No 144.] 467 



All the above mentioned groups of substances, except the tur- 

 pentines and resins, must exist in all the plants we cultivate as 

 foad for animals. 



Professor Mapes illustrated his mode of planting and support- 

 ing grape vines on the black board. He has a cheap tcast iron 

 holder which is fixed at one end of any line of iron wires, and 

 with a wrench this draws them tight or relaxes them at pleasure. 



WASHING TREES. 



Professor Mapes — This subject is of the highest importance, 

 and particularly at this time, as many kinds of trees should be 

 cleansed before th« commencement of spring growth. 



Many methods have been proposed for cleaning the outer sur- 

 faces of trees from fungi, &c., and a'liong the earliest methccte 

 known was that of various mixtures, of which potash formed the 

 «hief part; and, indeed, a solution of pure potash was used by 

 many. Experience, however, proved that this was not a judicious 

 selection of alkalies for such use. Others coated their trees with 

 whitewash, and tliis, however caustic at the time of its amplica- 

 tion, would rapidly change to carbonate of lime, leaving the sur- 

 face of the tree coated with it, and all the pores filled and rendered 

 comparatively inert by its presence. 



The scrubbing, rubbing, and scraping of trees in turn, had 

 their day of practice. More recently, however, it has been dis- 

 covered that a solution of soda in water might be applied to the 

 surface of any tree with advantage; for it will not injure the 

 most delicate bark, while it will decompose all parasitic growths 

 «pon the surface as well as dead portions of foark, cocoons of in- 

 sects, &c., &c.; and the growth of the tree will secure the falling 

 off of these dead portions, leaving a smooth and healthy bark, 

 soft, and capable of readily expanding with the new growth of 

 the tree. 



The cherry and other barks which surround the tree in a hoof 

 like manner, will even regain their rotund form after having paitlj 

 lost it, by the pliant quality given to the bark from the use of 

 soda. 



