The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-09-17
farm aud Garden.
Fruit Planting.

In our last we were speaking of apples.
The SOIL for the apple tree to succeed best
on is generally considered to be a strong
loan Of calcareous or limestone character,
and chocolate soil is deemed by many
as the most suitable, or at least land with
reddish clay subsoil But this fruit will
succeed on a variety of soils, climate hav-
ing probably more to do with its success
than soil; though it viii not do to plant
1t on very dry sands, or soils saturated
with moisture. Some apples succeed best
on some soils, and others on other SOILS
Our tayorite winter apple, the wine-sap,
We think, usually succeeds better on light
than on stiff soils Mr. Coke view of
fruit trees, says of five rows of the wine
sap apple, planted on it eight years ago,
on the summit of a sandy knoll, not one
has died out of hundred trees, all album
dant bearers of large and fair apples. -
This land was blowing sand, on ten
acres of which had been carried three
thousand loads Of mud / have the wine
sap on strong chocolate soil, planted II
years ago, and bearing very indiferently,
the apples being too small and imperfect.
We expressed the opinion in our last
that fruit trees should be planted in the
fall or first of the winter If planted in
the fall, the trees get established by the
spring; the dirt becomes compacted about
it, and the 6brous roots push out in the
mild weather of the fall and winter. If
planted in the spring, and dry spell en-
sues soon after, many are lost Such was
the case this year, and we hear of many
planted last spring that persisted in the
drought of June and July.
The apple is attacked by several kinds
of insects, which sometimes are very de-
structive. They are the Borer, the Cater
pillar, the Cdpker Worm, and the AphiS,
or plant louise. The Borer attacks the tree
at the collar, Just at the surface of the
ground, and either girdles the tree or
perforates it through and through its
body, finally causing its death. 1t is a
feshy white grub, and the best means of
getting rid of it is to pick it out with the
point of knife, OF where this will not
reach it, with flexible wire thrust into
the hole it makes in the tree. To prevent
the egg being deposited, place about the
trunk early in the spring small mound
of ashes or lime, or remove the earth two
or three inches and tie around the tree
coarse hardware paper, and then replace
the earth. The Caterpillar may be de-
stroyed by a round brush fixed to pole
or even by forked stick. A very con-
venient plan Is to fix a sponge to pole,
dip it in strong spirits of hartshorne, or
naptha from coal oil refnings, the sponge
to be turned slowly around in the nests,
and every insect it touches Will be killed
instantly This should be done early in
the morning before they stir from their
nests, and early in the season. If they
are suffered to remain unmolested, they
destroy the foliage, enfeeble the tree, and
in several seasons they either kill it or
render it feeble and worthless. They
spin their cocoons in June, and in a short
time fresh brood Of moths come forth,
which again lay eggs for an infinite num-
Der of caterpillars for the next spring.
The Canker Worm, though very preva-
lent in the Northern States, do not often
infest our apple-trees. From the descrip-
ton of them they seem to be the same
worm that strips our linden and elm trees.
The remedy is to fasten piece of cloth
around the tree, four or FIVE inches wide,
and smear it thickly with tar mixed with
train oil or coal tar, to prevent its har-
dening-this to be renewed as often as it
appears necessary. Old India-rubber is
also good preparation to smear the ban
dages with. This plan prevents the as
cent of the female moth (which cannot
fly for the purpose of depositing its
eggs.
The AphiS, sometimes called Woolly
Aphis, plant louise, and mealy bug, is also
described as American blight it is seen
as a minute white down in the crotches,
and creyices, and injured places of the
tree, sometimes spreading over the leaves
and also to the roots of the tree. 1t pro-
duces a siokly, diseased condition, and
sometimes death of the tree. l have lost
several apple-trees every year for three
years, and have only recently discovered
their death was caused by this insect on
the roots. 1t is destroyed by whale oil
soap or lime water, rubbed on the affect
ed parts. If on the foliage, the whale
oil soap should be dissolved in water and
thrown over the tree with large syringe
or decoction of tobacco may be used
Sulphuric acid part, and water parts,
is also said to be an efectual remedy
This should not touch the clothes. Mr.
Gillingham, Of Fairfax, President of the
Potomac Fruit Growing Association, "
informed me that hot I've should be poured
over the roots of the trees when attacked
by this insect, the dirt being previously
removed as much as practicable This is