The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-07

requires another year to recover and collect |
a sufficient supply again to form fruit buds.
When half the fruit is thinned out in
young state, leaving only moderate crop,
the apple, like other fruit trees, will bear
every year, as IL lctU also If the soil is kept
in the required condition, as limited at in q
former part of this essay.
PRUNING.
Apple orchards require very little prun-
ing II the trees, while the orchard is
young, are carefully inspected every year,
little before midsummer, and all crossing
| branches taken out while they are young
or small. When the trees are once pro-
perly shaped and well-balanced, the less
the raw or pruning knife is used the
better, except to cut out dead branches
and those that interfere with each other or
too greatly crowd up the head of the
tree, 50 as to exclude the sun and ar--an
indispensable requisite in the ripenihg-
and is all the orchard will require in the
way of pruhing. 'S
INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE APPLE.
The apple borer, as is usually seen in
| the lower part of the trunk of apple,
ounce and thorn trees, is fleshy white
grub, which enters the tree at the collar,
| just at the surface of the ground, when
the bark is smooth and tender, aud either
| girdes the tree or perforates the trunk
through every part, from which it finally
dies. This grub is the lava of brown
and white striped beetle, half an inch
long, and known in the scientific world as
the saperdacivitatta. 1t remains in this
grub state two or three years, coming out
of the tree in the butterfly form early in
June, and flying in the night only from
tree to tree, after its food aud finally de-
posting its eggs, during June and July,
in the collar of the tree.
The most eifectual mode of destroying
the borer is by inserting flexible wire as
far as possible into its hole. DR.. Harris
recommends placing bit of camphor in
the hole and plugging it up with soft wood.
tack Of the borer by placing a small
mound of lime or ashes about the trunk
early in the spring. When orchards have
already become infested with this insect to
considerable extent, beetles may be de-
stroyed by thousands, in June, by making
small bonfres of shavings in various parts
OF the orchard.
Gas Lime.
Prof. Taylor made the following remarks
on the subject of gas lime:
According to Prof. Graham's examina-
ton of gas lime exposed to the air few
hours after use, was composed of hyposul-
phite of lime, 1890; sulphate of lime,
1457; sulphate, $50; carbonate, 14.4S
caustic, 1872; free sulphur, 5 ID sand,
IL; water, %.
From this analysis it will be seen that
phosphates are not mentioned. The gas
lime of Georgetown, of this District, is
made from oyster shells ; an analysis of
it would show about % per cent. of
phosphate of lime, very valuable indis-
pensable constituent of the grain of all
cereals.
The presence of large proportion of
caustic lime will prove very injurious to
the roots of plants, and to the bark of espe-
cially young trees, because it acts directly
on vegetable organic matter, decomposipg
it and is used for that purpose by scientific
farmers. Were gas-lime added to heat,
and allowed to remain for some time under
cover, it would prove a valuable form of
manure. Gas-lime, on the other hand,
combined with rich manure, will destroy
its value. Its caustic lime will combine
with the carbonic acid, or rather acids
which hold it securely for the time being.
On being liberated it will pass off into the
atmosphere.
The presence Of sulphite and sulphate
and carbonate of lime will prove valuable
for grass lands, because the sulphate of
lime is taken up or absorbed by their roots,
undecom posed. What the farmers and
fruit growers have most to fear in the mat
ter of manures, is the use Of very highly
concentrated akalies in the caustic state
as well as concentrated salts of ammonia.
For example, concentrated solution of
sulphate--a concentrated manure-will
destroy plants very quickly; in like man
ner concentrated ammonia in the form of
guano will in very dry weather act as a
caustic on the roots of plants.
In conclusion, then, Mr.. President,
would recommend that all gas lime intend
ed for use as manure should be spread
out on the ground for several days, under
cover, so that its valuable sulphates or So
luble phosphates, as may be, will not be
washed out. Exposure to the air will
convert the caustic lime into carbonate,
while the sulphate of lime will absorb
oxygen and form sulphuric acid, which in
turn will combine with free lime, forming
sulphate of lime.
Gas lime contains no ammonia, but its
valuable salts will hold ammonia in solu-
ton, provided you take measures to ca-
bonize the caustic lime as have pointed
out
The thanks of the association were ten
dered Prof. Taylor, and running discus
sion followed on the use of lime on fruit
trees. Prof Taylor answering the many
questions propounded and promising
further paper on the subject of lime at the
next meeting with experiments.