\64 farmers' and mechanics' journal, 



finer stone more liable to injury than others, as the deposite is 

 niore easily and effectually made — but ours are entirely destroyed. 

 I have heard and read of many preventives, but none has ever 

 succeeded with me. Some have recommended to hang up slips 

 of paper on shingles, covered with a solution of sonrre drug, such as 

 camphor, or corrosive sublimate ; but I have never found any ef- 

 fectual. The only remedy I ever found of any service, had but a 

 partial effect. As it was of some service, 1 will communicate it. 

 I dug a hole in the ground, away from the trees, three or four feet 

 deep, and at stated times every day, had the plums as they fell care-^ 

 fully picked up and buried in the hole, if all would do this, I be- 

 lieve Ihey would become scarce. This year I carefully removed 

 the earth from about the trees, according to directions I somewhere 

 read, and supplied its place with other earth from a distance. I 

 am fearful, however, the insect will find me out, Hf B. 



ON THE CULTURE OF HOPS, 



It is probably not known to every one, that the Hop is a native 

 of Maine, and that it grows spontaneously in our forests. On the 

 borders of small streams, that wind about the bases of the mountains 

 in the North-west part, and on the fertile intervales in almost all 

 sections, it is found, twining its luxuriant folds about the shrubs 

 and small trees within its reach. It is cultivated a little, in some 

 parts, but not to that extent that it might be with profit. It would 

 undoubtedly yield a good profit, if it were raised for exportation, 

 as the diseases and other enemies which assail it in Europe, would 

 probably be less numerous in this region. Its consumption, or 

 rather the consumption of the beer which it enters into, is increase 

 ing in New-England, and there will be a more steady demand for 

 it as this beverage becomes more fashionable. 



" When the hop," says Loudon, " was first used for preserving 

 beer, or cultivated for that purpose, is unknown ; but its culture 

 was introduced into this country, (England,) from Flanders, in the 

 reign of Henry VIII. Walter Blith, in his English Improver Im- 

 proved, 1649, has a chapter upon hops. He observes, that ' Hops 

 were then grown to be a national commodity ; but that it was not 

 many years since the famous city of London petitioned the Parlia° 

 ment of England against two anusancies, and these were Newcastle 

 coals, in regard to their stench, &c. and hops, in regard they would 

 spoyle the taste of drink, and endanger the people ; and had the 

 Parliament been no wiser than they, we had in a measure pined, 

 and in a great measure starved, which is just answerable to the 

 principles of those men who cry down all devices or ingenious dis- 

 coveries, as projects, and thereby stifle and choak improvements.' " 



