AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
18 ( 31 .] 
83 
The Apple Borer on Slate Lands. 
A correspondent, at Hollidaysburg, Pa., says 
that a young orchard set out on slate land, near 
the base of the Alleghanies, was nearly destroy¬ 
ed by the borer, while another of his own plant¬ 
ing on gravely land escaped. He wishes to 
know if the slate land is particularly favorable 
to the depredations of the borer. 
If he will come this Avay, we can show him 
young orchards on gravely soils, and indeed, on 
almost every variety of soil, quite as badly in¬ 
jured by the borer. This insect is an excellent 
j udge of timber, and prefers the soft, juicy bark of 
thrifty trees, to those that are hide-bound. The 
slate soil is probably of better quality than his 
own orchard, ground, and so is more likely to be 
infested with this insect. The owner also, is 
probably more careless of his apple trees, leav¬ 
ing them to their fate. We should never hesi¬ 
tate for fear of the borer to plant an orchard on 
any ground where the trees would, grow. An 
examination about the collar of each tree, twice 
a year, say in June and October, will keep the 
borers so under that they will do but little dam¬ 
age. Their attacks are principally confined to 
young trees, and cease after a few years. The 
examination should be made with a sharp pointed 
knife and wire, killing the insects as you go. 
Have You the Hew-Eoehelle Blackberry ? 
If not, in March or April, according to local¬ 
ity, add it to the fruit garden, though last Fall 
would have been better. Were it necessary to 
dispense with either this or the best sort of rasp¬ 
berry, the latter would be rejected from the wri¬ 
ter’s premises, and the former chosen; even the 
strawberry ranks not many degrees higher in 
our regard, when all things are taken into ac¬ 
count. A dozen hardy plants well trained, will 
supply an ordinary family with an abundance 
of luscious fruit for weeks. They are grown as 
easily as weeds; they ask only to get a good 
foothold, and they will maintain it most tena¬ 
ciously. Of course, proper care will bring finer 
fruit and more of it, thaq merely suffering the 
root to occupy a place in the ground. 
It is somewhat difficult to raise this plant 
from seed, except they be sown when first gath¬ 
ered ; and there is no certainty of obtaining the 
same variety sown, although the young plants 
will be likely to be nearly true to kind. But 
the roots are now readily obtained at almost all 
nurseries, and at a comparatively moderate price. 
Having obtained a supply of roots from a re 
liable source, choose a convenient location, pre¬ 
pare the ground, if not rich, by spading or fork¬ 
ing the whole plot deeply and working in a lib¬ 
eral supply of manure, or what is better, a com¬ 
post made of two parts leaf mold or chip dirt, 
one part rotted turf, and one part stable manure. 
Trenching the ground would pay in most gar¬ 
dens, particularly if the subsoil be clayey and 
hard. Mix the manure well with the whole 
soil, so that the plants need not be alternately 
feasted and starved. Post-hole cultivation, or 
merely digging a hole a foot square, enriching 
■it, and crowding in the roots, may answer for 
raising sticks, but not for securing fruitfulness. 
The plants should be placed at least six feet 
apart each way, as the canes grow rampantly 
and need plenty of room. Cut back the canes 
to within six inches of the root before planting. 
It is best to prepare for properly training 
the vines -at the time of setting out. Unless 
planted near a fence to which they can be fast¬ 
ened, set small posts firmly in the ground, 
about 20 feet apart in the row of plants, and in 
the direction nearest North and South. They 
should stand about G {- feet high above the ground. 
Stretch wires (No. 9, or 10) along these, fasten¬ 
ing them firmly by staples, or by winding 
around the posts. Let the first be about two 
feet from the bottom; the others eighteen inch¬ 
es apart, the upper one at the top of the posts. 
During the Summer keep the ground loose 
about the plants, and free from weeds. Mulch¬ 
ing with leaves or cut straw during hot dry 
weather, will promote the growth. As the canes 
branch out, secure the main shoots to the wire 
trellis with lead wire, or soft strings, spreading 
them out in a fan shape. If proper attention be 
given, next year there will be a crop of fruit 
sufficient to pay for all the pains taken. These 
directions apply equally Avell on small plots for 
family use, or extensive plantings for market. 
There is yet room for many to reap a rich har¬ 
vest from this fruit near any of our large cities. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Raspberry Cultivation. 
The common red, dr Antwerp raspberry, I re¬ 
gard as the best in quality, and the surest to 
bear. It should not be set out between cur¬ 
rant bushes or by the side of a fence or hedge, 
but hi good deep soil, fully exposed to the sun 
and air. I plant them in hills four feet apart each 
way, and, if I have plants enough, put three or 
four in a hill, cutting off the tops and spreading- 
out the little fibrous roots, in fact, using as much 
care as I would in planting a choice tree, for I 
have learned by experience that no after cul¬ 
ture will fully make up for neglect in preparing 
the soil, or carelessness in setting out the plants, 
In this latitude raspberries should be planted as 
early as April, and all the grass and weeds kept 
down by hoeing them through the season, the 
same as corn. When shoots spring up from the 
roots, if not wanted for future transplanting, 
they must all be cut off or dug up except three 
or four of the best shoots near the lull, which 
are to be saved for the production of fruit the 
next year, as the ‘stalks die after one year’s bear¬ 
ing. It may be necessary to drive a small stake 
by the hill, and tie the stalks to it. In the fol¬ 
lowing spring I cut out all the old canes and 
take off about a foot from the end of the new 
ones, and then spade up the ground between the 
hills and apply a top dressing of manure, for I 
find that raspberries, to produce well, want 
mellow and rich ground. 
The other class of raspberries, or what are 
commonly termed black caps, require the same 
cultivation as the red, but there are no shoots to 
cut off or dig up, as this variety produces only 
a sufficient number of shoots for fruit the follow¬ 
ing year. The canes will often bend over and 
the top take root which may be transplanted 
the next Spring, This class requires more prun¬ 
ing than the red, and should be well staked, but 
I prefer the red variety, and by my treatment 
have raised several bushels on a small patch of 
ground. Samuel Hurlburt. 
Middlesex Co., Conn. 
Remarks. —The true Red Antwerp is a first 
rate variety—though for home use we prefer the 
“Fastolff.” It has a large berry, which is so 
tender as not to bear carriage far to market. The 
“Brinckle’s Orange,” is also a very fine berry for 
market or home use. It is a good bearer, fine 
flavor, fair size, and its beautiful orange color 
makes it quite attractive either in the market, 
or on the table.—E d.] 
Lice or Scale on Trees. — J. C. Graves, 
Jefferson Co., Pa. Your soap suds wash was 
probably too weak. Make it very strong, using 
whale oil soap if it can be had, and wash the 
bodies about the middle of June when the scales 
are young. Potash and water answers the same 
purpose. Two washings during the season may 
be needful. Rubbing the bodies and limbs with 
a rough cloth, or with a broom, greatly facili¬ 
tates the removal of the scale. The more vig¬ 
orous you make the growth, by manure, ashes, 
or lime, dug in around the toots, the less will 
you be troubled with insects upon, or diseases 
of • the portion above ground. 
Grafting the Grape. 
P. B. Wenner, Columbia Co., Pa. Graft the 
grape as you would the apple, only let it be just 
under the ground, in the root , and tie the split 
portions together if they do not hold the cions 
firmly enough. Cover with grafting wax, and 
draw the earth around the roots. The cions 
from the previous year’s growth, are best cut as 
early as February, and inserted in May, or even 
early in June, after the growth has commenced 
—keeping the cions until wanted in a cellar to 
prevent their starting. There is a difference of 
opinion among practical men as to the utility of 
grafting the grape—some advise and practice it, 
while others think it better to throw away the 
old roots, if a poor kind, no matter how strong 
or vigorous, and start with fresh young vines. 
Cultivate Shubarb. 
It will grow without much care—the burdock 
is scarcely hardier; but to have large, succulent 
stalks, pulpy as an apple, readily cooked, and 
good when cooked, it must be generously dealt 
with. The plant is a hearty feeder, and easily 
appropriates the rankest manure. If there be 
not a plot of it already established in the gar¬ 
den, select a convenient place about five feet 
wide, and long enough to contain say two 
crowns to every three members of the family 
the plants to be set four feet apart in the row, 
The bed may very well be made beside a fence, 
though much shade is objectionable. A very 
good plan is to have some roots on the south 
side of a board fence to start early, and others 
on the north side in the shade, where they will 
start late, and continue good much later in 
the season. As early in the Spring as the 
ground can be worked, trench it two spades 
deep, and work in six or eight inches of 
well-rotted manure. Do not throw it in 
in lumps, here and there, but mix it well 
throughout the soil. Set one row only in the 
middle of the bed; with good culture it will 
make a wide spread. Procure crowns of. the 
Linnaeus variety, put them in three inches be¬ 
low the surface; keep the soil loose by stirring 
occasionally, and entirely free from weeds. As 
the plants progress, water the bed now and then 
with wash-water and other house-slops—parti¬ 
cularly if there be drouth—they will put out 
broad leaves as if in very thankfulness. A few 
stalks fit for the table might be gathered the 
first season, especially if whole roots instead 
of single crowns can be obtained for plants: it 
is better to allow the whole growth of single 
crowns, to remain, that the roots may be firmly 
established. 
In the Fall, cover the whole bed with stable 
manure two or three inches deep, and in the 
following Spring fork it into the soil. To bring 
