320 THE COMPLETE FARMER 



White varnish, soft soap, and whale oil, one-third of each to 

 he mixed and applied as tar is usually. This mixture is not 

 soon hardened by the weather, and does not injure the trees. 

 Another simple mode of preventing the ascent of the insects 

 is to wind a band of refuse flax or swingle-tow round the 

 tree, and stick on the band burdock or chestnut burs set so 

 closely together that worms cannot j)ass between them. 



The Massachusetts Agricultural Repository, vol. iii. No. 

 4, contains some remarks on the canker-worm, by, the Hon. 

 John Lowell, president of the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 society, from which the following is extracted : 



' I had the turf dug in around sixty apple-trees, and the 

 earth laid smooth. I then took three hogsheads of effete, or 

 air-slacked lime, and strewed it an inch thick round my 

 trees, to the extent of two or three feet from the roots, so 

 that the whole diameter of the opening was from four to 

 six feet. 



' I tarred these trees as well as the others, and although I 

 had worms or grubs on most that were not limed, I did not 

 catch a single grub where the trees were limed. 



' 1 do not speak with confidence. I am, however, strongly 

 encouraged to believe the remedy perfect. It was ascertained 

 by professor Peck, that the insect seldom descended into the 

 ground at a greater distance than three or four feet from the 

 trunk, and to the depth of four inches, or that the greater 

 part come within that distance. The lime is known to be 

 destructive of all animal substances, and I have little doubt 

 that it actually decomposes and destroys the insect in the 

 chrysalis state ; at least I hope that this is the case. 



' There are many reasons which should encourage a repe- 

 tition of this experiment. The digging round the trees is 

 highly useful to them, while tarring is very injurious. The 

 expense is not great. A man can dig round fifty trees in one 

 day. The lime is a most salutary manure to the tree. 

 After the spot has been once opened and limed, the labor 

 of keeping it open will not be great. Three hogsheads of 

 air-slacked lime, or the sweepings of a lime-store, will suf- 

 fice for fifty trees, and will cost three dollars. As it is done 

 but once a year, I think it cannot be half so expensive as 

 tarring. 



' I repeat it, that I mention my experiments with great 

 diffidence, as being the first of my own knowledge. It may 

 induce several persons to try it in different places, and where 

 trees are surrounded with others which are treated differently. 



