188 
THE CULTIVATOR 
June, 
Transplanting Evergreens. 
Messrs. Editors —Will you or some of your read¬ 
ers, inform me of the proper time and manner of 
transplanting evergreen trees, such as spruce, balsam, 
and others of that species—also whether apole trees 
that are root-grafted, are as fruitful as those of top¬ 
grafting, and the best method of treating apple trees 
that have too large tops and long limbs, say trees 
eight to ten feet in height'? W. <S. J. Otego, N; Y. 
The proper time to transplant evergreens is in the 
spring when other trees are transplanted, but as they 
do nol start quite so early, the operation may be defer¬ 
red a little later. The practice, so often recommen¬ 
ded, of doing it in summer, is copied from the English 
and Scotch mode, where their humid climate enables 
them to perform operations not at all suited to tjiis 
country. It sometimes has happened, however, when 
everything has proved favorable, that summer plant¬ 
ing has proved successful. 
There is pne simple rule to be observed in the re¬ 
moval of everrgeens, which will in all cases insure 
their success; and without its observance, failure will 
generally be the result. This is the removal of a por¬ 
tion of the soil with the roots. We have never known 
a white pine to live with denuded roots : and never a 
failure when a ball of earth was taken with them. The 
earth need not be frozen—it is easier to take it up if 
not frozen. Balsam firs, and some other evergreens Oi 
more successful removal, where grown in swamps, can¬ 
not be taken with earth ; in this instance, it is absolute¬ 
ly necessary to preserve the roots from becoming dry 
for a moment , even the outer bark, by instant immer¬ 
sion in mud or wet moss. 
Western cultivators have had a long controversy 
whether root grafted apple trees will bear as well as 
others—and many apparently decisive cases have been 
given on both sides. Eor trees equally thrifty, we do 
not believe there is any difference whatever. We have 
had hundreds of young root-grafted trees bear in the 
nursery rows, as young as those budded or “stock-graft¬ 
ed.” 
To reduce the tops of trees, cut back and thin down, 
by cutting off the branches where side-branches strike 
off, so as not to leave stumps. 
Apple Insect. 
I have lost several choice young apple trees by the 
depredations of an uncouth white worm, much resem¬ 
bling the grub which infests the peach tree at the 
surface of the ground. It insinuates itself under the 
bark, a few inches from the ground, feeding raven¬ 
ously upon the inner bark, leaving its excrement like 
discolored saw-dust in its track; and frequently, be¬ 
fore I have been enabled to detect its presence by 
any change in the exterior appearance, large patches 
of the bark are killed, and the trees sometimes nearly 
girdled. 
Know you anything of the villain’s antipathies, 
habits or lineage ? or have I not sufficiently indicated 
his “ ear marks.” M. L. Fitch. Paw Paw, Mich. 
We know of no insect of the habits described by our 
correspondent. It cannot be the Borer, because the 
latter penetrates the wood. Insects usually understand 
botanical distinctions, and hence we should not expect 
the peach grub to make the blunder of mistaking an 
apple for a peach. There appears to be quite a simi¬ 
larity in the mode of operation of the peach worm and 
this newly discovered insect; and it is not improbably 
a species of JEgeria , distinct from the exitiosa Or 
peach worm. Dr. Harris discovered another species, 
inhabiting the pear and confined to its bark, but not 
existing to much extent, and this may be similar in its 
character. All these conjectures are derived from the 
habits, as we are not furnished with an accurate de¬ 
scription or with the perfect insect,—which may be ob¬ 
tained by placing the cocoons under a covering of gauze. 
Agricultural Boilers. 
I would like to know through the Country Gentle¬ 
man, where 1 can obtain the best Agricultural Boiler 
for cooking feed for stock, with the price of one of 30 
or 40 gallons. D. P. Bailey. Fairfield , Yt . 
Probably the best is MotVs Agricultural Furnace , 
which has been extensively used for several years past. 
It is wholly of cast iron, the stove and boiler being con¬ 
nected together, and the whole being quite portable. 
The fire passes around the boiler, through a thin space 
surrounding its entire outer surface, and a very small 
quantity of wood will heat a large body of water, re¬ 
quiring not over one-third of the fuel needed for a 
kettle set in a common brick “ arch.’’ Probably these 
boilers may be had at most of the Agricultural ware¬ 
houses, but we do not know the price. 
For cooking on a large scale, a steam boiler and 
tight box or vat, will be most efficient and economical. 
VINEGAR FROM BEETS. 
Will you or some of your correspondents give a re¬ 
ceipt for making vinegar from the beet root, and also 
from the stalks of rhubarb or pie-plant. I hav§ read 
and paid for the Cultivator for more than ten years 
excepting the last volume, and I believe that this is 
the first time that I have asked for information through 
its columns. I feel lost without the Cultivator even 
here among the golden hills of California, and enclose 
you a dollar for the last and current vols. N. E. 
Chaffee. Columbia, California , March, 1854. 
The following is the mode usually practiced :—Grate 
the washed beets, express the roots in a cheese press, 
or other press of similar character, and place the liquor 
in a clean barrel, covering the bung-hole with gauze, 
and place it in the sun. In a few weeks the fermen¬ 
tation will have advanced sufficiently to produce good 
vinegar. It is said one bushel of sugar beets will 
