1852. 
115 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
sent, for it is well known that on most plants they pre* 
fer almost exclusively, the small, young foliage, in juicy 
tender state, just developed from the bud. It is at this 
time, that the texture of the leaf is injured, which after¬ 
wards shows itself in the deformity. On the grape-vine 
you will find the young tendrils as well as the leaf buds, 
and these parts alohe are covered by the aphides. But 
the blistered leaves are rare, and not conspicuous on the 
grape. 
When we apply these hints to the peach tree, and 
search for the aphis, after the tree attracts our attention 
by being covered with curled and blistered leaves—quite 
green, not yet yellow ones—we shall be disappointed. 
We may not even find his cast skin. But if we had ex¬ 
amined earlier in the season, in a chilly, wet spring, or 
even when snow may lie on the earliest half-grown leaves, 
we would have discovered him readily enough. 
This may explain why some who have observed but 
casually and insufficiently, suspect that this curl of the leaf 
is caused by frost and chilly weather. The truth is, 
that the aphides generally bear a considerable degree of 
cold; and that they remain but a short time on the peach 
tree, and only at that early season. They may be found 
on the common red cherry tree occasionally, in the same 
way, but in smaller numbers, so as to affect but few 
leaves. These are facts readily established. Why have 
they not been established long ago? 
What is the yellows of the peach tree? If we consult 
Gardner’s Farming Dictionary, we may conclude that 
it is merely the dying condition of the tree, from what¬ 
ever cause, in which he includes the depredation of the 
aphis or tree louse. But from this slovenly account and 
inaccurate definition, we might suppose that the investi¬ 
gation of the cause of the form of disease to which the 
term is proper, had not been commenced yet. A good 
account of the indications and progress of it is to be 
found somewhere, and would be far more appropriate 
than many things to be found in that book. 
Again, as to the leafless condition of the buttonwood 
tree; if one walks in the woods at the time when the 
oak leaves are expanding, he may find under the trees, 
the ground thinly strewn with the young, pinkish , wool¬ 
ly oak leaves. This is the work of a brown beetle, which 
some one has said to be the ashy-green cut-worm in its 
perfect state, though Gardner tells us, under the head 
of “ Cut-worm,” that the latter is developed into a pink 
or brown moth. This is worth settling. However, what 
Gardner quotes, Swainson or Loudon, under the head 
of “ Isects,” about the cock chaffer, whose larvae is the 
common white grub, with a red or orange head—might 
he applied to it with little alteration. They do not al¬ 
ways scatter the young leaves as they do of the white 
oak. 
I have seen whole branches of a young elm at the top, 
entirely denuded until late in the season, by this depre¬ 
dator. How shall we detect him so as to prove it upon 
him? Not by shaking the tree at noon, when he is asleep, 
as is recommended for the cock chaffer; nor would the 
most powerful glasses applied to all parts of this young 
elm. find him out. It was necessary to shake the tree 
after dark , and these beetles were heard dropping on the 
ground in great numbers. But they had to be sought 
with a lantern, and nimbly seized before they took wing. 
This sprinkling of oak leaves is to be found as far as 
Georgia, and so too, are buttonwood trees dying young. 
Has any one shaken the branches of the buttonwood at 
night, in the proper season, to discover the cause of the 
disease? 
For the diseases of vegetation generally, particularly 
where they are prevalent, the insect world presents the 
most hopeful source of knowledge. Even for the potato 
rot, there is still some hope from this quarter, although 
the most powerful magnifiers may be unsuccessfully ap¬ 
plied. There are insects that perforate the leaf, and 
there are others that burrow in the stalk, where the rot 
appears; it may be none of these; yet there are a varie¬ 
ty of modes of investigation, not yet philosophically pur¬ 
sued, nor accurately determined. What we want is first, 
that what may be readily proven, should be fixed and 
established. H. R. L. Rahway, N. J. 
-- 
Winter the Time to Think. 
Winter is the time for farmers to think —spring, sum¬ 
mer, and fall, to work; and the three latter season’s 
labor will bo to little profit, if the time of the first shall 
have been misspent. All the plans of next season’s 
operations should be laid and well considered during 
winter. All improvements, all designs for new opera¬ 
tion; all the work to be done, should then be considered 
and prepared for; so that, when the time for work ar¬ 
rives he will have nothing to do but to “go ahead.” 
Then he has no time to think; but if he has been wise 
during winter he will have no need of it. It is a pitiful 
sight to look at in the spring, when all nature is in an 
ecstacy of delight, to see a farmer flying about “ like a 
hen with her head cut off,” trying to do a thousand 
things at once, not knowing which to do first, running 
here and there in search of his rusty implements, some 
of which require repairs, some can’t be found; the plow¬ 
ing season passing away, the planting season rapidly ad¬ 
vancing, and he not prepared for anything. Oh! it is 
pitiful. Q. 
Culture of Potatoes. 
Having noticed many suggestions in the Cultivator, in 
relation to the potato rot,—I send you my experience the 
past season, in cultivating the potatoe. My soil of a 
light sandy loom—plowed pretty deep—thoroughly 
limed, planted first and second week in May, in hills 3| 
feet apart. One acre of “ blues” and whites, with ma¬ 
nure on the potato in each hill, before covering. One 
third rotted and one third did not come to half size; 
began to wilt in tops in July, died in August, taken up 
in September. 
One acre planted with long reds, commonly known in 
this country as the “ long Johns,” planted same as above 
—no manure—grew fine till cut down with October frost 
—fine, large, and little or no rot. 
The first acre worked with the plow and hoe, till 
July, yielded but fifty bushels. The second acre, work¬ 
ed with the hoe alone till July, and raised in middle of 
of October, yielded two hundred and thirty five bushels. 
Wherein have i failed, and what will be an effectual 
remedy? Yours truly, G. W. Youngman. Williams 
port, Lycoming county. Pa. 
