State Agricultural Society. 
931 
COAL ASHES. ROAD DUST. OTHER REMEDIES. 
An item has lately gone the rounds of the newspapers, stating 
that “Robert J. Swan, of Geneva, keeps his currant bushes entirely 
free from currant worms by the use of coal ashes. Cover the 
ground about each bush four or five inches deep for a distance of 
two feet on each side. The mechanical sharpness of the ashes pre¬ 
vents the soft lame from rising through them.” I think this may 
be a valuable measure. It is not probable that the fly on hatching 
would be able to make its way up though such a depth of these 
ashes, or that the larva will bury itself in them to form its cocoon. 
e doubt whether the insect will remain where it is so much dis¬ 
commoded. 
I. H. Robinson, of Rochester, finds that frequently sifting coal 
ashes over the bushes when the dew is on, prevents the ravages of 
these worms. {Rural New Yorker, vol.' xiv, p. 255.) And of a 
similar purport is the following: 
If road dust or the tine dust from any dried clods is sprinkled on 
infested bushes, the caterpillars will soon disappear, says a corres¬ 
pondent of the Gardener's Chronicle, 1842, p. 520. And in the 
Rural New Yorker, vol. xvi, p. 183, H. Stanton, Jr., of Syracuse, 
states that fine dry road dust sprinkled and thrown up under the 
bushes wherever the worms appear will destroy them and com¬ 
pletely stop their ravages. He tried it the preceding year with 
perfect success. We cannot think any inert powder like dust or 
coal ashes will be of any avail except to put the worms to the 
inconvenience of traveling away to leaves that are clean. 
Whale oil soap, two pounds dissolved in a. few gallons of hot 
water, aud sufficient water added thereto to make fifteeu gallons, is 
reported by R. N. Parke, of Waterloo, N. Y., to destroy these 
worms upon a few applications. ( Rural New Yorker, vol. xii, p. 
199). This has been extensively used, some being satisfied with 
it, others finding little or no benefit from it. 
Quite a number of other articles — sulphur, sulphur fumes, salt, 
soot, wood ashes, strong soap suds, decoction of foxglove, tobacco 
water, copperas water, &c. — have been brought to notice by one 
and another, in the public prints, as remedies for these currant 
worms, but have failed to gain any public confidence in their 
efficacy. 
As none of the foreign accounts which we have seen allude to 
any parasitic enemy of this Currant Saw-fly, it seemed quite improb¬ 
able that it would in this country meet with any such enemy, to 
