AMERICAN BLIGHT ON APPLE TREES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1000, 11 June 1862, Page 5

AMERICAN BLIGHT ON APPLE TREES.

ASSERTED INFALLIBLE CURE. TO THE EDITOB OS THE IYTTELTON TIMES. Sib,—'Winter, when the leaf has left all the branches clear to view, is the best season JOl attacking the insect called "American Blight," which is so injurious to the apple tree. I hope you will publish in your widely-circulating journal the folio wins' cure, said to be infallible. Dissolve thoroughly in half a bucket of warm water lib sulphur (flour), |lb soft soap. With the mixture carefully paint every twig and branch of the tree, using a common paint brush. Bare the roots, lay cow-dung upon them for about live or six weeks, then remove it, and cover up the roots again. , j ± About six years ago some trees in a garden at Akaroa were so injured by blight as to appear ruined past all hope of cure. The people, alarmed for their own fruit crops, talked of ' lynching these trees. The above mixture was, however, used, and one application completely destroyed the blight, which has never appeared since; so, at least, the owner states, who has kindly allowed me to mention this cure to you. It should be remembered that the remedy was applied in winter. Probably two paintings of the tree would be safest to effect a complete cure. _ v _ In summer, oil of turpentine applied to the insects (not to the tree) with a feather, is veiy useful in keeping them under. I believe, however, that spirit of turpentine would be far preferable, because if any of it touched the bark it will evaporate rapidly; whereas oil of any kind is apt to dry on the bark and coat it over, so destroying its proper functions" by closing up the poreß. The great mistake so often made is to suppose that the tree itself is diseased; whereas it is no more so than any healthy person's body is when similarly afflicted with parasitical vermin. The trse is in no way diseased, and requires no treatment; it is the insect on it which is to be attacked. According to the chemists, cow-dung contains a strong alkali. So, I believe, does soft soap, which contains a great deal of potash. Probably, .then, a strong solution of the soft soap and sulphur, or wood ashes, constantly applied to the roots would answer equally well. The insect seems to come originally from the soil; at any rate, if watchful and observant, you may in spring see it travelling up the stem of the tree. I confidently assert that to oil the tree is absolutely useless; for after a day or two, when the oil had dried, I have seen the insects travelling over it; whilethetreeismoflt seriously injured, and may be altogether destroyed by oiling. It does n6t seem to be known to many practical gardeners that oilis destructive of insect life only when it is applied to the body of the insect: hence probably the mistake made by so many, of oiling the tree, I am, sir, yours very obediently^

THE HEATHCOTLi RIVER. TO THE EDITOE OF THE LTTTELTON TIMES. Sir, —Can you, or any of your readers inform me whether any person holding office under the Provincial Government has any conservative power over the navigable portion of the river Heathcote ? I ask this question because I think the preservation of that stream to be very important to the general welfare of this province, especially prior to the completion of the railway to Lyttelton. The Government are at some expense every year for the purpose of staking out the deep water channel; but I presume the person contracting for that work is not thereby necessarily invested with any authority over the banks of the stream. There is doubtless an ordinance of some sort which declares the destruction of the river's banks and the throwing of filth and rubbish into the stream to be illegal acts. But laws are of' little use if for the want of proper persons to see them executed they are allowed to become obsolete. I have been induced to make these remarks because within the last two or three months several vessels have been hauled up for repairs on the banks of the river, and in more than one instance large quantities of earth have been removed and recklessly thrown into the stream; the channel I believe is likely to silt up quite fast enough without any such artificial aids. Would it not be wise to appoint some qualified person to act as a sort of warden over the river, under the superintendance of the Provincial Engineer ? The repairing of vessels is a very necessary work ; and I should be sorry to see any impediment thrown in the way of its speedy and efficient execution ; but I certainly think it highly necessary to prevent careless and ignorant men from damaging the banks and channel of the river, while at the same time they are not benefitting themselves in the slightest degree,. As the duties of such an officer as the one I have named might be performed without great sacrifice of time, I should think that some person might be found to perform them well for a comparatively small sum per annum. Though the sworn foe to all sinecures and sinecurists, I believe it would be wise economy to spend thirty or forty pounds a year in preserving to the people of Canterbury the navigation of so useful a river as the Heathcote. CENSORIUS.