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INSECTS—Tit AIMING CCCUMfBEttS, <fcc.
Editors Southern Cultivator: —Enclosed I send you
some specimens of an insect that for the last three years
has completely destroyed the grape crop of this neigh
borhood. It first made its appearance on the Scupper
nong in 1865, attacking the leaves and afterwards de
stroying the bloom. Other varieties of grapes are de
stroyed in the same manner. This year they are more
numerous than ever, and now do not seem to be at all
fastidious in their tastes, devouring with equal avidity
grapes and sweet potato vines, and even the leaves of
the live oak. I have never, however, seen them on fruit
trees, although there are several kinds in their immediate
vicinity. Thus far, they have resisted every attempt at
their destruction. Dusting with sulphur, smoking with
coal tar, and sprinkling with potash water, have all been
tried without any perceptible effect. I am not entomo
logist enough to tell its origin. You will observe it some
what resembles, and may be a species of, the common
“ lady-bug,” and if there is any doubt in the mind of
your “ Old Amateur”, contributor as to the friendliness of
his nest of “ lady-bugs,” I would advise him to destroy
them on suspicion. Will not you or some of your sub
scribers suggest a mode of destroying these insects?
Some time ago you inquired if any one had ever tried
training cucumbers on bushes. We have practiced it
here with great success To have them very early, our
plan is this: Plant the seed 4 teet apart in a hot bed,
among cabbages or other plants. By the ‘me the cab
bages are ready to be set out, the cucumbers will have
begun to run. They should then be thoroughly worked
and mulched with pine straw or other material, (as they
cannot be worked after the brush are put on.) The
brush should belaid thickly over the cross pieces of the
hotbed, and you will soon have fine fruit all over your
arbor. Should the cucumbers outgrow the limits of the
hot-bec before frost is over, or the other plants are re
moved, the shpots should be pinched off, which' has tlie
double effect of making the vines more stocky, and causes
them to fruit better.
Yours, respectfully, J. 11. SMITH.
Oakjicld , near Pensacola , Fla., May, 1808.
STUAWJBERItIES IN WASHINGTON COUN
TY, TEXAS.
Editors Southern Cultivator :—As many of your
Texas readers would like to know something of the inode
of culture, and the best varieties for this section, (with
your permission,) I would like to give my experience; it
may save some beginners §ome trouble and expense. I
have saved some thirty varieties, and /have settled
on the following, for my garden, as the most profitable.
“Downer’s Prolific,” a medium sized fruit, hardy, but
produces too many ruun'ers; “ Russel’s great Prolific.” a
splendid berry and very profitable, will do best in black
sandy soil, and grown in hills; “French’s Seedling,”a ve
ry early variety, in rich soil, in hills, very good, but,
w hen allowed to run into matted beds, the fruit rots be
fore fully ripe; “Hovey’s Seedling,” not a good bearer,
1 ere, but the fruit is fine ; “Rivers’ Eliza,” a foreign
kind that is at home heie, fruit large and good, and a fair
crop every year; Golden Queen, a beautiful beiry, very
large and ought to be grown in hills, I can see* no dis- j
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR.
ference between the Queen and “Trollope's Victoria.”—
I have bought plants from many of the leading nursery
men, have fruited them together, and can see no differ
ence - “Longworth’s Prolific,” and Triomph de Gand arc
both good here, and well worth planting. I have a seed
ling that I found among some Hoveys, that I know to \<s
the best for our sandy soil. It stands the sun well and
bears profusely for four months in succession—is a Her
maphrodite fruit, large enough, very fragrant, and well
flavored. I grow more, and sell more fruit, from this,
than any other kind I have on my place. Now, I have
no idea of working the plants as a speculation. I wish
to call attention to the variety as one that will be fouivd
valuable here , and could give the names of many who
have tried it. Among them, my friend I)r. Walker, of
- Texas. I send out the ph.vtits without nam
! ing. When wc get an agricultural society here, it can bo
named, if it stands this test. As your Texas readers,
in this part of Texas, at least, have very little experience
in fruit growing, I would say that a!! the strawberry
wants, is clean culture, working the soil as deep as pos
sible, before setting out the plants. I gathered my fir.- 1
ripe berries the fifteenth of March, and the beds are nc vS
full of blooms and ripe fruit—will have fruit till tl
peach and grape comes in in July. WM. WATSQ 1U
Bren ham , Texas. 1 ,a ' e
THE SCUPPEIiNONG IN A KCKANSAS.
Editors Southern Cultivator: —You say the people
are getting “excited outlie Seuppernong question.”—
Well, they are getting no little so hereabouts, (Union Cos.
Ark.) There are acres of them in this county —one man
has some ten acres. I-put out one hundred this spring,
in addition to some 20 I had before. Flourish ! Noth
ing better—not even Poke weed. I know of a vino or
two some 20 years old, 12'miles from Eldorado, that
bears from 20 to 80 bushels yearly, and they make the
sparkling, clear, delicious champagne every year.
Seuppernong? Flourish here? Why ’talk—brag no
more, ye North Carolinians, about superiority of soil and
situation for the Seuppernong. It flourishes here like
your hardy and industrious sons, who “ lung syne,” migra
ted on ironless cart wheels to Arkansas, where now, but
for the late war and subsequent radical plundering, they
would be rich ; but still thriving are they, with each a
Seuppernong in his garden, crowding out the Cos Hards and
beans. “Flourish!”—the Seuppernong? It is one of
our Penates. " GEO. M. P.
SOWING T GUN IP SEED.
Editors Southern Cultivator :- Take a bit of canc,
three feet'long, punch outjoints, and put a funnel (a gourd
properly cut will answer) in one end. With the seed in
jour pocket, or in a bag swung on “shot-bagfashion,” and
cane in left hand, the lower end as near the grouud as
you please, much backache may be avoided, and the seed
sown evenly and without wu\ste.
Iron as a Preventative of the Borer. In a yard well
known to me, stand several cherry and peach trees. On
the two nearest the house the owner—an economical
“saving” man—has, for years, hung little pieces of iron.
horse shoes, bits of chain, Ac., &e., as he picked them up ir
his walks, thinking, like Mrs. Toodles, that they “migh,
be needed sometime.” Well, these two trees * are ih d *
healthy producing fine fruit and have net
been touched by a borer ; while the ethers, a few fei 7
distant, and of same kind, have been bored , from year
to year, until now they are sickly, languishing and worth
less. j] j
Lilesville , N. C., 1868.