AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
255 
suffers more from their attacks than later 
varieties. The eggs hatch in a few days 
when the minute worms, which are of a 
whitish color with a black head, at once 
commence to cut the apple, working towards 
the core. They attain their full size in about 
three weeks assuming in the mean time a 
flesh or brownish color, and have burrowed 
to the core or gone through the apple in va¬ 
rious directions causing it to fall prema¬ 
turely. 
The worms usually leave the fruit very 
soon after it falls from the tree, ifindeed they 
have not already left, and find their way into 
crevices in the bark of the tree, or in other 
sheltered situations where they envelop 
themselves in a silken shroud or cocoon 
much like tissue paper in appearance. This 
retreat is in most cases their winter habita¬ 
tion. 
Some of the earlier worms, however, 
change to the chrysalis state very soon after 
weaving their shroud, and in a few days 
come forth winged and lay their eggs for a 
second generation, thus producing worm- 
eaten apples in the fall. 
PREVENTIVE. 
During the latter part of June, and the 
first of July, when the moths or millers are 
very abundant, kindle bonfires of shavings, 
or what is better, prepare torches by wind¬ 
ing tow upon sticks, and dipping them in 
tar. Place these in various parts of the 
orchard, and light them at night. Vast num¬ 
bers of the deluded insects, will be attracted 
by the flame and become their own destroy¬ 
ers. 
Another method is to partially fill open 
wide mouthed bottles with a mixture of mo¬ 
lasses, vinegar, and water, and suspend 
them in the branches of trees, when moths, 
beetles, and various other insects will be at¬ 
tracted, some by the sweets, and others by 
the acid, all finding a “ watery grave.” The 
bottles will want emptying and replenishing 
often. Downing mentions an amateur ac¬ 
quaintance of his who in one season caught 
more than three bushels of insects of different 
kinds by this method, and preserved his gar¬ 
den almost entirely from their attacks in 
any shape. 
Birds should be protected and encouraged 
by the fruit grower, as they render him far 
more service by preying upon the insects 
which destroy his finest fruits, than injury 
by picking a few of his cherries, therefore 
“ Spare the birds.” Bats also feed especial¬ 
ly upon the millers which are flying about 
at night, thus rendering themselves a friend 
to the farmer. 
Old cloths may be put in the crotches and 
branches of trees, which will afford a good 
harbor for the moths to spin in, and by re¬ 
moving and burning them or dipping them 
in boiling water, hundreds of the chrysalids 
will be destroyed. 
The early fallen fruit should be picked up 
each morning and boiled or fed out at once; 
hogs and sheep will assist in this if allowed 
the range of the orchard. Poultry will de¬ 
stroy many of the worms as they leave the 
fruit. 
One other method is to scrape the rough 
bark from the trees early in the spring which 
will remove large numbers of the cocoons, 
and thus destroy the future brood in em¬ 
bryo.—[E d. 
PRACTICAL HINTS. ON PRESERVING FRUITS 
AND VEGETABLES. 
SELF-SEALING OR AIR TIGHT CANS. 
In our last issue we referred to the “ self¬ 
sealing” cans, and stated that we had con¬ 
cluded to give them a trial the present year. 
Recently we had a lengthy conversation 
with Mr. S., an intelligent gentleman who 
had the time, means, and inclination to give 
these cans a full trial last year. He states 
that for the sweeter varieties of cherries, 
for peaches, and for sweet fruits generally, 
they gave the highest satisfaction ; but with 
currants and other strongly acid (sour) fruits 
they failed entirely, as the acids invariably 
eat through the cans. Tomatoes kept beau¬ 
tifully without a case of failure, and this 
fruit preserved came out of the cans at dif¬ 
ferent periods, not only in an excellent state 
of preservation, but it tasted quite as good 
as that fresh picked from the vines. This 
superior flavor may be owing to their being 
eaten at a time when fresh fruit is not ob¬ 
tainable. Mr. S. says he has not succeeded 
in preserving green corn, peas, beans, or 
other articles of this class. His experience 
is different from that of some others, and 
thus far those we have conversed with ap¬ 
pear to be about equally divided as to the 
utility of the tin vessels, for either green 
vegetables or acid fruits—some having suc¬ 
ceeded with them, while others, with appa¬ 
rently an equal degree of skill and care have 
signally failed. We repeat the caution of. 
fered last month, to invariably close every 
can perfectly with wax. The screw and 
India rubber collar may make a can nearly 
air-tight, but these are not to be depended 
upon. Beeswax is quite as good as any 
compound preparation that can be made. 
OTHER METHODS OF PRESERVING. 
Everybody knows how to dry fruit, or at 
least his wife does. Green corn is not dried 
as often as it should be. We have had all 
the present season a good supply of green 
peas, that were picked green in Germany 
last year, dried and brought in that condi¬ 
tion to this country. We have been unable 
to learn the method pursued there in dry¬ 
ing them. Can any of our readers-inform 
us ? 
A method of drying peaches, apples, &c., 
not much in use, is to be commended. Let 
them be pared and grated or mashed to a 
pulp, and then spread out on plates and dried 
into thin sheets. This is an excellent plan 
for “ curing” tomatoes, peaches, &c. The 
drying can be done in an oven kept at a low 
heat. It is better to add a little sugar and 
cook them somewhat before drying. We 
prefer the addition of a small quantity of 
salt to tomatoes dried thus—not enough to 
affect the taste, but about as much as would 
ordinarily be used in cooking them. 
Well ripened fruit will keep well in cans, 
or dried, without much cooking, but all un¬ 
matured articles should be cooked. The- 
want of care in commencing the preservit g 
process just at the time of maturity is the 
source of much loss. If too ripe fermenta¬ 
tion commences and is likely to continue. 
FRUIT .TARS. 
One of the best things for putting down 
preserved fruits cheaply, is a well-covered, 
well-glazed , stoneware jar, holding from one 
to two quarts. We have several of these, 
of two quarts capacity, which we think the 
next best thing to the self-sealing tin cans 
for any kind of fruits, and better than the 
latter for acid fruits. They are seven to- 
eight inches high, and five to six inches in¬ 
ternal diameter. They have a close fitting 
cover about four inches in diameter, which 
sets down into them upon a flange or neck 
nearly an inch from the top. 
Whatever article is to be preserved is 
cooked in the usual manner of preparing it 
for the tin cans. The jar is then heated 
quite up to the temperature of boiling wa¬ 
ter, and the fruit boiling hot poured in, fill¬ 
ing it just up to the bottom of the cover. 
The cover, which has previously been pre¬ 
pared with a piece of cotton cloth dipped in 
melted wax and placed upon its under side 
and extending over the edge all around, is 
then placed upon the fruit and firmly press¬ 
ed down. A layer of beeswax is then pour¬ 
ed around the edge and over the top, and 
cooled by applying a cloth wrung out of cold 
water. As soon as the wax begins to har¬ 
den, it is pressed down around the rim of 
the cover with the fingers, care being taken 
that the liquid that may have oozed out in 
pressing it down, does not prevent the per¬ 
fect adhesion of the wax both to the cover 
and jar. Before the jar is entirely cold a 
little more melted wax is put upon the most 
exposed parts. 
We do not claim that this process is as 
perfect as that adopted in the use of the 
screw-covered “air-tight” tin cans, but.it 
has some advantages. The stone jars of 
good quality can usually be obtained where 
the tin cans are not accessible. The well- 
glazed vessels are not acted upon by any 
acid in the fruit. The wide opening of the 
jars renders it easy to preserve the large 
fruits, such as peaches, in a whole state. 
The stone jars are quite cheap ; a dozen of 
superior quality cost us $1,50. 
There is a manifest advantage in the use 
of small jars over the larger sizes, for all 
kinds of preserves, as the first cost of the 
former is but a little greater, proportionally, 
while if those holding one or two quarts are 
used, only that amount of fruit need be 
opened at any one time. 
We say then, those who can, may well 
provide themselves with some of the tin 
cans for tomatoes and sweet fruits, getting 
jars for the tart kinds ; and all may easily 
procure small jars enough to supply them¬ 
selves with the luxury of fresh fruits the 
year round.—[E d. 
A Hopeful Youth. —“ You want a flog¬ 
ging, that’s what you do,” said a parent to 
his unruly son. “ I know it, dad, but I’ll 
try to get along without it.” 
