ON BLIGHTS. 
23 
with such food they multiply exceedingly, and are instrumental in 
promoting the distemper, so that many times when the season proves 
favourable to them, and proper care has not been taken to prevent 
their depredations, it is surprising how soon whole walls of trees have 
suffered by contagion. The best known remedy for this distemper is, 
to take in the spring, just before the buds begin to burst, two pounds 
of soft soap, one pound of black sulphur, eight ounces of tobacco, a tea 
cup full of urine, three tea spoonsful of oil of turpentine, and one 
ounce of nux vomica, to which add four gallons of rain water, boil 
them together till about the consistency of paint, to be put on when 
about milk warm with a brush, such as is used for painting. If 
attacked in the spring or summer, take one pound of black sulphur, one 
pound of soft soap, and four ounces of tobacco, to which add four 
gallons of rain water, to be put on with a sweeping brush, and used 
milk warm; the garden engine may be used freely over the trees when 
the fruit is fairly set, with pure water, as long as is thought necessary, 
to clear them if possible from this glutinous matter, so that the respi¬ 
ration and perspiratiou may not be obstructed; but whenever the 
operation of washing the trees is performed, it should be early in the 
day, that the moisture may be exhaled before the coldness of night 
comes on, especially if the air be frosty; nor should it be done when 
the sun shines very hot upon the walls, which would be likely to scorch 
the tender blossoms. 
Another cause of blights in the spring arises from sharp hoar frosts, 
which are often succeeded by hot sun-shine in the day time; this is 
the most sudden and certain destroyer of fruit that is known; as the 
chilly air at night hurts the tender parts of the blossoms, and the sun 
shining hot upon the walls before the moisture is dried from them, 
which being in small globules, collect the rays of the sun, a scalding 
heat is thereby acquired, which scorches the tender parts of flowers and 
other parts of plants. The method to prevent this mischief is, to 
cover the walls with bunting or canvass, fastened so as not to be dis¬ 
turbed by the wind, and suffered to remain on during the night, but 
taken off every day when the weather permits; although that method 
is thought by some to be of little service and may be really prejudicial 
if the trees be too long covered, or incautiously exposed, yet when this 
covering is used properly, it frequently proves a great protection to 
fruit-trees ; and if the covering be fixed near the upper part of a wall, 
and be fastened to pullies so as to draw up or let down occasionally, 
the operation will be easy and the success will sufficiently repay the 
trouble. 
