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MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS AND NOTICES. 
I. — On the Prevention of Blirjlit on Apples. 
By James Ellis. 
As the insects so destructive to the apple-crop may soon be expected, 
my way of driving them away may be useful to persons who have had 
their crops destroyed by them. On an orchard of 13 acres, for nine suc- 
cessive years both blossoms and leaves were completely destroyed by 
caterpillars, when I commenced smoking them ; and for the next ten 
years I never lost the crop. 
The smoking is done by placing a large iron coakel on four low 
wheels, and putting dry wood, with any weeds or rubbish, and some 
brimstone into it, and forcing it to burn by large bellows, which drives a 
strong and continual stream of disagreeable smoke through a moveable 
tube to every tree, and every part of a tree, in succession ; and by con- 
stantly commencing on the windward side of the orchard, and following- 
up row by row till the black apple-fly and moth disappear, I prevent 
their producing the caterpillars, and consequently save the crop. 
Barming, near Maidstone, 
I4th April, 1843. 
II. — On Burnincj Clay. By Eli Turvill. 
Burning land is much practised in the Roothings, containing nine 
parishes, and adjacent parishes. High and Good Easter, Roxwell, Mash- 
bury, Pleshey, over a country about 10 miles from south to north, and 
from 5 to 6 miles from east to west. The expense of burning land is 
from 20s. to 25^. per acre, according to the previous state of the land 
and the present price of labour. The fuel generally used is a good 
wagon-load of haulm per acre ; some give a small quantity of brush- 
wood which is trimmed from the brows of hedges, or a portion of bean- 
straw in addition. Some burn the heaps at 4 perches square, 40 per 
acre, and each heap is expected to contain 3 yards of ashes. Some burn 
the heaps at 8 yards square, 75^ per acre, and each heap is expected to 
contain 2 yards of ashes. The 8-yard fires cost 2^. to 3^. per acre more 
than the 4-percli fires. The whole of the ashes are spread, and the land 
fallowed in the usual way. It is repeated every four to six years, as 
may suit the rotation of crops. It is an excellent preparation for all 
kinds of corn ; on the thin skin land white turnips are grown well after 
burning ; it absorbs the water, the land dries earlier, can be worked and 
