Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million: Containing Four Thousand Five Hundred and Forty-five Receipts, Facts, Directions, etc. in the Useful, Ornamental, and Domestic Arts
John Stuart Mill · en
Unnail or untie all the branches from the wall or trellis; brush
every part of the tree clean with a soft brush, such as is used for
painting; then, with a sponge, carefully anoint every branch, root,
and bud; and be sure to rub it well into every joint, hole, and
angle, as it is there the eggs or larvæ of the insects are chiefly
lodged. The rails, spars, &c., of the espalier or trellis, should
also be anointed as above.
This operation should be repeated every winter, some time between
the fall of the leaf and the first of February, as may be most
convenient. The solution is effectually destructive to all kinds of
insects, their eggs or larvæ.
1055. _To kill Reptiles._--Twelve ounces of quick-lime in powder,
two ounces of Scotch snuff, two ounces of basket salt, two ounces of
sulphur vivum, dissolved in ten gallons of water, and thrown on the
insects, either in the liquid or powder, will destroy them.
1056. _To prevent Slugs from getting into Fruit-Trees._--If the trees
are standards, tie a coarse horse-hair rope about them, two or three
feet from the ground. If they are against the wall, nail a narrow
slip of coarse horse-hair cloth against the wall, about half a foot
from the ground, and they will never get over it; for if they attempt
it, it will kill them, as their bellies are soft, and the horse-hair
will wound them.
1057. _To destroy Snails._--Snails are great enemies to wall-fruit;
and any dewy morning you may easily find where they most delight to
breed; but the best way is to find out their haunts in a hard winter,
and then destroy them: they lie much in holes of walls, under thorns,
behind old trees or old and close hedges. If you pluck not the fruit
they have begun to devour, but let it alone, they will finish their
repast on this, before they begin another.
1058. _To destroy the Red Spider, so troublesome in dry
seasons._--The red spider makes its appearance in hot, dry weather,
and is always found on the under sides of the leaves, generally on
roughish leaves, but not always so. It preys on the apple, cherry,
fig, peach, pear, and plum--seldom on the apricot. It is among the
smallest of the acari, and is sometimes not distinguishable without a
microscope. If the back of the leaf be viewed through one, it appears
full of its webs; and if many abound on it, the leaf appears full of
punctures, becomes discolored, and brown on the upper surface, fades,
and falls off.
This insect is more troublesome in dry seasons than in moist ones,
and is wonderfully encouraged by heat--insomuch, that hot-houses of
every description are sadly infested with it. Water, and water only,
is its bane; and the syringe, or the force-pump, the engine of its
destruction. It is not a mere sprinkling that will do; it requires a
forcible dashing to and fro, and that often repeated, to be effectual.