THE CULTIVATOR. 
23 
containing many thousand trees, it proved to be one of 
much labor. However, it produced the desired effect, 
for wherever the dry lime or ashes came in contact with 
the slimy coat of the insect, it produced death; and al¬ 
though it was impossible to destroy all, yet by this 
means their ravages were greatly checked. 
They were the most numerous on the lower leaves of 
the trees, and appeared to possess but little life, and, in 
their slow logy motions, resemble the snail; from this, 
I inferred that, by stripping or cutting off the lower 
leaves, and the insect once fairly on the ground, they 
would be unable to find their way up the tree again. 
The experiment was tried on several rows of young 
cherry trees; but, on a careful examination the next 
day, I found that the motions of the little depredators, 
by hunger, or from some other cause, had become 
greatly accelerated, and that they were ascending the 
trees in search of fresh leaves. 
Some kinds of pears were much more their favorites 
than others. The leaves of the common seedling pear 
would be almost covered with them, while the culti¬ 
vated kinds, along side, would not have one-fourth as 
many. On two pear trees, that stood alone in one part 
of the garden, they were suffered to remain unmolested. 
On the 4th of July, they had destroyed all of the leaves, 
and were in trouble for the want of food; that day, 
and the day following, they were passing up and down 
the tree, and soon all perished; and, for aught I know, 
this will be the way that they are to be exterminated, 
for should they appear and increase the next season, in 
the same ratio they have the past, the foliage on all the 
trees will not sustain them for one week, and then they 
must perish. 
As I have already remarked, this insect made its ap¬ 
pearance about the 20th of June, and disappeared about 
the middle of July. A second crop again made their ap¬ 
pearance the last of August, but not near as numerous as 
the first. But there were some peculiarities about this. 
In one of my nurseries, some fifty rods distant from my 
other nursery grounds, and containing some 12,000 or 
15 000 pear and cherry trees, and which nearly escaped 
the first attacks in June; yet, in the month of August, 
was much more seriously affected than any other part of 
my premises. 
A tree of the Boston Epargne pear, trained as an es¬ 
palier, cast all of its leaves early in July, but soon after 
put out in full leaf again; and, what is somewhat sin¬ 
gular, at this time, (Dec. 15,) after so much snow and 
frost, yet retains its green leaves, as fresh and fine as its 
neighbor, the Mcspilus pyracantha. 
It is certainly very desirable that the history of this 
troublesome insect should be more fully known. I be¬ 
lieve the point is not yet fully settled, whether the egg 
is deposited on the tree in the autumn, or deposited on 
the leaf, in the spring or summer. I am quite sanguine 
in the opinion, however, that the egg is deposited on 
the leaf by some winged insect. I am the more inclined 
to this opinion, from the fact the slug appears most nu¬ 
merous on the lower leaves; they remain on the leaves 
from three to four weeks, and then disappear. Many 
are found dead on the leaves, while a large majority of 
them fall on the ground. 
I have seen no notice of this insect in the columns 
of the Cultivator, yet it is quite possible that other parts 
of the country have been visited. Information on the 
subject is desired; and if this insect has ever appeared 
as numerous in any other place, let us know something 
about it, and what we may anticipate from it in future. 
Wishing that subscribers to your valuable paper may 
increase in the same ratio that this insect has, in western 
New York, for the last two years, I am, gentlemen, as 
ever, yours truly, B. Hodge. 
Bujfalo Nursery, Dec. 15, 1841. 
THE ICE MELON. 
Messrs. Editors —The seeds of the Ice Melon , re¬ 
ceived by you from the south, and part of which you 
kindly placed at my disposal, I planted in my garden, 
with the exception of a few hills, which I distributed 
to some friends. They fully answered the recommenda¬ 
tion given, being far superior to the ordinary melons 
grown in our gardens, or offered in our markets. The 
complaints made, that the planting of the citron melon 
in the same beds with the watermelon, has seriously de¬ 
teriorated the latter, by giving a thicker rind, and a 
less juicy and delicate meat, are evidently just to every 
one who purchases melons grown in the middle states 
for the northern markets. The icc melon has a rind 
so tiiin and brittle, that, when ripe, a gentle pressure 
of the thumb was sufficient to rupture it, and the flavor 
was of the richest kind. The melons were not large, 
whether owing to the extreme dryness of the season, or 
to the natural constitution of the fruit, I cannot say; 
but I think it will prove a great acquisition to the lovers 
of good melons. H. M. Gaylord. 
NEW VEGETABLE. 
We find the following notice in a late No. of the 
Mark-Lane (London) Express:—“At the meeting of the 
Horticultural Society, on Tuesday, Dr. Lindley drew 
attention to a new vegetable lately introduced into this 
country, and grown successfully at Chiswick, which is 
likely soon to become extensively cultivated for our 
markets. It is known by botanists as the Oxalis Deppii, 
and the flavor both of the stalks and the tubers is charac¬ 
teristic and quite distinct from any thing previously 
known at our tables. It has been grown extensively in 
Belgium, from whence it has been introduced here.” 
dJomeatk Qfwttmttg. 
PREPARATION OF HAMS. 
When well preserved, and well cured, there are few 
articles that are more acceptable at the table than smoked 
ham, yet it is often so improperly managed that no per¬ 
son possessing any pretension to taste, can swallow it 
with the least relish. Sometimes the fault is in the ani¬ 
mal itself, but much oftener in the salting and smoking; 
on these, indeed the great excellence of the ham may be 
said to be depending. 
A hog, to furnish the best hams, should not weigh more 
than 200 lbs. and should be fed on sound food, such 
as peas, corn, or barley. If he has had some range 
while feeding, the hams will be so much the better, as 
the muscular part or lean will be better developed, and 
more firm, than if closely confined. It is probably ow¬ 
ing to these causes (the smallness of the Westphalia and 
Virginia hams, and the hogs while fattening being- 
allowed to run at large,) that the bacon of these countries 
is so much superior to most others; although much may 
be allowed for the mode of preparation and smoking. 
Where a hog weighs from 300 to 500 pounds, the hams 
will be so large that the process of salting and smoking 
is rarely so perfect as to thoroughly permeate the mass 
of meat, and the consequence will be a large part of the 
center will be unfit for the table. Large hams require a 
longer time in curing and in smoking them than is usually 
allowed; the difference in size between small and large 
ones not being generally sufficiently considered. 
There are many ways of curing hams, each one of 
which has its advocates, and many of which do not es¬ 
sentially differ from each other. We shall give a few of 
the processes that have become the most noted, that the 
farmer may choose the one he shall deem most proper 
or convenient. 
Mr. Shelby’s method, as given by him after 20 years 
practice, is as follows:—“I measure a bushel of salt, 
spread it upon a table, weigh a pound of saltpetre, pulver¬ 
ize it carefully, and mix thoroughly with the salt. This 
mixture is sufficient for 1,000 lbs. of small meat or 800 
of large, to be well rubbed on every piece, and more 
especially on the fleshy surface. If the weather is mild 
and the meat small, four weeks will be long enough for 
the pieces to be packed; but if the weather is cold and 
the meat large, it should be taken up at the end of four 
weeks, well rubbed again with salt in case the first has 
dissolved, and lie two weeks longer.” 
The following is the celebrated “ Knickerbacker Pic¬ 
kle,” is equally good for beef or hams, and rarely fails, 
as we know from experience, of producing a good arti¬ 
cle :—“ Take 6 gallons of water, 9 lbs. of good salt, 3 
lbs. coarse brown sugar, 1 quart molasses, 3 ounces salt¬ 
petre, and 1 ounce pearlash; mix and boil the whole 
well, and skim off all impurities.” The meat to which 
this pickle is to be applied should be slightly rubbed with 
fine salt and lie one or two days, that the blood may be 
extracted and drain off; then pack it tight in casks, turn on 
the cold pickle, and let it remain till sufficiently cured for 
smoking. 
Mr, John Cockrill of Woodland, Ala. in the Southern 
Cultivator, thus describes his method of curing hams. 
“ My rule is to make a strong tea of red peppers, then 
to mix salt and hickory ashes, say one-fifth ashes; then 
moisten the mass with the pepper tea, and rub the hams 
and shoulders on the skin side with about a tea-spoon full 
of saltpetre to each joint; I then rub in the salt well, then 
rub the flesh side and pack it with salt, and place the 
pieces in a trough or tub. I let it remain undisturbed for 
six weeks; when I knock off the loose salt, take fine pea 
meal, and rub it completely over the flesh side and hang 
it in the smoke bouse. The meal will form a close crust 
and keep off the skipper fly.” 
The following is one of the easiest and most expedi¬ 
tious methods of curing and smoking hams, and we know 
makes a very respectable article. Take a good tight 
barrel, white oak is the best, take out one head, and in¬ 
vert it over a pan or kettle in which a smoke of hard 
wood chips, or cobs, is to be kept up for eight or ten 
days. Water must be kept on the head of the barrel to 
prevent it from drying. A pickle is made of six gallons 
of water, twelve pounds of salt, twelve ounces of salt¬ 
petre and two quarts of molasses, dissolved together in a 
kettle, boiled, and the scum taken off. The hams are 
packed in the barrel, the brine, cold, is turned on to them, 
and in one week the hams are fit for use. 
What is termed the Virginia mode, or in some places, 
the dry method of curing, as the hams do not lie in 
pickle at all, is as follows:—for each ham take a spoon- 
full of saltpetre, (a large tea spoon will do,) pulverize 
it finely and apply it; rub each piece with salt well on 
both sides, and pack them in hogsheads with holes bored 
in the bottom to let off the brine. Let them remain five 
or six weeks; then take them out, brush off the salt, rub 
each well with hickory ashes, and hang each piece in the 
smoke house. 
The celebrated pickle called the Empress of Russia’s 
Brine, and much used in Europe for curing hams:—Six 
pounds of common salt, two pounds of powdered loaf 
sugar, three ounces of saltpetre, and three gallons of 
spring water, are boiled together, skimmed, and when 
quite cold, poured over the meat, every part of which 
must be kept constantly covered. In this pickle hams of 
medium size are cured for smoking in two weeks. 
A process which gives good hams, and is called the 
Jersey mode of curing, is as follows:—To every 80 lbs. 
of ham, take 4 ounces of sugar, 3 ounces of saltpetre, 
and 1 pint of fine salt. Powder and mix them finely. 
Rub the hams well with this mixture, and lay them on 
planks for two days. Then pack them in casks, adding 
2 quarts of salt to every 80 lbs. of ham. In fifteen days 
they may be taken to the smoke house. 
Much of the goodness of a ham is depending on the 
manner in which it is smoked or dried. If the process 
is carried forward too rapidly, if the meat is not at a suf¬ 
ficient distance from the fire; if from any cause, such 
as want of ventilation, dampness of smoke house, &c. 
the meat is kept moist on the surface, and in a wet or 
dripping state, it is idle to expect good or fine flavored 
hams. In Virginia, the best hams are not considered 
thoroughly smoked in less time than two months, not 
keeping a smoke under them day and night for this time, 
but making a good smoke under them every morning, or 
daily. In this way they are cured by the smoke gradu¬ 
ally and thoroughly. Indeed the great art in smoking 
seems to consist in drying the meat by the smoke and not 
by heat. Hams may be smoked in a much less time than 
this, but they will not be of as fine a quality, nor will 
they keep as well. Nothing but materials that will 
produce smoke free from all unpleasant odors, should be 
used for smoking hams. Hickory or maple, are first rate; 
oak or ash will do very well; and the cobs of sound, 
well cured Indian corn make a good penetrating smoke. 
Hams are frequently injured by being exposed to too 
much heat in the process of smoking-. To avoid this, 
at Hamburg, the smoking establishments for both hams 
and beef, are in the upper stories of three or four story 
buildings, and the fire for producing the smoke is in the 
basement part of the building. The smoke is conducted 
in tubes, and every precaution is used that the smoke 
shall be thoroughly cooled in its passage. In hanging 
up hams for smoking, care must be taken that they do 
not touch each other, and they should invariably be sus¬ 
pended, so that the small part of the ham shall be down; 
as this will prevent the escape of the juices by dripping. 
Various methods have been recommended for the pre¬ 
servation of hams, such as packing them in hay, cut 
straw, the tow of flax, ashes, fine charcoal, and ma¬ 
ny other ways. The great object is to keep them cool 
and dry, and away from flies. Tow will effectually ex¬ 
clude flies; charcoal assists greatly in preserving them 
sweet; and ashes secure their dryness; but all these plans 
are open to the objection of making the ham dirty, or 
leaving it liable to mold. The best method, in all re¬ 
spects, we have known, is to place each ham in a bag of 
cotton cloth, closely tied up and hung up in a close and 
dark smoke house. Flies will not infest any place from 
which light is wholly excluded, and if a smoke is made 
under them once a week, it will greatly aid their preser¬ 
vation. As a security against flies, some of the establish¬ 
ments that produce hams of fine quality, are in the habit, 
while the process of smoking is going on, of throwing 
a few red peppers upon the fire once or twice a week; 
and a few burnt occasionally in the smoke house, while 
the hams remain in it, will kill, it is said, all flies that 
may have found their way into it. 
EXTRACTING GREASE SPOTS. 
One of the best methods of doing this, where drops 
have fallen on dresses, books, &c. is to place magnesia 
on the spot, rub it in, cover it with clean paper, and 
place over this a warm iron. The grease will combine 
with the magnesia, and be thus removed. Finely pow¬ 
dered chalk will do, but is not equal to magnesia. Re¬ 
peated operations, or applications of magnesia, may be 
necessary where considerable grease has fallen. 
THE RED ANT. 
One cf the greatest nuisances to the domestic manager 
is the small red ant. Any of the ant family are torment¬ 
ing enough, but this is a plague par excellence. The best 
w r ay to dispose of common ants is to find their beds, and 
as late in the season as is possible, or during a thaw in 
winter, open them with a spade, and thoroughly expose 
them to the changes of the season. This will destroy them. 
Where the red ant becomes troublesome, it is said that 
sage leaves fresh picked will keep them away,when scat¬ 
tered in the places it is wished to protect. 
REMOVING PUTTY. 
Great difficulty is frequently experienced, when glass 
is accidentally broken, in removing the old putty to re¬ 
place the pane. Moisten the putty with nitric or muria¬ 
tic acid, and it may be removed at once. Where these 
cannot be had, strong soap laid upon the putty' will in a 
few hours loosen it from the wood so that the new glass 
can be set without difficulty. 
CEMENTING CHINA OR GLASS WARE. 
Articles of China or glass are sometimes fractured, 
which it is very desirable to mend and preserve. To 
do this, provide some very finely powulered quicklime in 
in a muslin bag. Take the broken ware, and rub the 
edge with the well beaten white of an egg. Take the 
quicklime and sift it thick over the edge rubbed with the 
egg*, press and bind the pieces together, and let the 
the binding remain several weeks. For coarser crocke¬ 
ry, rub the parts with a paint made of white lead and 
linseed oil, press and bind, and let them remain till the 
paint is fully dry. 
Door latches often work unpleasantly and with difficul¬ 
ty, from want of oiling. A few drops upon them will 
in such cases operate like.magic, 
