Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1856-07-12

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Agriculture.

Times, printed statement, to the effect
that the value of the willow imported into
this country for basket-making amounts
yearly to seven millions of dollars. This
is great mistake, and may lead those
who give it credit into very Improbable
enterprises. The cultivation ofthe basket
willow in our country may be advantageous
to some moderate extent, but if the culti-
vators rely upon market for two millions
with the product, they will soon find that
they have been sadly deceived. All the
basket-willow brought into the United
States in year, manufactured and un-
manufactured, does not amount to tenth
part Of the sum we have mentioned.
As to the Productiveness of the basket
willow. we fear there has been some
Iexageeration. That two or three tuns
have been raised on an acre may be true:
we can't say, and will not deny any asser-
ton to that effect. We have reason, how
ever, to believe the usual yield is far less.
The experienced Judge Emott, Of Pough-
keepsie, has been instanced to US who has
cultivated the willow for the last ten years,
and from ten acres, last year, had a crop
which produced him $l71. The value of
a tun of basket.willow trees is from $75
to $I25-or about 800 on the average.
In Europe baskets are wove from the
willow at an exceedingly cheap rate
cheaper, we think, than it is possible for
them to be made in this country. There
is still. however, use for them here in
covering dimijohns and some other pur-
poses, but their use is, of course. limited.
We give below a statement of the ex-
tent to which the basket-willow, both un.
manufactured and manufactured, is i'm
ported into this city from July l, 1854, to
June 80, 1855. 1t is obtained from the
last report Of the Treasury Department
Unmanufactured. .$a545s Manufactured. $l3265s.
SALT TO DESTROY Worms, &c.-A
weak brine, not exceeding the strength of
water, proves remedy for the 'squash
destroyer" one Of the insiduous and per-
severing as well as voraciously destructive
enemies with which the gardener and
fruit grower is called to contend. 1t is
also most effectual preventive Of aphides,
or plant lice, vermin which prey upon the
cabbage or turnip tribes. In every in
stance Of the application Of brine to those
vegetables that has fallen under our OBJ
servation its success has been complete.
No injury need be apprehended from
very liberal application, say one quart to
plant, if the solution be Of the strength
indicated.
All the cabbage tribe are liable to be
attacked and fatally injured by minute
maggots, resembling very nearly the mag.
gots in cheese. and which are doubtless
the ldrra Of some fly. There is another
enemy, also. by which they are frequently
infested small grub, similar in many
respects to those found in corn and potato
hills, and which not unfrequently prove
very destructive. Saltwater applied to
the hills will have tendency to arrest
their depredations, and if the application
be repeated frequently, say once in two or
three days, it will effectually destroy or
drive them of. The water, however,
should not be allowed to come in contact
with the foliage in this instance, but should
be applied to the soil Immediately around
the stalks, but without coming in actual
contact with them. To destroy the first.
named insects, it may be applied in a
state sufficiently dilute to admit of per-
feet ablution Of every part Of the foliage !;
but as we said before care must be taken
not to make It too strong, or it will destroy
the plant. Every cook knows. or ought
to know, that the washing Of cabbage,
lettuce, spinach, &C., in salt water, before
cooking or preparing for the table, is sure
to expel every species Of insect which so
frequently seeks habitation or shelter
ia these vegetables. West. Ag., June.
EFFEcr OF GuANo.-Large Crop Of
Grass.-Mr. John Gardner, Of Staten Is
land, cut, ON the 2Oth Of May, from less
than ne-fourth Of an acre, eight hundred
and fifteen pounds Of thoroughly cured
HAY. The surface mown was IN old lawn,
laid down for many years in grass, is very
much shaded, at least one-half Of it being
covered with trees Of dense foliage. The
grass was dressed with less than one hun.
dred pounds Of Peruvian Guano, on the
l2th Of April, just after the snow had left
the ground, (no other manure Of any des-
crip,ion being used.) Tho grass was cut
on Mosday and exposed in the swath or
spread Till Saturday. through three Of the