278 American and other Blights. 



Art. V. On the Destruction of the American Blight on Fruit 

 Trees. By Mr. Charles Sharp, of Ross.. 



Sir, 

 Having read in vol. ii. p. 49. of your excellent Magazine, 

 an account of some attempts made use of by one of your cor- 

 respondents to destroy the A^phis lanigera, or American 

 blight, for the information of your numerous readers, I beg to 

 state, that last year I had two Codlin trees so much infected, 

 that immediately after the blossom appeared nearly all the 

 leaves fell off. I directly procured some hot-lime, over which 

 I poured boiling water, and washed them with a thick solu- 

 tion. In a short time an alteration was evidently observable, 

 and the midsummer shoots, which followed soon after, were 

 finer than I had ever remarked them before. This spring I 

 not only had the two trees alluded to, but the whole in my 

 garden, about thirty in number, whitewashed up to the fork, 

 and the result of this experiment is that, notwithstanding the 

 severe blight with which we have been visited in this country, 

 I have never had so abundant a crop of fruit, nor seen my trees 

 in so healthy a condition. I am, Sir, &c. 



Charles Sharp. 

 Moss, Herefordshire, July 14. 1827- 



Art. VI. On the Blight and Fire-blast on Fruit Trees. By 

 Mr. Robert Sutherland, Gardener to J. F. N. Halsey, 

 Esq,, Gaddeston Park, Hertfordshire. 



Sir, 



I think there is nothing so destructive to a fruit -garden as 

 blights, nor is there any thing in the business of gardening 

 which requires more of our serious attention, than to endea- 

 vour to guard against this great enemy to gardeners. 



Before proceeding to suggest a remedy for this evil, it will 

 be necessary, first, to understand the true causes of blights ; 

 for, although many curious persons have attempted to explain 

 these causes, yet very few of them have come near the. truth. 



Blights are often caused by a continued, dry, easterly wind, 

 for several days together, without the intervention of showers, 

 or any morning dew. By this the transpiration in the tender 

 blossoms is stopped, so that in a short time their colour is 

 changed, and they wither and decay ; and, if it so happen that 

 there is a long continuance of the same weather, it equally 



