ORCHARDS. 



strew it about an inch thick, to the extent of two or three feet 

 from the roots of the trees. The digging round the trees is 

 highly useful, while tarring is injurious. The expense is not 

 great: a man can dig round fifty large trees in a day. The 

 lime is a most salutary manure to the trees. After the spot 

 has been once opened and limed, the labour of keeping it open, 

 will not be great. Three hogsheads of air-slaked lime, or 

 sweepings of a lime store, will suffice for fifty trees, and will 

 cost three dollars. As it is done but once a year, he thinks it 

 cannot be half so expensive as tarring. 



Mr. RUGGLES, of New Haven, Conn., says he was some 

 years ago struck with the idea that the capsules of the Ameri- 

 can chestnut, or chestnut bur, might be applied with advantage 

 to prevent the effects of the canker-worm. We accordingly 

 took a piece of strong twine and sail needle, and made a band 

 of them, placing all the backs one way, which caused the spires 

 to project in all directions. We tied this round the trunk of 

 an apple tree, in the centre of an orchard, that was much in- 

 jured the year before; the tree bore abundantly without the 

 leaves being injured in the least, while those around were all 

 ruined for that year. 



He has since tried it several times with entire success. A 

 set of bands will last many years, if taken off when the insects 

 have done ascending, and secured in a dry place. He usually 

 put the bands on the trees about the beginning of March. In 

 places where chestnut burs are not easily obtained, he thinks 

 the use of the fuller's teasel would answer the same purpose. 



The Curculio. The curculio is a winged insect or beetle. 

 The manner in which it injures and destroys fruit, is by its 

 mode of propagation. Early in the spring, about the time 

 when the fruit trees are in blossom, the curculio ascends in 

 swarms from the earth. They crawl up the trees, and as the 

 fruit advances they puncture the rind or skin, and deposit their 

 embryos in the wounds thus inflicted. The maggot thus bedded 

 in the fruit, preys upon its pulp and juices, until in most in- 

 stances the fruit perishes, falls to the ground, and the insect 

 escaping makes a retreat into the earth, where it remains until 

 the coming spring. 



Various modes have been recommended and practised to 

 destroy this insect or avert its attacks. One fact mentioned 

 by Dr. FILTON, renders it extremely probable that the same 

 remedies might be effectual here, which are prescribed against 

 the canker-worm. He says that two trees of the same kind 

 may stand in the nearest possible neighbourhood, not to touch 

 each other, the one have its fruit destroyed by the curculio, 

 and the other uninjured, merely from contingent circumstances, 



