Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1876 — Singular Property of Tomato Leaves. [ARTICLE]

Singular Property of Tomato Leaves.

I planted speech orchard, write* ML Stray, of the Society Horticulture, and the trees grew well and strongly. They had just commenced to bud when they were invaded by the curculio (nalgon), which insects were followed, as frequently happens, by ants. Having ent some tomatoes, the ides occurred to me tfuttp by nlaoidg some of the leaves around the trunks &ud branches of the peach trees, I might preserve there from the rays of the sun, which were very powerful. My surprise was great, upon the following day, to find the trees entirely free from their enemies, not one remaining, except here and there where a curled leaf prevented the tomato from exercising its influence. These leaves I earefmly unrolled, placing upon them fresh ones from the tomato vine, with the result of banishing the last insect and enabling the trees to grow with luxttrianoe, Wishing to carry still further my experiment, I steeped in water some fresh leaves of the tomato, and sprinkled with this infusion other plants, roses and oranges. In two dsyi these were also free from the innumerable insects which oovered them, and I felt tare that had I used the same means with my melon patch I should have met with the same result. I therefore deem it a duty I owe to the Society of Horticulture to make known this singular and useful property of the tomato leaves, which I discovered by toe merest accident.