238 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
CUTTING BUSHES AND THISTLES. 
From a time the memory of man goeth not beyond, 
our forefathers have recommended the “ old of the moon 
in August” as the best time to kill bushes by cutting 
them. The time recommended may be a good one for 
this latitude, though we are not lunatics enough to be¬ 
lieve that lunar influence has much to do with the effect 
of that operation. All may have noticed that there is a 
time in the summer when the growth of shrubs and trees 
stop, the wood hardens, and the buds of the next year 
form. According to our experience, it is at this particu¬ 
lar juncture, when the sap undergoes a change, “ turns,” 
as the phrase is, that bushes are most likely to be killed 
by being cut. This change may take place earlier or la¬ 
ter in different latitudes, or in different seasons, and hence 
we think it cannot depend on the position or phases of 
the moon. 
The best mode of exterminating briars, that we have 
ever known, is to mow them close to the ground with a 
stout scythe, soon after the growth for the season has 
stopped, and afterwards pasture the ground with sheep. 
The sheep is very fond of the briar when it first starts 
from the ground, and if a sufficient number are turned on 
to eat the briars as fast as they appear, two seasons will 
generally exterminate them. They will not generally 
start much the same season they are cut, but it is impor¬ 
tant they should be fed down. 
Plowing briars, we have found rather to encourage 
their spread. Many of the roots run below the reach of 
the plow, and every piece of a root will send up a new 
shoot, so that the more they are cut, the more they grow, 
unless the roots are brought to the surface and carried off 
or dried and burnt. 
Bruising bushes has sometimes a better effect in killing 
them, than cutting, and for this purpose a tool called 
a “bush-whacker” is used. In killing whortle (or 
6i huckle”) berry bushes, sometimes troublesome in the 
rocky pastures of New England, this tool may be prefer¬ 
able to the scythe. 
We have had the best success in killing Canada thistles 
by mowing them when they were just past full bloom. 
The root will then die down to a great depth, and if the 
land is in grass, the sward will often spread over the 
thistle-patch and give the next year a crop of good clean 
hay. We have not seen the digging of thistles (that is 
the Canada thistles) attended with much advantage. The 
roots run very deep—we have traced them three feet be¬ 
low the surface—and a very small piece only may throw 
up a new shoot. The other kinds of thistles, which are 
only annual, or at most biennial, are easily killed by cut¬ 
ting them off with a hoe, or a tool made for the purpose, 
just below the crown. This should be done as soon as 
they can be readily seen, for they often occupy the ground 
to the exclusion of the grass, and besides, where they are 
large, the grass which grows near them, cannot be eaten 
by stock, on account of the annoyance occasioned by 
their prickly branches and leaves. We have sometimes 
seen cattle forced to leave the best part of the pasture by 
these pests. 
DISEASE IN COWS. 
Mr. John Richardson of Connecticut, inquires the 
name of, and remedy for a disease which has lately bro¬ 
ken out among milch cows, which is described as fol¬ 
lows: “ The first symptom is a stiffness in the limbs, 
which increases till the animal is hardly able to walk. 
The feet appear feverish, the hoofs grow long or shrivel 
up, the animal appears week across the hips, rises with 
difficulty, is soon very poor and of little worth through 
the season. Some have died, but they generally recruit 
in the fall after becoming dry.” From this description 
we cannot say what the disease is, and are therefore un¬ 
able to prescribe a remedy. 
The same writer inquires what are warbles in cattle. 
They are worms in the skin, produced from eggs depo¬ 
sited by a species of gad-fly (OSstrus bovis.) Every far¬ 
mer has seen them. The cattle dread the fly, and may 
frequently be seen running to the woods or bushes to 
avoid its attacks. The worms seem to occasion the cat¬ 
tle but little inconvenience, excepting that when they are 
nearly full grown, and are exposed to cold storms, their 
backs sometimes become sore from water soaking into 
the holes which the worm makes for its egress in the 
skin. 
GUANO. 
We have received from Mr. E. B. Brown, a small spe¬ 
cimen of Guano just imported into Connecticut from the 
bird islands of Africa, and we shall be glad to receive the 
larger quantity promised. It can be sent# in a box or 
cask, via New-York. Mr. B. makes some inquiries in 
regard to the mode of using it. In England it has been 
used for nearly all crops. Its comparative value is vari¬ 
ously estimated. Some reckon a bushel equal to a “cart¬ 
load” of stable-dung. From fifteen to thirty-five bushels 
are recommended per acre—or from two to four hundred 
pounds. It is usually sown on the surface, or not buried 
very deep. It is a very powerful manure, and grass and 
other crops are said to be sometimes l( burnt,” by apply¬ 
ing too much. The London Gardeners’ Chronicle gives 
the following directions for the application of this sub¬ 
stance : 
“1. It should never be applied in contact with seeds, 
as it kills them as soon as they begin to vegetate. 
2. It should be mixed as equally as possible with about 
four times its bulk of finely pulverized earth, or peat- 
ashes, (cold.) If sand is used, about twice its bulk will 
be sufficient. 
3. The quantity per acre may vary from two to four 
cwt., according to the nature and quality of the land. 
Recent experiments have shown that a quantity which 
proved highly beneficial in poor soil, became deleteri¬ 
ous upon land previously rich. 
4. The best time for applying it is shortly after vege¬ 
tation has commenced, and immediately before rain, or 
during damp warm weather. 
5. The best mode of application is, to divide the quan¬ 
tity per acre into two or three equal parts, and sow them 
broadcast at intervals of about ten days or a fortnight. 
6. For small allotments it may be more convenient to 
use it in a liquid state—in which case, mix 4 lbs. guano 
with 12 gallons of water, and let it stand for 24 hours be¬ 
fore being used. The same guano will do for mixing 
again with the same quantity of water, after the first is 
drawn off.” 
THE BEE MOTH. 
Mr. Thomas J. Lewis makes the following objections 
to “ Howell’s Bee-protector,” noticed in our June num¬ 
ber. He says he invented the same plan several years 
ago, but was obliged to give it up as worthless. “ 1st. 
Suppose there are six or more bees on the vibrating 
board next the hive, so as to depress it and allow them 
to enter, the bee moth will then have the same facility 
for entering as the bees, and there is no knowing how 
long it may be before the bees, or perhaps the bee-moth, 
will allow the entrance to close again. 2d. Should there 
be seven or more bees loitering on the other end of the 
board, which will close the entrance, then those upon 
the inside of the hive would have to call a meeting and 
appoint a committee of eight or more to counteract their 
weight, to let themselves out. 3d. On account of the ne¬ 
cessary delicacy of its structure, it would be very liable 
to gel out of order and prevent its operating from mois¬ 
ture swelling the wood or rusting the pivots, and dirt 
would be apt to collect from the inside on the end next 
the hive, keeping it open all the time. 4th. The con¬ 
finement to which the bees would be subjected by any 
such apparatus, or even a wire screen placed before the 
entrance at night, is very annoying to them, as has been 
proved by that gifted Apiarian, Mrs. Griffith of New-Jer¬ 
sey, the original inventor of the Charlieshope hive.” 
Mr. Lewis has considerably studied the habits of bees, 
and believes that he discovered several improvements for 
their management, which when perfected and proved, he 
intends to bring before the public. 
gqpF. The 17th annual Fair of the American Institute 
will commence on the 6th October, at Niblo’s Garden. 
