The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-28
FAAM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Codling Moth and Borer.

FAAM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD
The Codling Moth and Borer.
The codling moth is an enemy no,
readily overcome, and as its ravages II
the apple orchard are very destructive
prompt and persistent efforts are re-
quired for it's suppression.
The moth deposits its eggs in the eye
or caIyt of the young apple. In few
days they hatch and the worm burrows
into the core of the fruit. 1t can be
traced by the brownish powder which
it casts out behind it. In about three
weeks it attains it full size. and escap-
ing from the apple through q hole
which it makes in one side, takes shelter
in the scales of the bark of the tree or
other suitable place.
The most effectual warfare may be
carried on while the enemy is IN the
pupa or cocoon state of existence, and
while in the injured fruit in the worm
state. Scraping or cleaning the bark OF
the trees early in the spring prevents
the hiding of cocoons in the crevices.
Placing bandages of old cloth, carpet or
wrapping paper around the trunks and
large branches of every tree as early as
the first of July, and examining this
band once a week throughout the sea.
son, should also be resorted to in all
localities visited by this pest. The
bands act rs trap, and the worms are
easily hunted out and killed. 1t is also
imperative for the determination OF the
moth that all the wormy fruit that
drops to the ground should be de-
stroyed before the worm inside escapes.
When it is not convenient to turn hogs
into the orchard these apples can be
gathered and fed to them.
The borer is another troublesome
visitor in orchards. The beetle is striped
brown and white, and measures three
fourtbs of an inch long. 1t deposits
eggs during the months Of June and
july in the bark of the trees, near the
ground. Here the larva is hatched, be-
coming q whitish grub, which saws lis
way into the tree, perforating it in all
directions.
Similar preventives are resorted to
against the apple-trce borer and the
peach-tree grub, i.e., placing q mound
of ashes around the base of the trunk
in the spring and allowing it to remain
until "a fter the season in which the
beetles deposit their eggs. This obsta-
Gle, it is believed, prevents them from
reaching the soft bark at the surface OF
the ground.
ing borers is to insert the end Of wire
into their burrows. In August or Sep
tember, according to the latitude, the
search after them is made. The earth
is drawn away little from the trunks
of the trees and wherever fine red
sawdust is disclosed, a hole will be
found with q grub inside: II the grub
has bored into the tree only a short dis
tance it may be dug out with an ordi-
nary pocket-knife. Otherwise it can
only be reached by thrusting q wire in
to its burrow.
The Use OF Plaster on Land.
Plaster gypsum, sulphate Of lime, is
compound of about forty-two parts lime
and fitty-eight of sulphuric acid. AS
usuaiiv found, with every 100 parts
of plaster there are about twenty-five
narts of matchmaking a hydrate of
sulphate of lime. When exposed to q
white heat the water is driven OH, and
the gypsum, when ground, is known rs
plaster of paris.
Gypsum is one of the best known and
most used of the mineral manures. Its
virtues seem to have been known in
ancient times, but it had not been used,
except in limited districts, by the
moderns until about the middle of the
eighteenth century. At that time q
German clergyman, named Mayer, act
ing on information be had somehow
received, commenced q series of expert
ments, which, upon being published,
called much attention to the subject In
yarios countries. In our own, Frank
iu wrote about and practically demon
strated its effects. Once introduced, it
found many supporters. and the expert
ments made on soils To which 1t was
peculiarly adapted were so satisfactory
that it's friends often claimed for it
morethan it deserved, some going so
far as to assert that it could supply the
place of every other fertilizer. Expert.
ence, however, soon showed that in it
self it had no fertilizing powers, that
any quantity applied to a barren soil
cou Id not improve its condition, and
that on good soils only few plants are
benefited by its presence. Its action
is almost entirely mechanical, and moi
until its composition is changed is it o.
service. By absorbing ammoni which
it does with avidity whenever and
wherever the two are brought in con-
tact, whether in the compost heap, IN
the moisture of the ground when
plowed under, or from the rains and
dews when spread on the surface, g
sulphate of ammonia and carbonate ol
lime are formed. Liebig estimated that
q pound of gypsum converted into sui
phate of ammonia would Introduce into
the soil quantity of ammonia equiVa'
lent to $3.50 pounds of horses urine
This may be extravagant, but the effects
of gypsum on crops for which it seems
adapted is certainly the same as would
be produced by the application OF lime
and ammonia. >,
The only sure way to determine il
PLASTER will be of service on any par.
ticular soil is to try it. If it be ad.
mitted, and we think there Is nc
doubt of it, that it is one Of the best ap.
plications that can be made for clover,
lucern, and other crops OF the same
nature, when they are grown on proper
soil, on others it would produce little
effect; and, again, on the same SOL
where plaster would be beneficial to the
crops named, hoed crops would receive
less benefit, and rye, wheat, and oatS
verytlittle if any. Every farmer should
institute series of experiments on q
small scale, and from them judge II it Is
valuable for his purposes, and IN THESE
experiments he must use judgment lesl
he in the end be deceived. Where II
acts with great effect and rapidity, it Is
| very exhaustive to the soil; in that II
seems to adapt everything in it to iced.
ng the plants, and the application OF
plaster with nothing else, while enor'
NOUS crops may be gathered for year
or two, will leave the s?il poor and ua'
fertile. Consequently plaster should bt
used as stimulant to bring into actor
other manures and the natural forces Q
the soil, which will be 1T least partially ly
dormant without it. lis action is mucl
the same as is alcohol upon the human
system, and should be kept under care
full control. Where much IS taken iron
the soil, much must be returned.
There are, however, but few farm
where some plaster cannot be used t.
advantage, and if only used US an ab
sorbent of ammonia about stab les, or u
be used in compost heaps, a little shoult
always be kept on hand.-New YORK. Suf
Curing Hay.
There is variety of opinions as t.
the best method of curing hay. Som