264 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



To Prevent Sheep Losing their Wool. 



Mr. John William Myers, Dover, Lenawee county, Mich., says all that is 

 necessary is to take the flock into winter quarters in good condition, and 

 keep them so through the winter. 



Cultivation of Onions. 



Mr. H. M. Hoffman, Andover, Mo., wants information about onion culture. 

 He says: " We do not succeed here on account of the maggot. Is there 

 anything that will kill it, or (what would be better) that will keep the fly 

 away ? I have seen sulphur recommended. What is the best fertilizer for 

 an onion crop ?" 



^ The best manure, and, perhaps, the best remedy for the maggot, is a 

 liberal dressing of wood ashes. A compost made of hen manure is also 

 excellent. Sulphur has not proved a preventive, nor has any certain 

 remedy yet been discovered. 



An Inquiry About Stone Wall. 



Mr. Seth Pettit, Northeast, Erie county. Pa., says: " I wish to make a 

 piece of stone wall upon a piece of land that is low and apt to heave by the 

 frost, so bad that in a few years it is as good as no fence." 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — If there is a solid foundation low down, you must 

 dig to it; if there is no such foundation, you must make one by digging a 

 ditch three feet deep, and filling it with cobble stones, or else place flat 

 stones or timber — the latter will answer if the ground is always wet. Upon 

 this build your wall, and it will withstand abundant heaving, 



^ Osage Orange. 



Mr. E. E. Ea}^ Vermillion Co., 111., " wants to know if 0.s«ge orange can 

 be grown from cuttings." We think not ; certainly not without more 

 trouble than would suit ordinary farmers. 



The Damask Kose. 



Rev. Mr. Weaver speaks highly in favor of this old fashioned rose; 'says 

 that it is difficult to obtain it since the nurserymen seem to have taken to 

 newer sorts. 



The Isothermal Line of Peaches. 



Mr. George Bartlett says that he believes it was first discovered by Mr. 

 R. Southwick, of Ehode Island, that the destruction of fruit buds upon 

 peach trees took place in winter, and not fiom Spring frosts. Mr. John 

 Osboru, a neighbor of his, then set about finding what degree of cold pro- 

 duced that destruction. He found they were never killed except the ther- 

 mometer was 18 dcg. Fall, below zero. Mr. Bartlett then ascertained by a 

 series of meteorological tables published in the American Almanac, that 

 the isothermal line of 18 deg. below zero is based upon latitude 41 deg., 

 and that a line based upon latitude 43 deg. with its natural deflections is 

 the northern limit to which peach culture can be carried with success, as 

 the temperature north of that line is liable to fall 18 deg. below zero every 



