IIG The Bulletin. 



as asparagus, rhubai-b, lettuce, etc., as it supplies nitrogen in a quickly avail- 

 able form. Hardwood ash is one of the best sources of potash, provided it 

 has not been exposed to rain. It has the additional advantage of being free 

 from weed seed and spores of fungi, which fact cannot always be said of barn- 

 yard manure. Lime, while not directly a fertilizer, often produces beneficial 

 results when applied to garden soil ; for if the soil is at all sour all vegetables, 

 with the possible exception of corn and potatoes, will be greatly benefited by 

 an application. 



Although the gardener in the South, being particularly blessed with a long 

 growing season, has vegetables for several months during the year, yet by the 

 use of a little expense, labor, and .iudicious planning he could have a larger 

 assortment and more continuous supply of vegetables for a longer time than 

 at present. By use of the hotbed and cold frames, without which no garden is 

 complete, the vegetable season could be lengthened at both ends. The hotbetl 

 consists of an inclosure covered with sash (in some cases cloth is substituted 

 for glass) and supplied with some form of artificial heat to keep the soil warm 

 and in condition to favor plant growth ; usually fermenting stable manure is 

 used for this purpose. The cold frame is a hotbed without the artificial heat 

 In preparing the hotbed have the manure thoroughly mixed and fined so that 

 it will heat uniformly. After the bed has been prepared, let the heat come 

 down to SO degrees F. before planting the seed. After the plants are up the 

 hotbed should be ventilated during the morning of warm days by raising the 

 sash on the opposite side from the wind, and watered on bright days during 

 the morning only. There are certain plants, such as beans, melons, etc.. which, 

 in order to have extra early, have to be planted in pots, as they transplant 

 with difficulty. While there are pots which can be bought cheaply for this 

 purpose, a sufficient number of plants for home use can be started by using old 

 tomato cans or any kind of old tin cans or berry baskets. Throw the old cans 

 in the fire ; the tops and bottoms will melt off and the joints in the sides will 

 melt apart. Tie a string or wii'e around the can ; after filling with rich garden 

 soil, plant the seeds, and put the cans in the hotbed, where they should be 

 treated just as any other plants. When the seedlings are large enough to 

 transplant, the cans may be lifted, the strings or wires cut, and the plants 

 with the dirt adhering to the roots may be transplanted to the open with 

 safety. Or the cans ma.v be put in the ground in transplanting and then drawn 

 about halfway out, leaving them around the plants for a while as a protection 

 against cutworms. By this method of transplanting almost any of the vege- 

 tables can be safely transplantetl after they have attained a considerable size. 



While there are any number of little things that may be observed with 

 profit in gardening, yet if the few suggestions here mentioned are given a 

 consideration the pleasure and profit from the average home vegetable garden 

 will be materially increased. 



ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY AND THE FARMER. 



By Fkanklin Sher.man, .Jr., Entomologist. 



In this article ve wish to show what bearing the study of insects has ujion 

 the welfare of the farmer and to point out a few ways in which the farmer 

 may benefit by the work that is being done in this line. 



EntomoJofi]! is the study of insects; and economic ciitomolofiji has to do with 

 insects which are destructive and how to control them, or with insects which 

 are beneficial and how to increase them. 



The average person thinks of an insect as being merely a "bug," to lx> shud- 

 dere<l at. stepped upon, and forgotten as quickly as possible. If the insect is 

 destructive, we call it a "pesky little critter" or some other name, and let it 

 go at that. We have no names which are really definite for most insects; we 

 simply say. "It was a litth^ black hug," or "a big yellow fly"; but we hav<' 

 no definite names in common use for each insect. Most of us give no thought 



