90 
jm 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
aanff »a«H 
Inquiries, Correspondence, &c, 
Peach Worm. 
Messrs. Editors —Has there been any preventive discovered 
to the ravages of the peach worm or grub, which threatens to 
destroy this most delicious of fruits. I have some fine trees 
which I find have been attacked. I am loth to lose them, and 
any information you may be able to give, will be thankfully re¬ 
ceived by one, at least, of your many Subscribers. 
If the trees are already infested by the grub, let them 
be carefully examined around the root, and every worm 
dissected out of the bark. Complete excision will alone 
save the tree ; at least such is the opinion of some of 
the most successful peach growers. With this evil, pre¬ 
vention is better than cure, and fortunately since atten¬ 
tion has been directed to this point, methods have been 
discovered which appear to be effectual in preventing 
the attacks of the parent moth or fly. Planting the red 
cedar with the peach tree in the same hole, and leaving 
the roots and stems in as near contact as possible, has 
been found by experience to preserve the peach, the 
odor of the cedar being offensive to the parent of the 
grub, and the slow growth of this shrub preventing any 
injury to the peach. In an excellent article on the 
peach worm, by Prof. Kirtland of Ohio, after a de¬ 
scription of the parent insect, and its mode of injuring 
the tree, he says—“ Tansy and wormwood contain large 
quantities of essential oil, which is peculiarly offensive 
to this insect; and it is found that if the body of the 
peach tree be surrounded by half a dozen sprouts of 
either of these vegetables, it will be perfectly secured 
against the approaches of this destructive enemy. They 
should be planted in the spring nearly in contact with 
the body of the tree, and so as to surround it. During 
the summer they should be cultivated, and kept free 
from grass. In this way they form a permanent and 
successful means of defence against the insect that has 
nearly exterminated the peach tree from many sections 
of our country.” — 
The Curculio. 
Messrs. Editors —Can you inform the friends of the Cultiva¬ 
tor how the Curculio, the bug which destroys so many plums, 
cherries, &c., ascends the tree? Whether on wings or legsf 
If on legs like the female of the canker worm, I can manage 
them with a lead trough, but if on wings, I want help. J. P. 
Meriden, Ct. 
The Curculio about which Mr. P. inquires, rises from 
the ground a perfect insect, provided with wings, and 
although not so much inclined to use them as some in¬ 
sects, does use them in short flights, and generally, if 
not always, reaches the young fruit by their aid. The 
damage sustained from the Curculio, is usually accom¬ 
plished in a few evenings, and a sudden violent jar or 
blow on the tree, will cause most of these insects to fall 
to the earth, where if they are received on sheets or 
canvass, they may be easily gathered and destroyed ; 
and if this operation is daily or nightly repeated, they 
will soon disappear, and the fruit be saved. If conveni¬ 
ent, a fruit orchard should have pigs run in it the early 
part of the season to gather the worm-eaten fruit as it 
falls. Multitudes of the Curculio worms that would 
otherwise escape into the earth, and be ready to attack 
the next year’s fruit, are thus destroyed. Geese, by 
devouring the first fruit that falls, are of much service, 
and even a coop of chickens will render aid by destroy¬ 
ing the bugs as they emerge, or securing the worm as it 
endeavors to hide in the earth. 
Building Chimneys. 
“ J. R.” of Sing Sing, says : 
“ I think you would confer a favor on the universal public by 
publishing directions for the construction of fire-places or chim¬ 
neys on philosophical principles, that will be sure to draw well. 
We know that heated or rarified air, is lighter than cold air, 
and consequently ascends ; that makes the draft; but to make 
that draft constant and certain, is what is wanted in building.” 
The subject here alluded to, is an important one ; and 
if any of our friends who understand these “ princi¬ 
ples,” will furnish us a paper on the subject, with such 
drawings as may be required to illustrate it. we will lay 
it before our readers with pleasure. 
The Apple Tree Borer. 
“ J. H. R.” of Wickford, R. I. in a communication, 
Bays: 
“ A gentleman who has a very beautiful and thrifty nursery 
of fruit trees, has suffered much for the past year or two from 
a very destructive little insect in the shape of a worm or grub, 
frequently denominated the ‘ Borer,’ about the size of, and white 
like the potato worm, which has attacked ,the trees near the 
root, or perhaps an inch or two above the surface of the soil, 
perforating the trunk, and leaving a hole about as large as that 
commonly made by a small nail gimlet, checking the growth of 
the young tree materially, and soon causing their decay. Any 
information throwing light on this matter through the columns 
of the Cultivator, will be thankfully received.” 
The grub or worm alluded to, is the larvae of a small 
black beetle or bug whicfl is furnished with an oviposi¬ 
tor, aided by which, the bark of the tree is pierced, 
usually, but not always, near the surface of the ground, 
and an egg deposited, which in time is hatched, and be¬ 
comes the destructive grub or borer alluded to. There 
are many kinds of this insect, some infesting one species 
of tree and some another, as the apple, peach, oak, lo¬ 
cust, &c., but all inflicting much injury. The eggs are 
in most cases deposited in July, and a careful examina¬ 
tion of the trees will show a spot from which the juice 
oozes, and the young worm be detected. If the boring 
has commenced, a small pile of fine dust will mark the 
place of the insect. At this time, a sharp pointed knife 
will extirpate him at once. If the boring is deeper, a 
flexible barbed wire may be used to extract the grub. 
For prevention, the mixing such substances with the 
earth around the tree, as are disagreeable to such in¬ 
sects or destructive to them, appears the most success¬ 
ful, although nothing as yet has been discovered that 
can be fully relied on. Ashes, or lime, spread around 
the tree to the depth of an inch, and 8 or 10 inches in 
width, appears to have been the most effectual reme¬ 
dies yet tried ; yet it is possible the cultivation of 
plants having a strong odor, and disagreeable to insects 
generally, such as wormwood, tansy, mint, &c., near 
or among the trees, as recommended by Prof. Kirtland 
of Ohio, in the case of the peach, might be still 
more successful. We think the experiment worthy a 
trial. — 
Green Fly or Aphis—Inquiry. 
“ Messrs. Editors —Will you inform your readers what will 
prevent or destroy the small green lice found on cabbage and 
turnep leaves while young, as some fine fields of ruta baga 
were destroyed the past season by them in this region? 
Brandon, Vt. R. Y. M.” 
We have found the Aphis, or green plant louse, allu¬ 
ded to in the above, very difficult to destroy, after being 
once permitted to establish themselves on the turnep or 
cabbage, as they multiply with astonishing rapidity, 
and in a manner as yet unknown in any other insect. 
The surest remedy is to make a frequent examination 
of your cabbages or turneps, and if a colony is disco¬ 
vered, to pick the leaf and crush the whole under the foot. 
In this way their multiplication may be in part at least 
checked. Mr. Bridgman in his excellent work on garden¬ 
ing, advises the gardener “ to have a hogshead always 
on hand in dry weather containing infusions made of 
waste tobacco, lime, soot, cow dung, elder, burdock 
leaves, &c.” A portion of these ingredients, or others, 
poisonous to insects, used moderately on plants, will 
produce a good effect. “ As liquid, however, cannot 
be conveniently used on a large piece of land, it may be 
necessary, if insects are numerous to sow tobacco dust, 
mixed with road dust, soot, ashes, lime, or charcoal 
dust in the proportion of half a bushel per acre every 
morning, until the plants are secure from their attacks.” 
Would not fumigating plants by turning a barrel over 
them and burning a sulphur match under them, be as 
fatal to the aphis, as it v r ould to the bee ? 
Hint to Agents. 
A friend who has taken much interest in procuring 
subscribers to the Cultivator, says : 
“ I have invariably given all the benefit of your terms to the 
individuals whose names I have forwarded, six copies for .$5, 
or $0,83 per copy, and have by even that small difference, indu¬ 
ced some to receive the work, that otherwise would have de¬ 
clined. I fully believe, that should your agents generally give 
this opportunity to subscribers, your list would be increased 
one-third, and the benefit to community incalculable. The 
small trifle I pay for my paper, I consider lays me under other 
obligations for the benefit received.” 
Silk Culture. 
The readers of the Cultivator are aware that there 
was last year much disappointment among silk growers, 
arising from the loss of the worms by sickness. The 
following from J. M. Dupre, Esq., of New Orleans, re¬ 
lates to the subject. We have our doubts whether the 
cause assigned is the correct one ; and think that the 
disease and the cure will be found the same here as in 
Europe, and which will be found described in another 
part of this number of the Cultivator : 
“I have lately had some conversation with some gentlemen 
from the south of France, on diseases of the silk worm; one 
from Valence, and the other from Lyons, and they agreed per¬ 
fectly in opinion as to the best method of preventing or provi¬ 
ding against the disease of silk worms which occasions their 
destruction in the last period of their existence. These gen¬ 
tlemen pretend that the leaf of the multicaulis imbibes too 
much moisture, and produces a kind of malady which kills 
these worms at the fourth time of shedding their skins. They 
affirm with confidence, that the leaf of the Chinese White Mul¬ 
berry, called Elata, is more nutritious, and far less susceptible 
of fermentation. The worms fed on this leaf are more strong 
and vigorous, and finish the winding of their silk ; but supported 
by the Multicaulis, they often die before commencing their 
work, or in the cocoon before completing it. The Elata, or 
White Chinese Mulberry, thrives better in the open fields, what¬ 
ever may be the climate, and suffers no injury from the cold; 
but the leaves should not be gathered the first year after they 
are transplanted, as there would be great risk of their failure.” 
Corn Suckers—Inquiry. 
Messrs. Editors— I find that, some of the best cultivators of 
our great crop, Indian corn, differ in opinion as to the proprie¬ 
ty of pulling the sprouts or suckers from the growing crop; 
some contending that it adds to the crop to remove them, while 
others maintain they are useful. I should be pleased to learn 
your opinion. Ohio, April, 1841. L. H. 
We never remove the suckers from Indian corn, as 
we think the practice not warranted either on the score 
of labor or productiveness. Some experiments, made a 
number of years since, convinced us that it was better 
to let them remain, and we have seen nothing since to 
induce a change of opinion. 
In the first place, it is no inconsiderable labor to re¬ 
move the suckers from twenty acres of corn, and when 
removed, they are usually lost to all economical purpo¬ 
ses, when if suffered to remain, they form a large quan¬ 
tity of the very best of fodder. 
In the second place, it seems that in many cases, the 
blossoms on the suckers are necessary to the perfection 
of the grain. The main stalks shoot up their stems, 
blossom, and shed their pollen or fructifying dust, all in 
the course of a few days, impregnating the principal 
ears through their silks, and then drying up. Now 
there is in every corn field many later ears set, which 
require the application of pollen, or no grains will be 
produced ; and the blossoms from the suckers appear 
exactly adapted to this emergency. 
It is possible a vigorous sucker may detract something 
from the size of the main stem, and perhaps diminish in 
some slight degree the ears growing upon it, but the ad¬ 
ditional ears gained always more than compensates 
these partial deficiencies, and leaves the additional fod¬ 
der as a clear gain. 
Since writing the foregoing, we have noticed the re¬ 
sults of an experiment on this subject, communicated 
for the Southern Planter, which corroborates the opin¬ 
ion we have advanced above. The experiment was 
made in a field' of thirty-five acres, and eight rows in a 
place were operated upon. The extractis from the jour¬ 
nal of farm labor, &c., a book that should be kept on 
every farm : 
“ August 15.—I counted nineteen ears of corn upon eight hills 
of corn in one place, upon which the suckeTshad been left. On 
the same row adjoining, I counted sixteen ears upon eight 
hills, upon which the suckers had been taken away. 
“In another place, I counted upon eight hills, nineteen ears 
upon the corn and suckers, and thirteen ears on the same row 
on eight hills upon the stalks without. 
“ In another place, fifteen ears upon the stalks with suckers, 
and twelve on those without. 
“The fodder on the eight rows throughout the field, must 
have been treble as much as upon any other eight rows in the 
same field. 
“November 17—Measured the corn taken from thirty-two 
hills, (four rows of eight hills each) upon which the suckers 
had been left, and thirty-two hills adjoining, (four rows of 
eight hills) from which the suckers had been taken away and 
the result was as follows :—The stalks with suckers made six¬ 
teen quarts and a half pint (of shelled corn) and the stalks 
without suckers made even sixteen quarts.” 
From a variety of similar experiments on record, it 
appears that in pulling the suckers from corn, the labor 
is worse than thrown away, and in respect to quantity 
of grain, fodder, and saving of labor, it is best to let 
them remain. — 
Disease of Cattle. 
The following is from a gentleman of Virginia, and 
its object is to draw from some of our subscribers “ the 
name and cure of the disease” described. We think it 
a case of the swelled head or jaw, which sometimes oc¬ 
curs in the south and west, and which, judging from the 
representations given of it, is usually incurable : 
Messrs. Editors— A short time since, I had an ox taken with 
a swelling under his jaws and throat, together with a conside¬ 
rable swelling under his tongue ; the tongue itself did not seem 
to be affected. The swelling remained perfectly hard to the 
last; I stuck my knife into it, but nothing but blood came from 
it. He neither eat nor drank from the time he was taken, seem¬ 
ed to suffer much, had a high fever, judging from his appear¬ 
ance, (not knowing where to feel for the pulse,)—[the best way 
to ascertain the pulsation of the ox, is by the beating of the 
heart itself, known by placing the hand on the left side, a little 
within and behind the elbow. The average pulse of a full grown 
healthy ox, is about 40—Eds. Cult.] and died on the fifth day. 
It has been suggested to me, that the disease was the murrain, 
and that to cure it, nothing more was necessary than to cut a 
hole in the dewlap, and secure a piece of tobacco in it. 
— S. B. J. 
Cedar Hedges. 
Hugh Gaston, who makes some inquiries on this 
subject, is informe'd that the berries of the Cedar are to 
be gathered in December, thoroughly cleansed by rub¬ 
bing off the resinous matter, put into unslaked ashes, 
and after two weeks, plant them in rows like peas. 
They may be transplanted in about two years, into a 
rich light soil formed for the purpose, and in seven or 
eight years with proper trimming, make a beautiful 
hedge. If at the expiration of the two weeks’ prepara 
tion in ashes, the ground should be Irozen, they must 
be mixed up with earth in a box, and placed in an ex¬ 
posed situation, until the first thaw, or till the earth can 
be fitted for their reception. In trimming the cedar or 
pruning, care must be taken not to disturb the center or 
leading shoot, as in that case the tree frequently perish- 
CS •’ — 
Making Mush by Steam. 
Geo. Esterly, Esq., of Wisconsin, inquires “ wheth¬ 
er mush can or cannot be cooked by steam ; and if so, 
what kind of mush boiler and fixtures, would be best 
adapted to a ninety gallon boiler. He wishes an appa¬ 
ratus sufficient to fatten 150 hogs, and feed them on 
mush and roots.” 
We have never known a steamer for mush, but pre¬ 
sume one might be constructed, for either boiling or 
steaming on a large scale. In making mush in the com- 
mon way, it is continually burning on the kettle. This 
might be obviated by having a double kettle or boiler 
made so that a stratum of boiling water would inter¬ 
vene between the two. Sheet iron double vats might 
be made in this way of any desired capacity, and the 
mush boiled readily without the possibility of burning. 
If any of our subscribers are acquainted with a mush 
steamer, they would confer a favor by sending us a de¬ 
scription for the Cultivator. 
Rotation of Crops. 
“ P. E. P.” of Charlotte, Vt. inquires respecting the 
proper course of rotation, and the treatment of a parti¬ 
cular field last year in rye, now in clover. 
Give your manure to your roots and corn ; follow these 
with your spring grains and clover ; and let wheat fol¬ 
low the last. The time or rotation must depend on cir¬ 
cumstances, the crops you wish to cultivate, &c. Clo¬ 
ver should not be plowed up until the third year. Il 
may thus be pastured the fall of the first, and the whole 
of the second year, and mowed the third, before being 
plowed for wheat; or pastured the whole time, which 
is done by many of our wheat growers. The man wffio 
manages his farm upon system, who has every field in 
a state to grow any crop he wishes to put upon it, and 
