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1VEW-YORK PARMER A YD 



vers have ascribed tho mortality to the ravages of the 

 insect Egeria cxtiosa, infesting tho trunk between 

 air aud earth, at the point where tho ascending and 

 descending caudcx uniie. Some again think there is 

 an epidemic influence, which has not yet reached the 

 end of its destructive term, invading the health and 

 destroying the life of the peach tree. Whether the 

 mortality is owing to cither of theso causes or to any 

 other, it is quite a calamity in the region around New 

 York and every place where its visitation extends. — 

 The most approved rules against the disorder, seem 

 to be these : to raise trees from the seed ; tocullout 

 the best varieties of natural growth ; to destroy dis- 

 ordered trees and to plant new frequently, say once 

 in fivo or other term of years, according to circum- 

 stances. 



Sheathing Ship's Bottoms with Soal Leather. 

 During the summer of 1S28, I was invited to wit- 

 ness the facts presented by the bottom of a ship then 

 just returned from a whaling voyage of twenty-two 

 months duration, in the Atlantic Ocean, chiefly be- 

 tween South America and Africa. She had not pas- 

 sed either of the noted capes of the South, and had 

 the greater part of the time been at sea. The rava- 

 ges made upon the bottom planks of ships by the 

 teredo navalis or pipe-worm, had led to various eco- 

 nomical expedients for guarding against them. Be- 

 smearing with iar, turpentine and brimstone, having 

 been found inefficacious, recourse was had to sheath- 

 ing with various substances as protectors — such as 

 thin boards of wood, stout paper and sheets of cop- 

 per. This latter is the most secure and effectual, 

 but ot the same time, the most expensive. The 

 owners of ships, with a desire to cheapen their con- 

 struction and outfit, determined to make experiments 

 with sheathing of leather, or as the quaint expression 

 is along shwrc, to put the vessel in leather breeches. 

 Of all known substances this material seems to be 

 that to which certain animals of the ocean have the 

 strongest propensity to attach themselves. Their 

 numbers are so great as to render the bottom very 

 foul, with rough projections, exceedingly retarding 

 her way through the water. The spectacle on over- 

 hauling and cleaning this ship, was rare and curious 

 to tho naturalist. Among the animals adhering and 

 accompanying, were 



1. The bell barnacle, or lepas tinlinnabtdum, of 

 size large enough for an inkstand, and in very thick 

 array. Some of these I caused to be boiled out and 

 found them to taste- well : having very much the fla- 

 vour of scallops. 



2. Some of these barnacles being dead, the upper 

 valves had been washed away, while tho main oi 

 principal shell adhered to its place and resembled ;i 

 cup. In these cavities certain little fishes had taker 

 their abode. A species of Blonny, somewhat more 



than an inch long, was brought to me in very livery 

 mood. 



3. From other hollow and deserted barnacles were 

 brought small fishes of the Cijclopterus family, tha' 

 had in like manner, made their habitation there. 



4. A species of Buccinwm about two inches long, 

 adhering alive by its operculum to »ho leather. 



5. Another species of Buccinuni, not so large as 

 the former, but adhering in like manner. 



6. Serpulas winding about on the shells and ot! 

 bodies. 



7. Flnstras, overspreading other productions, like- 

 mats. 



8. .Iscidias, as I thought them, adhering to some 

 of the other things. 



9. Mussels (Mytilus) anchored by their byssua. 



10. Oysters, in fast adhesion. 



11. A crab of the mnja division, usually termed 

 tho Sea Spider. 



12. Species of Otion. 



13. Otion Cuvieri. 



14. Otion Bloinvillii, were also found on the bot- 

 tom of the ship sheathed with leather. 



A similar experiment was made a few years ago. 

 I believe, it was the first one. I examined this ves- 

 sel's bottom after a voyage from Marseilles to New- 

 York. It was much incumbered by these outside and 

 unwelcome passengers, among whom the stemmed 

 barnacles or Lepas anatifeia, was the most conspicu- 

 ous. (To be. Continued.) 



ART. 158— Fire Blight, by J. Buel, Esq. of 

 Albany. (From theN. England Farmer.) 



Fire blight is still employed to denote the new ma- 

 lady which destroys our pear and apple trees ; and 

 the cause, by many, is imputed still to the malignant 

 influence of the solar rays, which, since the world be- 

 gan, have given life, growth and maturity to the ve- 

 getable creation. 



It is a sound axiom that like causes produce like 

 effects. If the sun does the mischief, why has it Dot 

 done the like for centuries before? Has the benigu 

 influence of its rays changed ; or have the laws of 

 vegetation altered, within the last few years ? The 

 tumors on the plum and Morello cherry, which in 

 some districts have operated to the almost entire ex- 

 tinction of these valuable fruits, have been ascribed 

 to a spontaneous extravasation of sap, and to other 

 eqaally erroneous causes. But it has been satisfac- 

 torily shown, by eminent naturalists, as well as prac- 

 tical gardeners, that this disease originates from the- 

 poisonous puncture of an insect, probably but a short 

 time among us, which operates upon the vegetable 

 blood like the poison of a rabid animal upon the hu- 

 man system, causing disease and death. But ars the 



