256 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
stroy them with <{ soap, ley, ashes, lime, copperas, sul¬ 
phur, plaster, tobacco, spirits turpentine, salt, coal-tar, 
charcoal, assafeetida, and a whole apothecary shop of 
other drugs.” He calls for the observations and experi¬ 
ments of others. He proposes for this insect the elegant 
name of “ pear devil.” 
Peeling the Epirdermis op the Cherry Tree.— 
Some of our readers know very well the disaster which 
often befalls cherry trees in the west, by the bursting of 
the bark. Prof. Turner says that since he adopted the 
practice of peeling off the epidermis, or thin dead ex¬ 
terior skin of the bark, he has not lost a tree, except a 
small one killed by winter, from peeling in autumn. 
Culture of the Calceolaria. —An excellent practi¬ 
cal article on the culture of this interesting ornament, 
by which the finest variegated pltmts may be obtained 
“ four feet in diameter with over a hundred flower-stems,” 
is too minute and extended for even a brief outline. We 
copy, however, the following hints, as they apply well to 
sowing all small flower-seeds:—•“ Cover very slightly, and 
remember never to allow the surface of the soil to be¬ 
come dry. Cover it over thinly with moss, to prevent 
evaporation. There is generally great difficulty com¬ 
plained of in getting the seed up. It is generally sown 
and watered-—and watered again when dry—and so on, 
and probably never comes up at all. The simple fact is, 
the seed when first damp begins to germinate, and if it 
is then allowed to become dry, it is of course, killed in 
the germ. Keeping it constantly damp will obviate this.” 
Transplanting Evergreens. —A good article on this 
subject urges (what we have long since endeavored to 
enforce) “ that, the roots, while out of the ground, should 
be kept moist—that they should never for a moment even, 
become dried during the proceess of transplanting .” 
Hence a rainy day is recommended, in all cases, and es¬ 
pecially where the roots are denuded. A few experi¬ 
ments are given. A long screen of Arborvitse were set 
out in a stormy week, with the sod on. Six were set 
aside in a tub of water—four were left exposed to a dry¬ 
ing wind. These four only died, out of two hundred 
and ten. The six, after three weeksneglect in the water, 
all survived. Again, fifty Norway Spruces, were set out 
in a moist day. One, by mistake, was left, and received 
a few hours of sunshine—this only died. [We have suc¬ 
ceeded well with some sorts, brought long distances, by 
insisting on the instant immersion of the roots in water, 
as soon as up—packing in wet moss,kept soaked with water 
—the roots plunged in mud as soon as received, and laid 
in —and again mudded, and the earth well settled with 
water, when transplanted. Removing plenty of earth 
on the roots—an infallible mode,—besides preserving all 
the small fibres, keeps the roots constantly moist. Eds. 
Cult.] 
Yines for Yerandas. —The Prairie Roses are re¬ 
commended as best for this purpose—among which the 
Linnaean Hill Beauty, (light rosy blush,) Triumphant, 
(lively red,) Baltimore Belle, (white,) and Queen of 
Prairies, (rosy red,) all very double, and profuse bloom¬ 
ers, are highly commended. They grow rapidly, and 
will cover a veranda the second season. The Chinese 
Wistaria, the Chinese Honeysuckle, and the Dutchman’s 
Pipe, are also highly approved. The common sweet- 
scented honeysuckle is objected to on account of insects. 
Salt for Quinces. —A top dressing of two quarts for 
each tree, applied in spring, dissolves slowly, without in¬ 
jury to the tree, improving both tree and fruit. 
Tomatoes. —A Schenectady correspondent prunes off 
every few days, all the side shoots of his plants, leaving 
four main branches, which are staked up, and which 
grow seven to nine feet in a season in consequence. He 
states that he raises earlier, better, and more tomatoes, 
than by any other mode. 
July, 
ANSWER S TO 1N QU1RI ES. 
Husk Beds—Cotton Mattrasses. 
[The following has been kindly furnished by an intelli¬ 
gent female friend, in answer to the inquiry of our Ten¬ 
nessee correspondent. ] 
Take the inner husks at early husking time, before 
there is any danger of mildew from autumn rains—and 
strip them through once or twice with an old three pronged 
dining fork. Ten bushels will yield enough to make a 
good bed- Twenty bushels will not be too much for a 
good thick mattrass. But I much prefer a simple bed, 
as they can be so easily renewed each season, by the ad¬ 
dition of one or two bushels of fresh husks. When these 
cannot be obtained, I wash the husks and dry them in 
the sun, which renders them sweet and free from dust. 
Cotton mattrasses may be made by placing the tick in 
a common quilting frame, in the same manner as we do 
a quilt • then laying on cotton batting with great care, so 
as not to have any hard, uneven spots in it,—then tack 
it through, with a packing needle and some strong car¬ 
pet warp, in spaces of eight or ten inches apart. Such 
an one, well made, will continue good for at least five 
years, and then bring nearly quarter the original cost, as 
old rags. 
I have recently heard of another kind of domestic 
manufacture in the form of splint beds, but not having 
sufficient knowledge of them, to write definitely on the 
subject, I will defer it until the next number of the Cul¬ 
tivator. E. S. Macedon, 6th mo. 22, 1852. 
-- 
Lice on Colts. 
I should like to have you tell me through the Cultiva¬ 
tor, what will kill lice on colts, and oblige Geo. M. Bar¬ 
ber. New-Hartford, Conn. 
It is said that horses become lousy from hens, when 
the roost is too near the stable. It is worthy of inquiry 
whether they are infested by other species of lice—re¬ 
quiring different treatment. A skillful agricultural friend 
informs us that he has found two remedies effectual for 
this difficulty—the first, washing the animal in a decoc¬ 
tion of tobacco, which needs repeating two or three times 
to be complete; and secondly,rubbing dryashes all through 
the hair, and then turning the animal out in a rain storm 
—this is a rather sharp remedy, destroying a part of the 
hair. Cole, in his “ Diseases of Animals,” says that 
horses badly infested have been at once relieved by soak¬ 
ing all over in “ new rum.” The removal of all litter 
which may contain lice, whitewashing walls, and brush¬ 
ing, washing and oiling harness, must not be overlooked, 
in connection with the remedies. 
Grub in Cattle—Garget. 
1. What causes the grub in the backs of cattle. 2. Is 
it injurious to the cattle. 3. What will prevent it? I 
find it more likely to be on cattle of thin flesh than in fat 
cattle—why is this? 
4. What will cure the garget in cows—can they bo 
cured after having been affected a year, so as to be good 
milkers again? J. P. Holt. Lyme , N. H. 
The grub is caused by the gad-fly, which deposits its 
