Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 201 



DissoL\T^G Bones. 

 Mr. J. B. Lyman. — The clie.apest and easiest way I found was to 

 take a deep box, barrel, or hogshead, the hitter I like the best ; cover 

 tlie bottom about two inches deep with ashes and lime mixed, about 

 one part lime to two of ashes ; the lime should be newly slacked and 

 mixed with the ashes, both dry ; then put in a layer of bones, then 

 two or three inches of the lime and ashes again. Fill up in this way 

 to about eight inches of the top ; then fill out with clear ashes, or the 

 compound, and then wet it gradually until it is thoroughly saturated, 

 but not so as to drain ; let it stand at least six months, the longer the 

 better. When wanted for use take it out, fork it over and pick out 

 all the bones that are not soft, and save them for the next batch, and 

 then pulverize and mix the ingredients well together, and you will 

 find it one of the strongest and best fertilizers in use. 



The Cueculio- 



Mr. J. B. Lyman said he had a correspondent in Middlebury, Yer- 

 mont, II. A. Sheldon, to whose opinion he attaches a h'gh value, 

 because he never advances a theory unless sustained by an array of 

 facts. lie is at once a chemist and a farmer, and conducts agricul- 

 tural experiments, the result of which he communicates to the world. 

 ;jt He sends the following experiment, which is at least worth remem- 

 bering. Dr. Trimble's opinion is especially solicited. 



Five years in succession my plum trees blossomed beautifully, and 

 for five years the fruit was destroyed by the curculio, so efi'ectually 

 tliat I did not obtain one dozen plums. Becoming somewhat despe- 

 rate, I resolved to head off the Turks or destroy the trees. I had 

 just emptied a barrel of gas-tar. This I filled with water, which in 

 two days was dark colored as coffee, and pungent as creosote. On 

 the first appearance of the curculio, with a small hand forcing-pump 

 (M'hich every gardener should have), I gave the trees an effectual 

 drenching, and repeated it every three days for two weeks, but did 

 not find a plum stung after the first application. To my extreme 

 satisfaction, there was such an abundance of fruit that it was neces- 

 sary to place supports under the limbs to save the trees. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — I am glad this letter has been received, and 

 is a complete experiment, with one exception, which, perhaps, Mr. 

 Sheldon will supply. I would like to know whether his neighbors 

 who used no coal tar water had plums that year ? When it is dry 

 the egg of the cm-culio will not hatch. It may be the season and not 



