The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-02-04

bages instead of forming compact and SOLID heads,
present tuft of fluffy leaves only fit for feeding
to cattle. Purchasers would therefore serve their
interest were they to carefully abstain from pat
ronizing those who cater tor patronage on &C
count of the great number of varieties which
thew offer for sale, rather than to the intrinsic
merit of their productions
This extensive enumeration of varieties furthur
suggests the question to the utility or abstract
necessity of SO great variety. Ne one desires to
grow SO varieties of garden peas. what they do
desire is to ascertain which is the earliest, which
is the best intermediate, and which is the best
late variety; and this kind of selection Is appi-
cable to all cultivated plants, which have run
into vast number of varieties, most of them
being comparatively worthless in any given CHI
mate. The Department of Agriculture could
not we'll do better service to the country than
to institute series of test experiments which
would have for their object the important aim Of
divestng seed catalogues of worthless articles
This wedding out of useless varieties would
speedily follow the acquisition of 3 discrimHat-
ing knowledge ON the part of the purchaser, as
only the best would be sought and the seed
dealer would eventually drop u1saleable vsgrie-
ties from his list, and both seller and purchaser
would be gamers by the operation.
APHIs ON THE RooTs OF APPLE TREEs.-It
appears that the apple trees in California ere in
tested with an insect, an aphis, which punctures
the roots, similarly TIC the phyexera on tie roots
of the grape vines. Instances are giver where
orchards have been rendered wholly unfroduct-
i've and useless by the ravages of these Coot lice
and the trees have seen dug suY and buried. Al
though it has been hong known, as long perhaps
as apple trees have been cultivated, that aphis
may be found occasionally at their roots, yet it
has not been considereded as q sourcee f injury
or as seriously detrimental to the tree. It may
prove, however, especially in the case Of old Or
chards of apples, that this isoae of the causes of
their general debility. 1t is held by some per-
sons that these and similar insect attacks, are
mainly result of lack of vitality In the plant
in the first place. and that they are consequent
upon this diseased condition of the tree, and
snly help it's final destruction.
Strictly healthy plants appear able to over
come to a great extent, the attacks of insects ON
their roots, bat if the plant is further weakened
by other causes, the insects will probably in
crease and their I'M furious effects become domi-
nant in its ultimate death. This question as to
whether insects are q cause or a consequence of
disease in plants is one not always easily an
gweped, but in most cases the destruction of the
insect life is followed by renewed vigor in the
plant; this query mainly applies to the lowest
class of insect organisms for it is well known
that insects will attack and destroy the foliage
of the most vigorous plants, in fact preferring
them, and avoiding the less healthy and less
sueeuIent leaves. With insects Of this kind
there is no doubt about what should be ,dene:
the insects must be destroyed, otherwise they
will destroy the plant But where insects are
upon a diseased condition of the
plant, their ravages may be greatly modified
and held in check by restoring THE health Of the
plant.
These root lice on apple trees are probably
more prevalent than is generally supposed and
t would be well for those whose trees are not in
satisfactory condition of health to ascertain
whether or not the roots are thus affected AS
% remedies the best seems to be that of spread
ng tobacco stems or leaves over the roots so that
he juices will be conveyed to the insects and
5hus destroy them. Manuring, cultivating, prun-
ng, or otherwise helping to increase the vitality
If the tree will Also in this case be of important
7alue.
CONCERNING THE APRICOT.-Although the
apricot is one Of the most delicious of stone
ruits, and ripens earlier than the peach, vet it
scarce fruit in our markets and is rarely |
cen on the desert table. This may be account
ID for by any one or all the following reasons :
FIRST the tree is easily excited to growth in the
pring and a week or two of mild weather will
tart the flower buds, which are afterwards de-
troyed by cold or frosty weather. This is a
ommon occurrence north, and even south. of |
he Potomac, and may be measurably modified
" planting on the north side of buildings or
roves of trees and thus retard the starting of
he buds, and shield them from the morning
un after cold night. Then, when the fruit is
ct, a second trouble is encountered in the at
acks of the curculio, which punctures the fruit
the apricot with a regularity similar to that
Nth which it addresses the plum. Unless
measures are taken to check the ravages of this
insect the crop will certainly be DESTROYED, and
robably the most decidedly effectual method of
hecking its progress and propagation is that of
lanting the trees in an inclosure where poultry
nd hogs are allowed to run at large Good
rops of plums are secured under these circum-
tances, the animals destroying the grubs as they
ccur in the fallen fruit.
Tho third and ureafacf drauhooly 70 ,x>r;oo4