The Massachusetts Spy

THURSDAY, December 19.

BOSTON.

We are favoured with the following receipt from a gentleman lately arrived from England; and as it is new, curious, and may be very useful to the public, we now lay it before them. It is an extract from a late publication, entitled, "Modern Eden."

Receipt for making a cement to preserve the ends of cuttings from rotting, in order to propagate shrubs and trees, viz.

"Melt together in a large earthen pipkin, two pounds and an half of common pitch, and half a pound of turpentine; when they are melted, put in three quarters of an ounce of powder of aloes, stir them all together, and then set the matter on fire; when it has flamed a moment, cover it up close, and it will go out, then melt it well, and fire it again in the same manner: This must be done three times; it must be done in the open air, for it would fire a house; and there must be a cover for the pipkin ready. After it has burnt the last time, melt it again, and put in three ounces of yellow wax, shred very thin, and six drams of mastic, in powder.

Let it all melt together until it is perfectly well mixed, then strain it through a coarse cloth into a pan, and set it by to cool.

"When this is to be used, a piece of it must be broke off, and set over a very gentle fire, in a small pipkin: It must stand until it is soft enough to spread upon the part of the cutting where it is wanted, but it must not be very hot. It is the quality of this dressing to keep out wet entirely. The part which is covered with it will never decay, while there is any principle of life in the rest; and this being secured, nature will do the business of growing. This I have found true in practice; and by repeated trials, in more kinds than one, I have found that I could raise from any piece of a branch, as many good plants as there were leaves or buds upon it."

By this means trees, &c. may be raised from branches and roots, or any parts of them, having one bud or eye. To be laid in the ground in October, November, or December. Perhaps it may be found good (not only for pieces of branches and roots, when properly applied to every wounded part of them, as is mentioned in the above, but also) for wounds occasioned by pruning, where branches are cut off, &c. This, further experience may show.