The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-04-19

raul Hamilton.
Secretary Of the Navy.
AGRICULTURAL
AS the season is arrived for the insects which
produce the canker-worm, to quit their wiptrv
soode' ana ascend the apple trees, il may not be
amiss to publish few observations and exper;.
ments made on the subject.
A neighbor OF mine observed an article in the
papers OF the last year, advising to inclose the
trunk OF the trees with narrow bag made with
linen cloth filled with fine salt but ne not hay
ing any cloth suitable for the. purpose, used
substitute that The farmers call swinging tow
which he twisted into large string and long e
nough to go round the body of the tree, putting
IN salt as he twisted it up, SO as to enclose the
tree with salt, about two feet from the ground
this tree was loaded with fruit in the fall of
the year, while the other trees in the orchard an
peared as if q FIRE had been passed tbrorh
them /; which experiment / think poe. far r.
establish the fact, that the salt used in either
will preserve the trees from the ravages of the
canker-worm -.
The caterpillar or bag worm am Confident
may be prevented from injuring the fruit of the
apple tree, by placing a turf in the crotch of
the tree. l tried 1t IN number Of trees in INV
orchard the last season and there was none Of
the worms to be seen on them through the sum
mer but one tree which neglected, / found
when the worms were about half crown, u.s
like to be injured by that pernicious insect I
then DESTROYED as many of them as convent.
emily, could aHd applied the turf, and in a
Nv days there was not one to be seen on the
tree va ''''
Another neighbor of mine informed me tha, he
mad couple OF plumb trees in his garden stand
ng some distance from each other in the sum +.
mer ne fonnd that one of them was covered
with bag worms, and recollecting the advertise
ment which recommended the use of the turf
N theI info ot.l-@
quence was, that they all left that and took tn
the other.
CULTURE OF POTATOES.
member OF the Agricultural Society Of
Oreenock, made the following experiment -
{" The first year." he says, "f cut the potatoes
IN three pieces, the top, the middle and the bot.
tom parts, and planted these i'm three rows
ne top plant was ten days earlier than the
miodie plant, and much greater crop the mid
die plant was earlier than the bottom. and
belter crop; the bottom produced but very i'm
Inherent crop. For some seasons past I have
only set the top eyes, and believe have the
pest crop and drlest potatoes in the country, nor
do think there is any waste in doing SO : for
taken off it.'' 0''
Parpoutier, celebrated French chymist. han
discovered new species of utility, besides its
nutrltive powers, in the potatoe and his disco.
very has been proved in England by stucco pIas
terers. From the search of potatoes, quite fresh
and washed but once, fine sine, BY mixture
with chalk has been made, and in a variety of
instances successfully used, particularly for Gel.
fings. This species of size has no smell while
animal size, purifying so readily, uniformly sx.
hales most disagreesbe and unwholsome O.
dour the size of potatoes, being very little sub.
Ject to putrefactioh, appears from experience to
prove more durable in tenaeity and wilderness,
and, for white washing, should always be pre-
ferred to animal size, the composition of which
always exhibits proofs ofinfectious effauvia:
According toa very curious calculation, it
has been -scertsiDed, that acre OF land, plan.
ed with potatoes will produce sufficient food
for 1875 leathy men for one meal ; while an
acre of wheat will not feed more than S,745 -
The expense Of cultivating the potatoes is est
mated at & H. Is. and that of tho wheat at & IL
l5s.