AGRICULTURE, GARDENING, &c.

Bruce Herald, Volume II, Issue 41, 19 January 1865, Page 7

AGRICULTURE, GARDENING, &c.

■ , _ | Apple Blight. — Mr John ODea, a gardener, residing at Invermay, brought to our office yesterday afternoon, a little box containing a number of moths, which had been developed from grubs taken from some apple in the latter end of last, autumn. ODea, who is an intelligent man. had never heard that the apple grub was the offspring- of the tiny "drab-colored moth so numerous in our gardens, and of which thousands enter our open windows in the summer evenings, and commit suicide in scores by flying through the gas or candle flame ; and so he resolved to observe for himself. Accordingly at the end of last autumn he carefully removed the grubs from some apples and placed them in cotton wool in a perforated tin box, where they speedily entered the pupa state, enveloping themselves in cocoons of delicate silk. On opening the box a few days ago, all the larvae were fully developed, but most of the moths were found dead; some few, however, were living and healthy. Although O'Dea's discovery throws no additional light upon the parentage of these troublesome little grubs, he adopts a plan for destroying them which he finds very effective. He simply winds a piece of old cloth tightly round the stem of each tree towards the end of summer and leaves it for several days. As the grub becomes conscious of the approaching change through which.it must shortly pass, it forsakes the interior of the apple and endeavors to descend to the earth for the purpose of concealing itself for protection during its helpless state. On its passage down the tree, however, it meets with the rag into one of the folds of which it creeps, and there thinks to remain until it exchanges its horny sheathing for wings and legs. Bufc when it is thus ensconced, the gardener goes his rounds, removing the cloths from the trees and killing all they contain ; this done, the cloths are replaced to act as traps for others. As many as sixty grubs have been thus found in one cloth, and as the operation is frequently repeated the nu nber destroyed may be very great. In addition to this, it would probably be a good plan to light small fires m different parts of the garden after d*rk, • as the moths would be attracted by the light, and many hundreds would perish in the flames.

To Prevent Cattle from Jumping Fences. —We lately, learned a curious remedp to prevent steers from jumping- fences, which is_ so easy of application . and appears so effectual that we give it to the public. It is simply a clip off the eyelashes of the upper lids with a pair of scissors, and the ability or disposition to jump is as effectually destroyed as Sampson's power was by the loss of his locks. The animal will not attempt a fence until the eyelashes are grown again. Of this we are informed by Samuel Thome, the great breeder of Dutchess County, who assured us that he had tested it upon a pair of very breachy oxen. As it was of great value to him, he hopes it willba tried by others.—' New York Tribune.'

Cause of .rust in wheat.'— About four 3'ear's ago, I wrote you about a hew theory as I thought at the time, of the, cause of rust on wheat. You noticed my letter at your club, and r professbr Rapes' moved: to discuss the subject at' your next meeting. I have read every number of the < Tribune' since; and have never seei*. anVaccdunt of any debate on that subject. ; j wrofce-^talL rust bn wheat was ' caused by. dew, or*gen tie rain, or fog-, remaining on the sta*ll or leaf of the plant, and the hot sun : corning but immediately after and heatiing these minute drops, and scalding the plant. I proposed a remedy, by disturbing (when, there was no wind to. do. ,it .ibr you) the growing -wheat by. a ; l.ong line, with .& man at each end, and dragging it over.the top^

bending each stork over, and causing the particles of water to collect and run down in drops.— f Correspondent of New York Tribune/

How to Plough an Orchard.— There was a man who said that he J objected to Have horses among his fruit trees, on account of the swingle-tree barking them. If he will do as I do he will have no trouble. First, a gentle horse with chair harness. Hitch the trace chain direct ; then take an old scythe-snath and cut off about two and a half feet of the crookedest part; sharpen both ends, so that it will go into one of the traces, then put it under the horse just forward his hind legs, and stick each end into the chains; then get a stretcher about eight inches, and put it as close to the plough as he can ; this will give .the horse plenty of room for his hind feet, and he can walk right against the trees or bushes and never injure them.