GENERAL REMARKS. 
id 
also an excellent manure, and may be used to great advan- 
tage when dissolved in the proportion of one pound to four 
gallons of water. This liquid, applied to plants through the 
rose of a watering-pot, will preserve health and vigour. 
Soapsuds are equally beneficial, if used occasionally in the 
same manner — say once a week. These remedies, applied 
alternately, have been known to preserve Melon and Cucum- 
ber vines from the ravages of the yellow fly, bugs, blight, 
&c., and to keep the plants in a thriving condition. 
As liquid, however, cannot be conveniently used on a large 
piece of land, it may be necessary, if insects are numerous, 
to sow tobacco dust, mixed with road dust, soot, ashes, lime, 
or the dust of charcoal, in the proportion of half a bushel per 
acre, every morning, unt41 the plants are free or secure from 
their attacks. Turnip seed will sometimes sprout in forty- 
eight hours. Cabbage seed ought to come up within a week 
after it is sown ; but it sometimes happens that the whole is 
destroyed before a plant is seen above ground ; the seeds- 
man, in this case, is often blamed, but without cause.* 
A correspondent has communicated the result of an exper- 
iment he has tried for preventing the attacks of flies or fleas 
on Turnips. He says, “ Steep your seed in a pint of warm 
water for two hours, in which is infused one ounce of salt- 
petre ; then dry the seed, and add currier’s oil sufficient to 
wet the whole ; after which mix it with plaster of Paris, so 
as to separate and render it fit for sowing.” Fish oil is 
* As the truth of the old adage, That one ounce of prevention is of more 
value than a pound of cure, is very generally admitted, I would recom- 
mend the following method of preparing a bed for the purpose of raising 
Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, and such other plants as are subject to the 
attacks of insects : After digging or ploughing the ground in the usual 
way, collect any combustibles that are attainable, as dried w r eeds, sedge, 
turf, brushwood, leaves, stubble, corn-stalks, sawdust, or even litter from 
the dung-heap, which should be placed in heaps on the seed-beds and 
burned to ashes ; then rake the ground over and sow the seed, which will 
not be attacked by insects while the effects of the fire remain. In the 
event of extremely dry weather, water the beds every evening until the 
plants are in full leaf. This is an infallible remedy. 
