Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1859 — Facts For Fruit Growers. [ARTICLE]

Facts For Fruit Growers.

We make the following extract from the proceedings of tin- Agricultural i.’Jub at New Brittain, Conn. Our friend, Isaac L. Stanley, will please accept our thanks for a copy of the l\<>rt.h and South containin<? the article. “Dr. ('-.inings spoke of renovating old « by digging trendies from th-- b.idy of the tree outward several feet, and filling them with compost, cr manure, also circular trenches, tin- circle varying with the size of 1 1 ie tree. The H irer ’.hat attacks the peach and apple tree deposits its eggs in the bark near the collar at the surface of the ground while the t ree j> young and the b irk tender at that point. In Die apple tx/e the worm is more frequently i!epos : t din the junction of the l imbs The I-ut erfly deposits the eggs eariv in June, or the ver 1 .st of MA. 'i’iie erub which is hatched in three or four weeks, remains in the tree from two to three years. Its presence is indicated by the du-t and cuttings which it throws out. To protect "the tree the use of sheathing paper lias b en recommend d. Secure by strings. Hilf a peck oi unslacked lime heaped up arouml the body of the the tree, may keep oil' the borer, while it furnishes an im p >rt..nt element for the growth of the trqe. “The‘apple-tree blight’ is a name given to a wooly insect about one-tenth ol an irtcii I >ng. It is d siitute of wings, and is waft--! from tree to tree by its downy coverm r . It is ustucKy found in the crotches of trees and crevicies of the bark. These insects frequently destroy the bark and girdle the limbs. To prevent their ravages, serape the* bark and wash with whale-oil soap, one quart to fi teen of water; or sulphuric acid. "The Aphides, or plant li--e, are frequently numerous, destroying a' times nearly every leaf on the tree. T.iey are more co mon on the peach tree. Washing tiie body and 1 m >s of the tree with the w i He- >ii so ip s<>lutii n. jti t before the bu s open, is said to I revent th ir appearance, <r they m*y be destroyed by throwing this wash on them wit!) a syringe. •• I’he American Tent or B ig worm deposi'es its eggs to the number of from sixty to one hundred on the twigs of fees late in the fall, and coats them over with a kind of gum which is insoluble in water. As soon as hatched, which is about the time the leaves are out, this caterpillar commences its depredations. I’nis is one ol the most injurous insects which infest our gardens and orchards. The tent may be picked from the limbs and destroyed at pruning time, or removed early in the morning alter their tent has acquired sufficient s ze to be readily recogn z -d. “The ovum of the appl..- worm is deposited both in June and August. It soon works its way to the core and destr. ys the vitality ol the apple, which soon falls'to the ground. Scraping the bark o f the tree and washing with soap, early in May, may destroy a portion of the cocoons. The Curculio stings all stone fruit—such as plums, cherries, apricots, and sometimes peaches. It is a small, brown bettie, from one-tenth to one-hu f inch in length, nearly the color of the bark of the plum tree. When disturbed it curls up and is easily shaken to the groujid. 'l’he Curculio may be destroyed by shaking the insect on to a sheet spread on the ground and burning them. Plum trees in hard clay soil or in pavement are not troubled with the Curculio. Salt or saltpeter scattered on the ground about the trees will act as a preventative. ‘The Millers, or butterflies, so common during the summer months, deposit the eggs whiclt produc most of the injurious insects which infest our fruit trees. These may be destroyed by kindling fires near the trees in the evening, during the month of June, or by hanging in the branches open-mouthed bottles tilled with sweetened water. Much injury to the trees may thus be prevented. Governor Hammond nr- ' rived here on las* evening.