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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



QUERIES and ANSWERS 



IVe believe the greatest good can be accomplished for the greatest 

 nutnber, by instituting a query column; or an exchange of expe- 

 riences, on practical propositions, by our readers. 



You are im-ited to contribute questions, and answer others. 



Each question as received will be given a number, the question- 

 er's name will not be published, but the source of the answer will 

 be given unless other-wise requested. 



We all have something we would like to know more about. Here 

 is your opportunity to ascertain somebody's experience in just that 

 matter. 



Nothing will tend to better fellowship than helping each other. 



Take advantage of this "Question Box." 



While I find no difficulty in securing remedies to combat the 

 many insects that infest our gardens, I have not, however, been 

 able to learn what produces these insects and what, if anything, 

 can be done to prevent their appearance. The black aphis ap- 

 pears to be our worst enemy this season. It has severely at- 

 tacked an Euonymus bush which was transplanted this winter 

 near some lilacs. The lilacs are not attacked and I do not recall 

 having found any insects on this Euonymus before. Sedums are 

 attacked by the l)lack aphis while poppies, and columbines planted 

 close by are free of them. We have had green aphis on some 

 of our plants in past seasons, but this is the first year of the 

 black aphis, while the green aphis seems absent. What explana- 

 tion can you give me as to the cause of this invasion on some 

 of our plants while others, usually subjected to insects, seem 

 free of them so far this season. R. E_ 



It is only after a most fundamental study of the relation of 

 the insects and its enemies to the factors of climate that one 

 would be in a position to answer the question which your corre- 

 spondent asl<s. With a few exceiitions no studies of insects 

 liave gone as far as this. Ko doubt the appearance and disap- 

 pearance of almost any species of injurious insect which is fol- 

 lowed closely enough year out and year in could be explained. 

 In fact. I think tliat any entomological department with suf- 

 ficient competent help might so scout the state that a knowl- 

 edge of the status of all the principal injurious insects could be 

 maintained and that tlie probal)ility of an outbreak of this 

 or that species could be forecasted with a reasonable degree of 

 certainty, and that fairly adequate measures for its control could 

 be taken in time. The maintenance of a scouting service of 

 tliis sort would entail an expense which a State is not willing 

 to bear, and we are therefore largely limited to the discovery 

 and dissemination of measures of control. Your correspondent 

 should be glad that efficient measures of control have been 

 worked out for most of the injurious species. I am merely 

 able to say that some condition in the aphis environment — nat- 

 ural enemies or unfavorable climate factors, or lack of food 

 su]iply. or one or more of these factors operating together have 

 caused the reduction of the green lice and favored the produc- 

 tion of the black lice."' EXTOMOLOGIST. 



Will you please give me a few directions for the culture of 

 sea kale in this country? English directions do not seem to suit 

 this climate. I treat my plants very much like rhubarb in the 

 spring but the stalks are thin, tough and somewhat bitter. The 

 plants are three years old with the exception of about half a 

 dozen which are no larger than the younger plants. C. H. S., 



Sea kale is very easily grown if given a sunny position in 

 the garden, and given well manured ground to grow in. The 

 most satisfactory method of propagation is by means of root 

 cuttings taken from forcing sized roots. These may be taken 

 when forcing begins say in November and made: then stored 

 in damp >and in the storage shed until spring, when they will 

 be planted in the garden. 



These soon start into growth and often make many growths, 

 which must be thinned to the strongest one. If well grown these 

 root cuttings may be forced the following year; and if a regular 

 supply is made and planted each year, a good supply of forcing 

 roots is maintained. 



To grow sea kale from seed is a simple method, but takes 

 one season longer to acquire forcing sized roots. Sea kale is as 

 easily forced as Whitloof chicory, and may be treated in the same 

 manner. 



Place the roots around the edge of a deep flower pot, a few 

 inches apart in leaf soil, with an inverted flower pot of the same 

 size over, and place in a temperature of G.j degrees or 70 de- 

 grees. If the roots have been previously subjected to a freezing 

 temperature they will respond very quickly. 



Place the roots in heat every two weeks for succession. 



T. E. P. 



Can you let me know how to get rid of dandelions in lawns? 

 They cannot be taken out by hand as the lawns are infested 



with too many of them. Do you think that we could get rid 

 of them by plowing up the lawn, harrowing and raking it and 

 then seeding down in September or would it be better to take 

 a crop of buckwheat or something else before seeding down? 



T. K. 



Before going to the radical cure of plowing up your lawn, is, 

 it not possible to get rid of your dandelions by means of the 

 poisoned dart. We used one of these instruments with great 

 success. They are made by an English firm, but can be secured 

 from Henderson's in New York, or other large dealers in garden 

 sundries. The instrument is shaped like a long syringe, into 

 which a weed killer is poured. The apex is shaip ])ointed, and 

 when this point is pressed into the heart of the dandelion a 

 portion of the liquid emerges and kills the plant. A large piece 

 of ground can be gone over in a short time. Afterwards by 

 scarifying the surface, brushing in fine rich soil, using care in 

 watering and subsequent weeding, it might be possible to get 

 the lawn reestablished. Otherwise plow up the ground in August, 

 harrow it and get the roots killed by exposure to the sun and 

 sow down in September. We do not see any benefit in sowing 

 a buckwheat crop in this case. GARDENEE. 



I was quite interested in reading the criticism of 

 William Gray in your April issue on my article entitled 

 "Traditions of the Fathers." I wonder if Mr. Gray 

 still takes soft wooded cuttings at the heel for such 

 plants as are grown by the millions in the East for 

 bedding plants annually. If he does he utterly failed 

 in coin]5rehending the teachings of Peter Henderscin 

 in his book "Growing Plants for Profit." I do not 

 know of a single propagator of \'erbenas, Heliotrope, 

 Geranitim, Fuchsias and other sttch plants, making a 

 cutting at a joint for more than twenty years before 

 I came to the State of California, and I have been on 

 the Pacific Coast for eighteen 3^ears. 



When we want to propagate geraniums here we cut 

 up the whole jjlant, no matter how- hard the wood. 

 \Ve put the cuttings in sand in a lath house, or a 

 frame covered with lath to keep them damp, and they 

 all root if the work is done from Tune 1 to Novem- 

 ber 1. 



Fuchsias we grow from hard wood cuttings the same 

 as willows are grown in the east. The same inethod 

 is followed with Lemon Verbenas, Crepe Myrtle, 

 Hydrangeas, etc.. etc. I'lougainvillesa are grown from 

 old hard w-ood. from a half inch in diameter to two 

 inches, and they all root, if placed in a glass house or 

 a sash covered frame \vithout bottom heat. To cut 

 the heavy wood of Bougainvillesa a sharp saw is used. 



Roses are growm here by the million every year 

 from otitdoor plants, never taking a cutting at a heel, 

 and they get from 90 to 95 per cent, to strike. No bet- 

 ter stock is grown anywhere. 



P. D. Barxhart, Los Angeles. Cal. 



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I Of Interest to Estate Owners | 



I The National Association of Gardeners maintains | 



I a Service Bureau which is at the disposal of all who I 



i may require the services of efficient gardeners in i 



I their various capacities. 1 



I The association seeks the co-operation of estate j 



i owners in its efforts to secure opportunities for J 



I those engaged in the profession of gardening who | 



I are seeking to advance themselves. It makes no i 



1 charge for services rendered. It endeavors to sup- i 



1 ply men qualified to assume the responsibilities the i 



1 position may call for. 1 



I Make your requirements known to | 



I M. C. EBEL, Sec'jr. National Association of Gardeners, | 



I Madison, N. J. i 



