The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-06-06
The Pests Of the Garden.

make the following seasonsble ex-
tracts from that new and universal hand
book of horticu;ure-"Ee Gdrdin"
The foe against which the gardener is
forced to wage a perpetual war OF exter-
mination, though Individually Insignificant,
are in the aggregate most formidable We
| will try to give few hints of a general
| character to aid the reader in this warfare.
Sowing a garden to salt, at the rate of
six or eight bushels to the acre, will cause
many insects to disappear. 1t should be
done In the autumn. Digging the soil in
the winter, and thus exposing it to the
frost, will destroy many grubs, etc. Wide
mouthed bottles, partly filled with molas-
ses and water, and hung up in garden
make excellent traps for the moths, which
are the parents of many destructive ver-
min. Mr.. Downing mentions ar acquaint.
ancs who thus caught and destroyed in a
single season Mves bushels of iHsscts, and
preserved his garden almost free Of them
bright fire of resinous pine, tar, shavings,
or any other combustiole, kindied in the
garden at night, on a platform erected for
the purpose, will attract and destroy mil
lions. Birds are among the best friends of
the gardener, and should never be destroy
ed, although some OF them may eat few
raspberries Or cherries. Toads live almost
entirely upon insects, and do no harm in
garden. Induce as many Of them as
possible to make it their home Hens and
chickens should have access whenever it
can be safely permitted.
To drive insects away from plants, vari-
Gus preparations are useful A writer in
the Southern Cultivator recommends the
following.
Put into a barrel of water quarter of a
pound OF camphor, in pieces of the size of
a hickory nut, and let it stand day be-
fore using Water your plants with this.
The barrel may be refilled many times be-
fore the camDhor will have been all dis
solved. A cupful Of strong lys put into
the water will add to the strength
of the mixture by causing the water to
take up more camphor. Camphor is very
offensive to most insects. Tobacco waite.
is another efficient remedy, chorcoal
dust, ashes, SCOT, snuff, and sulphur,
sprinkled upon plants prove a defence
against most destroyers. To expel the
striped bug from, cucumbers, squashes, etc.
water the plants daily with strong
decection OF quassia, made by pouring
four gallons of boiling water on four
pounds of quassia in barrel, and after
twelve hours, filing the barrel with
water. The intolerable squash or pump
kin bug may be thoroughly driven off by
= decoction Of double strength, containing
pound Of glue to ten gallons, to make it
adhere
The most effectual and cheapest remedy
for the striped hug, however, consist, of
defending each hill of MELONS, cucu bers,
squashes. etc, by box about fifteen
inches square, the sides being eight or ten
inches high, covered with milliaet or some
similar thin material
Tho following receipt for making q
'bsrrier to insects is given in the Garden
srs Chronicle. 1t may be easily tried:
Take common resin ono and half
pounds; sweet oil. one pound; place them
in . pipkin over the fire until the resin is
melted; stir the material together that they
may be we'll blended when cold the sub
stance formed, which the discoverer calls
.rezoil, will be Of the consistency If mo.as.
Sos. To use the rezoll it should lie snread
with q brush upon shreads or any nit.ns
material. aud wrapped around the stem Of
the slant; if any support is used, that