150 Compost for the Pine-apple, fyc. 



with the same success ; and find it is only necessary to be care- 

 ful to do it in dry weather, so that the rain may not wash off 

 the mixture for some time. 



To destroy Flies and Wasps. — A mixture of pepper, sugar, 

 and water will do this effectually. 



To make the Bark grow over Wounds and diseased Places in 

 Tor est or Fruit Trees, without fail, and with speed. — When 

 a branch is cut off a tree, or otherwise wounded, make the 

 place smooth with a sharp knife ; and if the tree be cankered, 

 either cut away the part affected, or scrape it out until you 

 come to the sound wood. In all cases, make the surface as 

 smooth as possible ; then put half a pound of tallow into 2 lbs. 

 of tar, and warm it over a nre s till the tallow is just melted 

 in the tar ; when 1 oz. of saltpetre should be added, and the 

 whole stirred well together. The composition must then be 

 laid on the parts that you want to heal : and I have found it, 

 by long experience, to be an effectual cure, and superior by 

 far to any thing yet practised. 



To purify Soil or Earth to grow Pines or any other Plants 

 in, so as no insect will infest either root or lea£ and in which 

 all plants do much better than in any compost commonly 

 used : I do not mean to say the pines only, but all plants 

 without exception. — For pines, I take four barrowfuls of 

 good rich earth out of a pasture field, one of leaf soil, one 

 of sheep and one of cow dung fresh, and mix them all well. 

 About a month before I want to use the compost, I lay it 1 ft. 

 deep in a circle, and then lay some old pea rods, or old rasp- 

 berry or gooseberry prunings upon it, and set fire to them ; 

 when they are burnt down I lay another foot deep of earth on 

 the mixture, and then some more weed, and set that on fire, 

 and so on, till I think I have as much as I want. I then turn 

 it all over whilst it is hot, mixing it well together, and it is 

 fit for use in one month. Pines will grow much stronger 

 and larger, and be better flavoured, in this than in any other 

 soil or compost that I am acquainted with, and neither bug 

 nor scale will ever infest them. French beans will do well in 

 this compost, or indeed plants of any sort. I was first in- 

 duced to try this plan by seeing ground where there had been 

 fires, in general grow vegetables of all sorts very strongly. I 

 cannot tell what it is that is in the earth that the fire purifies ; 

 but I assure you that it is the best and easiest plan of keeping 

 all insects off the pines. I have planted pines that had the 

 bug and scale on them in abundance, and the plants were 

 all quite clean in a very few days after I had potted them in 

 my compost. 



I should like very much for you, or some of your readers, 



