Juliet signal., 1847-08-17
A Wash for Fruit Trees.

A good deal has been said about the
best application for fruit trees-one rec.
ommending lime, another solution of sofi
soap, and another a solution of potash.
All these are very excellent, but some.
times fail to be applied, from an unwil.
lingness in the farmer to drive to the vii.
lage in search Of them, or from the false
economy which regards the sligh. expense
ofprocuring them. Ifthere is anything
equally beneficial, and within every once
reach, we think it should be substituted,
as doing away with the last apology
with which lazy man can give for neg.
lecting his trees, and we think that this
article may be found in wood ashes, Of
which every farmer has an abundance
have tried the solution of black salts,
the application of soap, and also, that of
wood ashes; for large trees with rough
bark, the latter is quite as good, if not
better than the former. A wash of ashes
and water can be made as strong as you
please, and ifp put on some dry day, good
deal of the ashes will remain adherin6
10 the bark, which the subsequent rains
wash into the crevices. This wash ap.
piled in the summer time, will, while the
ashes remain on the tree, make it often.
sive and disagreeable to the insects and
deter them from lighting on it; also uIti.
mately makes the bark smooth and
healthy.
BY those who wish for healthy and
productive orchards, too much attention
cannot be given TO the bark of the trees.
We frequently meet with forest trees
whose interior has been almost entirely
destroyed by fire or decay, and which yet
seems healthy and lourishing by virtue Of
a vigorous bark; and any one who has
tried the experiment must have observed
how both shrubs and trees, that have be.
come enfeebled by age and neglect, can
be rejuvenated by attention to their oxte-
rior condition. We do mt mean to rec.
ommend 10 any TO procure old or largs
trees for his orchard in place of young
ones, but ifhe has an old apple tree worth
improving, by removing the outside OF
the whole bark on it, late in the spring.
he will find that he has given too the tree
much additional vigor. Upon smaller
trees and shrubs, liberal scraping with
a trowel and an application ofashes snd
water will have the same effect.
When trees grow in grassy land, 4
good way to keep them from being sod.
bound, is to remove in the fall the sod two
or three feet around the tree, and on this
turn about halfa wheelbarrow full ofma.
nure; the winter rains and SHOWS will
wash the strength oft to the fihrous roots
In the spring the manure may be scat
tered about under the trees. and in lieu of
il substitute leached ashes. This, besides
being beneficial to the tree, prevents the
grass from approaching the stem of the
tree during the summer; and what grass
grows over the ashes is easily removed in
the fall. & ~
In conclusion, we would say, thatths
farmer who curries his horse twice day
finds himself abundantly rewarded for his
toll in the improved strength and appear.
ance of his animal; why don't he curry
his trees once or twice q year, and reap
larger reward for the labor and capital
thus inyestedl-Minor's Journal.
1t is understood that for the future, all
Mexican offic ers captured in the war viii
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