June 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
127 
General experience testifies that the ambury of the 
turnip and cabbage usually attacks these crops when 
grown for successive years on the same soil. This is 
precisely what might be expected, for where the pa¬ 
rent insect always deposits her eggs, there are these 
embryo ravagers. That they never attack the plants 
upon a fresh site is not asserted; but the obnoxious 
weevil is most frequently to be observed in soils where 
the turnip or cabbage has recently and repeatedly been 
cultivated. 
Another general result of experience is, that the 
ambury is most frequently observed in dry seasons. 
This is also what might be anticipated, for insects 
that inhabit the earth just beneath its surface are 
always restricted and Checked in their movements by 
its abounding in moisture. Moreover, the plants 
actually affected by the ambury are more able to 
contend against the injury inflicted by the larva of 
the weevil, by the same copious supply. In wet sea¬ 
sons we have, in a very few instances, known an 
infected cabbage plant produce fresh healthy roots 
above the swelling of the ambury. 
Mr. Smith, gardener to M. Dell, Esq., of Woolsing- 
ton, in Northumberland, expresses his conviction, 
after several years’ experience, that charcoal-dust 
spread about half an inch deep upon the surface, and 
just mixed with it by the point of a spade, effectually 
prevents the occurrence of this disease. That this 
would be the case we might have surmised from 
analog)^, for charcoal-dust is offensive to many in¬ 
sects, and is one of the most powerful preventives of 
putrefaction known. Soot, we have reason to believe 
from a slight experience, is as effectual as charcoal- 
dust. Judging from theoretical reasons, we might 
conclude that it would be more specifical; for, in 
addition to its being, like charcoal, finely divided 
carbon, it contains sulphur, to which insects also 
have an antipathy. 
A slight dressing of the surface soil with a little of 
the dry gas lime, that may now be obtained so readily 
from the gas-works, will prevent the occurrence of the 
disease, by driving the weevils from the soil. Of 
the gas lime we recommend eight bushels per acre to 
be spread regularly by hand upon the surface after 
the turnip seed is sown, and before harrowing. For 
cabbages, twelve bushels per acre would not probably 
be to much, spread upon the surface and turned in 
with the spade or last ploughing. Although wo 
specify these quantities as those we calculate most 
correct, yet in all experiments it is best to try various 
proportions. Three or four bushels may be found 
sufficient; perhaps twelve, or even twenty, may not 
be too much. In cabbages the ambury may usually 
be avoided by frequent transplantings, for this enables 
the workman to remove the excrescences upon their 
first appearance, and renders the plants altogether 
more robust and woody; the plant in its tender sappy 
stage of growth being most open to the insects’ 
attacks. 
The warts or galls that so frequently may be 
noticed on the bulbs of turnips must not be mis¬ 
taken for the ambury in a mitigated form. If these 
are opened, they will usually be found to contain a 
yellowish maggot, the larva probably of some species 
of cynips. This insect deposits its eggs in the turnip 
when of larger growth than that at which it is attacked 
by the weevil, and the vegetable consequently suffers 
less from the injury; but the turnips thus infested 
suffer most from the frosts of winter, and are the 
earliest to decay. 
Finding it quite impossible to provide space in our 
present form for all the valuable information we have 
at our command, we have, to-day, enlarged our num¬ 
ber to sixteen pages. We shall make this increase 
permanently in the course of a few weeks, and, as in 
the present instance, without any increase in our 
price. 
THE ERUIT-GAEDEN. 
Training —At this period fruit-trees in general 
make most rapid growth, and, unless the early formed 
shoots are attended to in time, much havoc is com¬ 
mitted very frequently by storms, and most unsightly 
gaps in the trees may occur, which it will take con¬ 
siderable time to rectify. Training, therefore, of all 
kinds should commence immediately. The young 
trees slioxdd be first in course, for it is of the utmost 
importance to give these an early attention. There 
is no occasion, nevertheless, to attempt to nail or tie 
in all the shoots at this period; many will be either 
too short or too weak as yet. In fact, it is better to 
suffer all the weaker portion to grow for some time 
without training, for they will acquire more strength 
in their rude state. Wo have always been accus¬ 
tomed to consider early training of the strongest or 
most forward shoots as having a tendency to equalize 
the sap, for there is little doubt that a slight check is 
given to those shoots which are thus brought under 
discipline betimes. 
Another disbudding or pinching back will be requi¬ 
site immediately, previously to the nailing or train¬ 
ing. Some persons, however, perform this process 
during the course of the training, and a good plan it 
is; for a judicious tree manager, during the operation, 
will readily perceive which shoots are really neces¬ 
sary for another year, and which are superfluous. 
All of doubtful character may merely be pinched 
back, especially those which we have before termed 
successional shoots, forming a reserve to renovate 
the fabric of the tree, when, through age or hard 
bearing, the branches shew a tendency to become 
naked. The remarks here offered are intended to 
apply principally to the old fan training; for those 
under the horizontal or any special mode, some 
slight modification of the plan becomes necessary. 
It is well to go over all spur-bearing fruits as soon 
as possible, and endeavour to make a selection of the 
shoots which are to be tied down, according to the 
“ tying down ” process we have previously advised. 
We do not expect, however, that the shoots of proper 
character can bo well distinguished for another week 
or two. As soon as they can, let them at once be 
tied down on the principal shoots; this being done, 
the points may be pinched off most of those which 
