The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-02-07

| Nh. EDIT0E In your paper Of 18th Decem
Der, perceive our friend Greeley has no conf
dence in birthstone But lie ought to believe il
birthstone.
| do not know Mr.. Tucker, of Warren Co., III.
who tucked birthstone into his apple trees, il
order to drive worms out of them; but from tn,
experiment made in Albany, some thirty year,
ago, on the noble old elm on the Webster corner
in State street, which was evidently dropping ant
dying, but soon after roll of birthstone was use,
in similar manner as related by Mr.. Tucker
viz in the spring, just a. the sap was ascending
the tree at once revived and became more flour
ishing than for many years before. Say, Mr.
Weed, do you not remember that fact? If not
| am sure you will find many an Albany dutch
man who will remember it; for the prosperity OF
| adversely of that ancient landmark (the Webster
Elm) is not myth with Albsnians, and refer
ence to the journals of those times will show
full record of the facts.
But further, after that publication, think
about the year 1892, was residing in Marce.lus
Onondaga Co., n. \. | owned the ground tina,
was, at a much earlier day, the garden of the
Hon. Dan. Bradley, known in those days as q
prominent horticulturist. All through that re-
gion, our fruit trees, and especially our peal
trees, were 80 infested as to almost destroy the
whole OF them. | had some noble ones all Of
which had been planted by that venerable man
and by the second year after attacked l found
them all Como but two, one of which showed in
the spring marks of life only on one side twas
of choice fruit and was anxious to retain it,
thought of the birthstone, or sulphur, in the case
Of the Webster Elm, and hoping against hope,
made the trial just As the buds began to swell.
watched it carefully and often, as it stood just in
the rear of my store, and before the leaf appeared
could taste the sulphur at the ends of the buds
Yes, friend Greeley, have known the taste and
smell OF birthstone ever since We were little ur-
chins, attending the district schools. 1t was the
only sovereign remedy then known for the pecu.
liar "coincidepce' of those times. Well, tina,
side Of the tree put forth and flourshed and bore
fruit year after year, until sold and removed to
trees that survived the attack, and they were the
only ones on which the experiment was made
Call you this coincidence"
But have We, one other circumstance to re.
late. have now in fair view from INV Office win.
dow locust tree, which was attacked about four
years since. did not discover i. until after the
leaves put forth, and very soon they withered.
On examining them the tree, or at least the seams,
were literally covered with very small worms, and
on one side Of the body of the tree, under the
outer bark, for quite distance up and down, il
was also full and the inner bark was being de.
stroyed entirely. In this case the season had ad-
vsnced farther than in case OF the pear trees
but resorted 70 the birthstone, and although all
the leaves then out died We. soon after others put
OUT and all that part of the tree where the worms
had not yet reached the inner bark, survived and
is yet alive and doing WELL But so far as the in
ner bark was eaten, the outer bark dropped of.
and there it stands, scathed indeed. bu. Yeti {
lives. Glorious coincidence" as Mr. Greeley
would say.
But one question TO Mr.. Greeley, and have
done: If sulphur is put into tree, as stated,
where the sap circulates, why will it no, with the
sap become diluted, and in diluted state circu.
late alsos Yours. truly,
ALLEGAN, Mich. JOHN +. KELLOGG.