292 Account of a Larch Tree. 
from birds, worthy a page in your excellent Magazine, it is at your 
service. 
During the last six years, I have made use of quick-lime in spring, 
just when the buds of the trees are opening, 1 take the advantage 
of the trees being moistened by rain or dews, otherwise I sprinkle 
the bushes with water by syringe or engine; then with a quantify of 
fresh well fallen lime T give each bush a strong dusting over the bran¬ 
ches. I repeat the operation in the course of four or five days. 
Supposing that ^ at the time the buds were beginning to expand 
their foliage, the insects were then hatching, or about creeping from 
their hiding places; I was induced to adopt the application of lime, 
judging that it would not only destroy the young insects, but should 
any escape, it would, by adhering to the green buds, or young foliage, 
render the food of the insects poisonous. By attention to the mode 
described, I have never had any Caterpillars on the bushes at a later 
season of the year. 
It is^ my practice to prune the bushes in autumn, and to have the 
ground about their roots manured and dug. 
I have likewise found lime to be an excellent preservative of small 
seeds, as Broccoli, Turnip, Radish, &c., from the ravages of birds. 
When I sow a bed with seeds I immediately give it a strong dusting 
all over, to prevent the birds taking what seeds may accidentally be 
uncovered, as they will not eat the seeds when strongly covered 
with the lime. When 1 observe the plants coming up, I water the 
bed, or take advantage of dew, and give the bed another dusting. Tf 
the weather be rainy I repeat it if required, till T perceive the plants 
have got into rough leaf. 
I am, &c. 
Xovember 2, 1831. John Plant. 
Article IV .—Account of a Larch Tree^ with hints on the 
Propagation of the Araucaria. By Edward Murphy, 
Esq., Agent to the Horticultural and Arboricultural 
Societies of Ireland. 
Gentlemen, 
The Larch Tree, from which the accompanying sketch 
[fig. 37] was taken, occurs in one of the woods of Lady Mary Ross, 
at the Falls of the Clyde, in* Lanarkshire; it was thro^vn down by 
?iome accident, and a portion of the roots having remained uninjured, 
and the situation being moist and shaded, it not only continued alive. 
