y-44 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
per. They will last several Summers, for they 
may all be removei in October and replaced in 
May. Jas. Fountain. 
Westchester Co., N. Y. 
- - « --- «- - - 
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING TREES FROM 
CATER PILL-AliS, CANKER WORMS, MEASURE WORMS, 
AND OTHER INSECTS. 
It is well known that many of the insects which 
commit such vast depredations upon fruit and shade 
trees, either ascend the trunk of the tree or are 
produced from the eggs of insects that have pre¬ 
viously climbed up. Various contrivances have 
been proposed, and some of them put in practice, 
for preventing the ascent of the depredators. 
The best thing of the kind we have hitherto seen 
was a leaden trough put around the trunk and 
filled with oil. This has been in a measure ef¬ 
fectual, but is liable to several objections, not the 
least of which is the expense and constant care 
required to keep them in order. We hail with 
pleasure, therefore, a recent improvement invent¬ 
ed by Capt. Win. W. Taylor, of South Dartmouth. 
From one of these appliances now in our office 
we have made the engravings on this page and 
we will give a brief 
DESCRIPTION. 
Fig. 1, exhibits two parts of the iron trough for 
holding the bitter water described further on. It 
will be seen that it is constructed of two halves 
of a circular trough. 
Fig. 2, shows the two parts brought together, 
to form a complete circular trough. Between the 
ends of the pieces is inserted a slip of India Rub¬ 
ier, and the parts are held firmly by the screws 
(s. fig. 1) which pass through flanges on the 
outside of the joining points. 
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. 
Fig. 3,13 a tin or zinc roofing which is placed 
above the trough and projects some distance over 
it to shed off rain, keep out leaves, &c. This has 
\ turned up edge with two or three openings ( b ) 
■o discharge the water at those points. This is 
listened to the tree by two or three small nails or 
&y simply bending in the pieces (a) at the top—the 
former mode is preferable, we think. It will also 
-■e noticed that the pieces (a) in the upper part of 
•he roof can be bent inward or outward to fit a 
•arger or smaller tree. One of the joinings is 
left unsoldered, so that it can be unlocked when 
putting on or taking it off. 
Fig 4, shows the circular trough placed around 
a portion of the trunk of a tree. The trough is 
larger than the trunk, and the intervening space 
is closed by a packing (p) of hemp, oakum, cotton, 
old cloth, sea weed, fine hay, or other material. 
The water running down the trunk will pass 
through Ibis packing. Two or three holes are 
made in the upper inside rim of the trough, through 
which small nails can be driven into the tree if 
necessary to render it firm. Wedges may be used 
mstead of nails, which will save marring the tree. 
Fig. 4. Fig. 5. 
Fig. 5, shows the trough, packing and cover put 
on ; the cover being cut away on the right side to 
exhibit the trough underneath. 
Fig. 6, above, shows a tree ready fitted up. 
When arranged upon the tree, the trough is 
filled with a “ Bitter water,” instead of oil as in 
the old mode, and this is one of the points claim¬ 
ed by Capt. Taylor, in his patent. Oil is not only 
expensive, but it is also more liable to be bridged 
over by the insects which fall into it in great num¬ 
bers. The “ Bitter Water” is the refuse liquor 
left after boiling down or evaporating sea water 
in the sun and crystalizing out the salt. It con¬ 
tains magnesia and other bitter fluids. While it 
is poisonous to animal life it is deliquescent —that 
is, it attracts moisture from the atmosphere, so 
that when drying away somewhat in a hot sun it 
will again attract water at night and the troughs 
will thus be kept at least partially supplied with 
liquid. Another item is, that it does not freeze in 
cold weather. It has the special merit of being 
very cheap as it can be obtained from the numer¬ 
ous salt manufacturers, for a trifle above the cost 
of barrels, putting up, and transportation. 
The troughs are to be made of various sizes, 
from two or three up to thirty or more inches in 
diameter. The one we have is cast very thin. 
The inventor, wisely we think, proposes to sell 
them at a low price with the view of securing 
their general adoption. By the insertion of plen¬ 
ty of packing, next the tree, when first put on, 
allowance may be made for two or three years’ 
growth of the tree, in the selection of the sizes. 
We understand the cost for troughs, covers, &c., 
complete will be about 10 cents for each inch in 
diameter of the tree, for those of moderate size, 
less for large trees, and a trifle more for those very 
small. Thus, say for a tree 5 inches in diameter, 
the cost would be about 50 cents ; 7 inches in 
diameter, 70 cents. We watched the operation of 
putting up and taking care of the leaden troughs 
around the numerous noble elms in New-Haven, 
and if we remember right!/, the cost to the city 
was, we believe, at least $2 per tree—and we 
think much more. It will be seen, then, that by 
the use of the iron troughs, bitter water, &c., a 
great saving will be effected in the expense, to 
say nothing of the greater protection thus secured. 
With one of these upon a tree, we do not see how 
it is possible for insects of any kind to ascend or 
descend. 
The above we have written from a brief con¬ 
versation with the inventor on his return from 
Washington, and without opportunity to consult 
with him. As before stated, the engravings ara 
made from an apparatus left with us for exami 
nation. We have given thus much prominence to 
the subject, because we deem it one of great im¬ 
portance, and one which shruld be brought to 
public attention the present year. The “ canker 
worm ” or rather the moths that lay the eggs to 
produce them, are now in a quiescent state in the 
ground. About the first of October, and at vari¬ 
ous times from that up to April, they will leave 
their hiding places and ascend the trees to lay 
the eggs for next year’s crop of worms. It is well 
to be prepared in time to head them off. 
Since writing the above, we have received a 
communication from our long-time correspond¬ 
ent, “ R.,” of New-Bedford, and give the fol. 
lowing extract. “_The Aphides, commonly 
known as the plant or tree-louse, derive their 
sole nourishment by tapping the bark and sucking 
the sap. They abound, at times, in such num¬ 
bers as not only to prevent the formation of fruit, 
but also to greatly injure the tree. They are per¬ 
fect vampires, sucking the life-blood of the tree 
with a voracity which is unappeasable. They not 
only feed themselves, but constantly, by ejecting 
a sweet honey-like fluid, act as ‘cummers’ 
(food providers) to colonies of ants which are seen 
in great numbers ascending and descending the 
tree where the little insects (aphides) congregate. 
The tree-disease known as 1 American blight,’ is 
by some supposed to be caused by their inroads. 
I had an opportunity, a few days since, of 
watching the practical operation of Capt. Taylor’s 
new invention, and to my mind its superiority over 
any previous contrivance is conclusive. The cups 
were placed around apple-trees, say of 12 inches 
or more average diameter. Upon the surface of 
the bitter water thousands of aphides, canker 
worms, &c„ were floating—a few struggling 
hopelessly, but most of them as Dickens says— 
‘ as dead as a door nail:’ while the bottom was 
black with them, although the troughs had only 
been on forty-eight hours. The circle of bitter 
water is an impassable gulf, a perfect ‘ Styx,’ 
with no Charon to ferry them across, whose wa¬ 
ters are oblivion to all insects that attempt to 
swim over.” 
Feeding the Cut Worm, and then Catch¬ 
ing Him- 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist: 
Almost every one is troubled with the cut worm 
among cabbages. I manage in this way. Hav¬ 
ing a surplus of plants in a bed by themselves, I 
go over the transplanted patch frequently, and 
when I find one cut off, I replace it with another, 
leaving the cut down stalk by the newly planted 
one, and if I have not succeeded in killing the 
grub, or if another one comes, he is sure to take 
the plant lying upon the ground rather than the 
one recently set out. While feeding upon this 
you may kill him, or if neglected he may need no 
other food. If the worms are very troublesome I 
pull up some of the weakest plants and lay their 
