lurgh, Cumberland Co., Fa. 



