Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/434

400&#93; 40o] B L I and, after standing two or three days, during which lime the liquor intist be skimmed, the mixture will be fit for Uae. Another cause of blight in the spring, is the sharp hoar frost, which often takes place during the night, and is succeeded by hot days ; so that the blossoms anj fruit inevitably perish. The only preventive of such accidents, hi- tl>erto known, is the covering of walls with old fish-nets, doubled tliree times ; and, if a few branches of dry fern be placed between the boughs, they will greatly contri- bute to break the force of high winds, as well as of the frost. Such shelter ought to be employed only during the night, and be re- moved in the day time. Thus, the fruit will be efiedually preserved ; and, as the apparent troitble at- tending this pradice might deter many persons from adopting it, Mr, F. is of opinion, that the objeft may be easily and expeditiously attained, by contriving to draw up and let down the nets by means of pullies. Frequently, however, the affec- tion termed Might, is merely a weakness in the trees, which de- peiwis on the difference of their constitutions, and proceeds from want of proper nourishment ; some bad quality m the soil ; or from a distemper in the stock, buds, or scyons ; all of which causes pro- duce a malady in trees, that is with difficulty cured. Should the cause arise from ihe soil, Mr. K. direds it to be dug out, and supplied with fresh mould ; or, it will be advisable to remove the trees, and to plant others, which are better adapted to the ground ; because it is indispensa- bly accessary to suit different kinds BLU of fruit-trees, as nearly as possible, to ths nature of the land. But, w.here the weakness of trees is in- duced by some inbred disease, they ought to be dug up j the earth be changed 3 and other plants be sub- stituted. Lastly, there is another species of blight, that is very destru<fitive to orchards and plantations, in the mouths of April and May : it is known under the name of Blast. This malady is conjeijlurcd to ori- ginate from certain transparent floating vapours, which assume such forms as to converge the rays of the sun, in a manner similar to a burning glass, and to scorch those plants on which they happen to descend, in a greater or less de- gree, according to their convergen- cy. The blast occurs most fre- quently in close plantations, where the exhalation of vapours from the earth, and the perspiration of the trees are confined, for want of a suificient circulation of the air to disperse them. Mr. Foksyth, therefore, recommends a clear, healthy spot, to be seleded for kitchen - gardens, orchaidsj, &c. j the trees being platited at such a distance as to give free admission to the air; so that all noxious va- pours may be dissipated, before ihey are formed into volumes capa- ble of occasioning blasts. BLUE. — A fine colour has lately been discovered by Mr. Thomas Willis, which promises to be useful in the art of painting. It is prepared by mixing a solution of alum and martial vitriol with the mother water, which remains after extrafting the crystals ot phospho- rated soda, from a combination of the phosphoric acid with pure mi- neral alkali. — Our limits not per- mitting us to relate bis various ex- peri-