398 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



the quantity of smoke, and the smoke of tobacco diffused along 

 with it, will soon destroy all the aphides upon the trees. 

 Choose a dull cloudy evening for this purpose ; but if the trees 

 be badly infested, do not delay the operation on account of 

 the weather, for it were better to burn an additional pound of 

 tobacco than to allow the enemy a single day to gain strength. 

 Small trees, or bushes, may be fumigated in this way, by 

 throwing canvas, or oiled cloth, or mats, over them, and apply- 

 ing the smoke in the same way. 



In regard to the cure of the Aphis lunigera, or American 

 blight, the following method is recommended by Mr. James 

 Dann, gardener to the Earl Mann CornwaUis, at Linton 

 Place : 



The method which he pursues is, invariably, first to scrape 

 off with a blunt instrument, all lichens, and loose or rotten 

 bark from the stems and branches, tlien pare off* the edges of 

 the cankered holes, and other excrescences, where it is pos- 

 sible for the aphis, or any other insect, to lodge in ; and with 

 a woodman's racer, gouge, or chisel, scoop out all the cankered 

 and rotten wood, until a clean live surface be found at the 

 bottom of each cankered part. Wanton lacerations are, how- 

 ever, by no means recommended. 



By adopting the above method, and using the under-men- 

 tioned medicament, INIr. Dann engages to bring sound wood 

 in the stems and branches of fruit-trees in general ; though 

 after the operation of cleansing the wounded parts, there may 

 not be more than one inch of sound bark to carry on the cir- 

 culation of the sap, provided the stems or branches be pro- 

 perly supported. 



Take two quarts of vegetable tar, half an ounce of corro- 

 sive sublimate, half an ounce of spirit of salt, and one gill ol 

 spirit of hartshorn. 



The sublimate must be pounded in a marble mortar, add- 

 ing the spirit of salt by degrees to dissolve the mercury ; next 

 add the hartshorn, rubbing altogether until completely mixed. 

 Provide an earthen glazed pipkin, and put in the poisonous 

 liquid ; add the tar by degrees, constantly stirring it to prevent 

 its running over. Then take an old painter's brush, and 

 cover all the wounded parts with the mixture, which will ad- 



