CHOP TALK ON HORTICULTURE. 



163 



Do not neglect to prepare the ground in the best possible manner 

 and before planting the seed work into the soil one bushel of un- 

 leached ashes to the square rod of area to be planted. Watch care- 

 fully the first appearance of the plants and look sharp for cutworms, 

 and if discovered use wheat bran and shorts, molasses and paris 

 green mixture in the following proportions : wheat bran fifty pounds, 

 shorts fifty pounds, paris green one-half pound ; mix dry, adding two 

 quarts of molasses mixed with one gallon of water. Sprinkle this 

 along the rows each time after a rain for three weeks. It's the best 

 cutworm preventative of which I know. 



WYMAN EI,I,IOT. 



For fruit trees or small fruits that look sick and do not grow 

 well make an application of wood ashes. Last spring I discovered 

 the root sprout which I have from the original Wealthy tree was 

 not growing as thriftily as desired, and I dug down to the roots, re- 

 moved all sprouts but the best one and worked into the soil a quarter 

 of a bushel of ashes. The tree has made four times the growth the 

 past season it did the two previous years. 



The hail-storm of July 15 was with us a very disastrous affair. 

 To show effect of hail on fruit and nursery stock I have a few sam- 

 ples for your inspection. I once had a teacher who said every time 



